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: $1,077 in Calama versus $1,066 in Valdivia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,598 in Calama versus $1,624 in Valdivia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,119 in Calama versus $2,182 in Valdivia.

Living in Calama is roughly 1% more expensive than Valdivia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.95 CLP 7,119

$6.34 CLP 5,682

25.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.74 CLP 30.2K

$42.66 CLP 38.2K

-20.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 CLP 6,940

$7.31 CLP 6,551

6.02%

Cappuccino

$2.20 CLP 1,973

$2.52 CLP 2,258

-12.70%

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

$0.92 CLP 828

$2.44 CLP 2,183

-62.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 CLP 853

$1.52 CLP 1,363

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 CLP 2,969

$3.68 CLP 3,293

-10.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 CLP 3,638

$3.95 CLP 3,536

2.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 CLP 1,069

$1.23 CLP 1,103

-3.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 CLP 1,389

$1.36 CLP 1,218

13.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 CLP 1,753

$1.62 CLP 1,455

20.99%

Eggs

$3.47 CLP 3,107

$3.13 CLP 2,800

10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 CLP 9,214

$9.18 CLP 8,225

12.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 CLP 5,864

$6.89 CLP 6,167

-4.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 CLP 9,886

$13.28 CLP 11.9K

-16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,687

$2.23 CLP 1,994

-15.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,343

$1.95 CLP 1,744

-23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,360

$1.89 CLP 1,691

-19.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,343

$1.88 CLP 1,685

-20.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,150

$2.45 CLP 2,196

-47.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,210

$1.63 CLP 1,458

-17.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,081

$1.56 CLP 1,398

-22.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CLP 1,098

$1.20 CLP 1,077

2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 CLP 4,952

$5.36 CLP 4,800

3.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.51 CLP 4,036

$5.00 CLP 4,475

-9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CLP 1,424

$1.61 CLP 1,441

-1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CLP 1,975

$2.24 CLP 2,002

-1.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 518

$0.59 CLP 531

-1.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 450

$1.60 CLP 1,430

-68.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 CLP 1,373

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 CLP 1,366

$1.42 CLP 1,271

7.75%

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

$19.9K CLP 17.8M

$15.9K CLP 14.3M

25.11%

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

$21.1K CLP 18.9M

$18.1K CLP 16.3M

16.28%

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

$134 CLP 120.1K

$95.8 CLP 85.8K

39.87%

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

$13.69 CLP 12.3K

$18.76 CLP 16.8K

-27.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.18 CLP 19.9K

$28.57 CLP 25.6K

-22.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.16 CLP 34.2K

$43.78 CLP 39.2K

-12.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.33 CLP 19.1K

$25.23 CLP 22.6K

-15.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 CLP 5,092

$4.99 CLP 4,473

13.83%

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

$432 CLP 387.2K

$275 CLP 246.1K

57.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 CLP 44.8K

$54.8 CLP 49.1K

-8.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.74 CLP 26.6K

$19.05 CLP 17.1K

56.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.5 CLP 55.1K

$53.1 CLP 47.6K

15.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 CLP 73.9K

$82.0 CLP 73.5K

0.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 CLP 311.7K

$608 CLP 545.0K

-42.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 330.4K

$393 CLP 351.8K

-6.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 CLP 762.9K

$1,062 CLP 951.4K

-19.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$590 CLP 528.6K

$604 CLP 540.7K

-2.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,543 CLP 1.4M

$4,893 CLP 4.4M

-68.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,368 CLP 1.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,213 CLP 1.1M

$687 CLP 615.6K

76.49%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Valdivia: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $348 in Calama and $608 in Valdivia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 76% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Calama vs $43.00 in Valdivia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 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

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

Calama pays 76% 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: $348 in Calama versus $608 in Valdivia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Calama pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,077 per month in Calama versus $1,066 in Valdivia – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,066 in Valdivia versus $1,077 in Calama, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Valdivia but tight or insufficient in Calama. The gap between the two cities makes Valdivia 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 Valdivia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Calama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.