Cost of Living Comparison Between Chillan and La Serena Cost of Living Comparison Between Chillan and La Serena

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,047 in Chillan versus $1,042 in La Serena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,504 in Chillan versus $1,787 in La Serena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,961 in Chillan versus $2,533 in La Serena.

Monthly costs are close between Chillan and La Serena; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chillan 22% lower, La Serena 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 CLP 4,961

$8.22 CLP 7,389

-32.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.29 CLP 24.5K

$51.9 CLP 46.6K

-47.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 CLP 5,661

$8.75 CLP 7,868

-28.00%

Cappuccino

$3.10 CLP 2,788

$2.98 CLP 2,674

4.03%

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

$0.94 CLP 847

$1.12 CLP 1,004

-16.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 CLP 877

$0.67 CLP 598

46.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 CLP 3,350

$2.22 CLP 1,998

68.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 CLP 3,767

$4.10 CLP 3,682

2.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 CLP 1,027

$1.29 CLP 1,159

-11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 CLP 1,601

$2.56 CLP 2,302

-30.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 CLP 1,666

$1.56 CLP 1,401

18.59%

Eggs

$3.83 CLP 3,440

$4.03 CLP 3,624

-4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 CLP 6,884

$12.98 CLP 11.7K

-40.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 CLP 6,101

$6.24 CLP 5,605

8.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 CLP 9,822

$13.04 CLP 11.7K

-16.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,652

$1.92 CLP 1,728

-4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,360

$1.80 CLP 1,615

-16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,434

$1.40 CLP 1,255

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CLP 1,314

$1.47 CLP 1,317

-0.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 CLP 1,166

$1.23 CLP 1,107

5.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,216

$1.33 CLP 1,194

1.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,140

$1.13 CLP 1,015

12.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,092

$0.92 CLP 826

32.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.54 CLP 4,980

$5.33 CLP 4,791

3.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.48 CLP 3,123

$5.35 CLP 4,809

-34.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CLP 1,445

$1.05 CLP 940

53.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CLP 1,997

$2.25 CLP 2,025

-1.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 CLP 564

$1.06 CLP 953

-40.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.12 CLP 34.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 426

$0.72 CLP 643

-34.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 CLP 1,913

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.01 CLP 11.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,229

$1.42 CLP 1,274

-3.52%

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

$12.6K CLP 11.3M

$20.7K CLP 18.6M

-39.04%

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

$15.4K CLP 13.9M

$13.1K CLP 11.8M

17.93%

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

$135 CLP 121.4K

$92.7 CLP 83.3K

45.77%

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

$13.40 CLP 12.0K

$11.35 CLP 10.2K

18.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.46 CLP 22.0K

$22.61 CLP 20.3K

8.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.19 CLP 14.5K

$36.68 CLP 33.0K

-55.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.58 CLP 19.4K

$21.65 CLP 19.5K

-0.32%

Cinema Ticket

$11.75 CLP 10.6K

$8.86 CLP 7,963

32.62%

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

$439 CLP 394.1K

$441 CLP 396.0K

-0.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 CLP 45.8K

$46.06 CLP 41.4K

10.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.24 CLP 27.2K

$29.87 CLP 26.8K

1.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.0 CLP 46.7K

$96.4 CLP 86.7K

-46.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 CLP 61.4K

$110 CLP 98.4K

-37.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 CLP 437.9K

$364 CLP 327.0K

33.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 335.4K

$280 CLP 251.6K

33.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 CLP 416.5K

$1,070 CLP 962.0K

-56.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 CLP 536.6K

$699 CLP 627.9K

-14.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,226 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,621 CLP 2.4M

$1,434 CLP 1.3M

82.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$696 CLP 625.2K

$746 CLP 670.6K

-6.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

6.5

-20.31%

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

Last update for Chillan: June 7, 2026

Last update for La Serena: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Chillan and $364 in La Serena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Serena pays 7% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $27.00 in Chillan vs $52.0 in La Serena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $246 per month, with Chillan 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

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

On paper, La Serena earns 7% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Chillan versus $364 in La Serena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $439 in Chillan versus $441 in La Serena. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Chillan pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,042 in La Serena versus $1,047 in Chillan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in La Serena but tight or insufficient in Chillan. The gap between the two cities makes La Serena 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.

It comes down to priorities – La Serena wins on affordability, Chillan on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.