Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Castro and La Serena

For one person, living is cheaper in Castro: $858 a month against $1,093 in La Serena, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. The total is higher in La Serena despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in La Serena
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La Serena Living Index

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Castro

🇨🇱 Chile

$858

/mo nomad

La Serena

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,093

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Castro and in La Serena

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Castro and in La Serena actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $858 per month in Castro vs $1,093 in La Serena, rent included.

Castro $858
La Serena $1,093

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Castro vs $1,806 in La Serena, rent included.

Castro $1,360
La Serena $1,806

A family of three spends $1,862 per month in Castro vs $2,518 in La Serena, rent included.

Castro $1,862
La Serena $2,518

Castro is about 22% cheaper than La Serena, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Castro and La Serena are more affordable than the global median – Castro 37% lower, La Serena 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 CLP 7,833

$7.54 CLP 7,366

6.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.65 CLP 43.6K

$47.87 CLP 46.8K

-6.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 CLP 5,565

$8.24 CLP 8,049

-30.83%

Cappuccino

$1.54 CLP 1,507

$2.91 CLP 2,843

-47.08%

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

$1.19 CLP 1,164

$1.08 CLP 1,058

10.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 CLP 1,005

$0.63 CLP 614

63.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.18 CLP 5,066

$2.08 CLP 2,028

149.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 CLP 6,964

$3.90 CLP 3,811

82.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 CLP 1,040

$1.16 CLP 1,131

-8.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 CLP 3,435

$2.38 CLP 2,322

47.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 CLP 1,244

$1.50 CLP 1,464

-15.33%

Eggs

$4.21 CLP 4,113

$3.69 CLP 3,603

14.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 CLP 9,628

$12.25 CLP 12.0K

-19.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 CLP 3,922

$5.63 CLP 5,504

-28.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.37 CLP 8,180

$12.68 CLP 12.4K

-33.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 CLP 1,345

$1.86 CLP 1,817

-25.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CLP 2,104

$1.67 CLP 1,636

28.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,452

$1.25 CLP 1,218

19.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,837

$1.42 CLP 1,390

32.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 CLP 1,140

$1.16 CLP 1,131

0.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 CLP 1,149

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 CLP 1,521

$1.00 CLP 979

56.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CLP 1,441

$0.89 CLP 872

65.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 CLP 3,479

$5.11 CLP 4,991

-30.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.63 CLP 7,451

$5.14 CLP 5,026

48.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 CLP 1,002

$0.97 CLP 953

6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 CLP 2,929

$2.01 CLP 1,968

49.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 CLP 698

$0.99 CLP 967

-28.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.66 CLP 33.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 CLP 682

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 CLP 1,949

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.35 CLP 12.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CLP 1,262

$1.38 CLP 1,346

-6.52%

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

$15.3K CLP 14.9M

$19.2K CLP 18.8M

-20.69%

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

$17.9K CLP 17.5M

$12.1K CLP 11.8M

48.61%

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

$130 CLP 127.0K

$84.7 CLP 82.8K

53.44%

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

$10.79 CLP 10.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.80 CLP 29.1K

$20.76 CLP 20.3K

43.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.4 CLP 86.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.59 CLP 20.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.97 CLP 7,783

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.44 CLP 41.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.5 CLP 58.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 CLP 77.6K

$90.1 CLP 88.1K

-11.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CLP 99.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$351 CLP 342.7K

$414 CLP 404.8K

-15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 CLP 272.7K

$316 CLP 308.6K

-11.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 CLP 988.5K

$877 CLP 857.1K

15.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 CLP 556.5K

$696 CLP 679.6K

-18.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,009 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,298 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$600 CLP 586.0K

$710 CLP 693.7K

-15.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

7.69%

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

Last update for Castro: October 25, 2026

Last update for La Serena: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Castro

–

La Serena

$316 28.9%

Groceries & Markets

Castro

–

La Serena

$230 21.1%

Eating Out

Castro

–

La Serena

$145 13.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Castro

–

La Serena

$132 12.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Castro

–

La Serena

$116 10.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Castro

–

La Serena

$104 9.6%

Getting Around

Castro

–

La Serena

$49 4.5%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $351 in Castro versus $414 in La Serena. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in La Serena, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Castro versus $48 in La Serena. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Castro vs $230 in La Serena – so La Serena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Castro

🇨🇱 La Serena

🕒 Local time

12:44 12:44 PM

Same time as Castro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

33,417

195,382

💱 Currency

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CLP = 10.23 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.2 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.23 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Castro La Serena 1,420 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Castro
La Serena

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Castro vs La Serena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Serena costs about 27% more than Castro, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,286 per month in Castro and $1,640 in La Serena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castro, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $351 there versus $414 in La Serena.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $858 in Castro and $1,093 in La Serena. That’s a gap of about 27%.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Castro and $48 in La Serena. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $858 in Castro and $1,093 in La Serena. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

If budget matters most, go with Castro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, La Serena makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.