Cost of Living Comparison Between Calama and Valdivia Cost of Living Comparison Between Calama and Valdivia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,071 in Calama versus $1,077 in Valdivia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,603 in Calama versus $1,602 in Valdivia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,136 in Calama versus $2,126 in Valdivia.

Living in Calama costs roughly 1% less than in Valdivia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calama 20% lower, Valdivia 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 CLP 7,362

$6.56 CLP 5,896

24.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.14 CLP 29.8K

$42.36 CLP 38.1K

-21.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 CLP 7,121

$7.18 CLP 6,457

10.31%

Cappuccino

$2.14 CLP 1,920

$2.49 CLP 2,241

-14.06%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 846

$2.38 CLP 2,142

-60.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 CLP 854

$1.55 CLP 1,395

-38.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 CLP 2,839

$3.72 CLP 3,345

-15.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 CLP 3,659

$4.02 CLP 3,614

1.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,109

$1.23 CLP 1,110

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,409

$1.44 CLP 1,290

9.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 CLP 1,747

$1.62 CLP 1,454

19.75%

Eggs

$3.47 CLP 3,120

$3.21 CLP 2,887

8.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 CLP 9,279

$9.18 CLP 8,251

12.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 CLP 5,847

$6.63 CLP 5,958

-1.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 CLP 9,905

$13.21 CLP 11.9K

-16.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 CLP 1,647

$2.32 CLP 2,088

-21.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,371

$2.00 CLP 1,799

-23.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,370

$1.91 CLP 1,717

-20.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,345

$1.88 CLP 1,691

-20.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,149

$2.46 CLP 2,208

-47.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 CLP 1,269

$1.65 CLP 1,481

-14.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,137

$1.52 CLP 1,368

-16.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,050

$1.16 CLP 1,045

0.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.26 CLP 4,727

$5.47 CLP 4,920

-3.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.06 CLP 5,445

$4.92 CLP 4,421

23.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,403

$1.54 CLP 1,382

1.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CLP 2,089

$2.17 CLP 1,950

6.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 CLP 529

$0.60 CLP 539

-1.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 459

$1.60 CLP 1,439

-68.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CLP 1,327

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 CLP 1,424

$1.43 CLP 1,282

10.49%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

$15.6K CLP 14.0M

23.49%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.1K CLP 19.0M

$18.4K CLP 16.5M

14.93%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$134 CLP 120.1K

$96.4 CLP 86.6K

38.67%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.39 CLP 12.0K

$19.02 CLP 17.1K

-29.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.23 CLP 20.0K

$28.78 CLP 25.9K

-22.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.84 CLP 34.9K

$42.40 CLP 38.1K

-8.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.27 CLP 19.1K

$25.19 CLP 22.6K

-15.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 CLP 5,010

$4.82 CLP 4,331

15.56%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$431 CLP 387.5K

$271 CLP 243.8K

58.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 CLP 45.0K

$54.8 CLP 49.2K

-8.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.88 CLP 26.9K

$18.66 CLP 16.8K

60.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 CLP 55.1K

$53.0 CLP 47.6K

15.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 CLP 74.7K

$79.9 CLP 71.8K

4.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 CLP 320.1K

$599 CLP 538.5K

-40.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 CLP 338.2K

$387 CLP 348.2K

-2.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 CLP 761.6K

$1,052 CLP 945.7K

-19.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 CLP 537.9K

-0.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,473 CLP 1.3M

$4,910 CLP 4.4M

-70.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,322 CLP 1.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,175 CLP 1.1M

$675 CLP 606.7K

74.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

4.5

15.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Calama: June 7, 2026

Last update for Valdivia: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $356 in Calama and $599 in Valdivia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 74% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Calama vs $42.00 in Valdivia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $240 per month, with Calama cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Calama vs Valdivia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calama wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Valdivia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Calama pays 74% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $356 in Calama versus $599 in Valdivia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Valdivia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,071 per month in Calama versus $1,077 in Valdivia – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,071 in Calama versus $1,077 in Valdivia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calama but tight or insufficient in Valdivia. The gap between the two cities makes Calama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Calama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Valdivia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.