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: $892 in Chillan versus $1,112 in La Serena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,340 in Chillan versus $1,845 in La Serena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,788 in Chillan versus $2,578 in La Serena.

Living in Chillan costs roughly 20% less than in La Serena, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chillan 35% lower, La Serena 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.36 CLP 5,078

$7.83 CLP 7,412

-31.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.44 CLP 44.9K

$48.70 CLP 46.1K

-2.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 CLP 5,859

$8.61 CLP 8,150

-28.11%

Cappuccino

$3.43 CLP 3,251

$3.00 CLP 2,845

14.33%

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

$1.13 CLP 1,069

$1.13 CLP 1,065

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 CLP 879

$0.70 CLP 663

32.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 CLP 1,516

$2.15 CLP 2,034

-25.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 CLP 4,494

$3.89 CLP 3,683

22.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 CLP 1,066

$1.21 CLP 1,150

-6.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 CLP 1,565

$2.48 CLP 2,349

-33.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 CLP 1,710

$1.54 CLP 1,458

17.53%

Eggs

$3.79 CLP 3,590

$3.80 CLP 3,599

-0.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.16 CLP 6,778

$12.38 CLP 11.7K

-42.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 CLP 2,526

$5.84 CLP 5,530

-54.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.26 CLP 7,823

$12.96 CLP 12.3K

-36.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,461

$1.84 CLP 1,738

-16.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CLP 1,605

$1.80 CLP 1,702

-6.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,170

$1.30 CLP 1,231

-4.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 CLP 1,008

$1.45 CLP 1,368

-26.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,444

$1.22 CLP 1,151

25.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 CLP 1,188

$1.27 CLP 1,199

-1.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 CLP 998

$1.03 CLP 980

1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,160

$0.89 CLP 843

37.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 CLP 4,424

$5.33 CLP 5,049

-12.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.33 CLP 3,158

$5.37 CLP 5,089

-37.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,156

$0.96 CLP 912

27.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 CLP 2,035

$2.08 CLP 1,974

3.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 CLP 573

$1.06 CLP 1,000

-42.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.95 CLP 34.0K

$36.20 CLP 34.3K

-0.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 CLP 578

$0.72 CLP 680

-15.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 CLP 1,092

$2.14 CLP 2,028

-46.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.65 CLP 12.0K

$12.58 CLP 11.9K

0.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CLP 1,316

$1.42 CLP 1,349

-2.11%

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

$12.2K CLP 11.5M

$19.9K CLP 18.9M

-39.04%

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

$15.3K CLP 14.5M

$12.6K CLP 11.9M

22.09%

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

$129 CLP 122.5K

$88.2 CLP 83.5K

46.74%

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

$10.27 CLP 9,721

$11.04 CLP 10.5K

-6.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.67 CLP 22.4K

$21.16 CLP 20.0K

11.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.92 CLP 15.1K

$87.3 CLP 82.7K

-81.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.97 CLP 16.1K

$21.04 CLP 19.9K

-19.34%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 CLP 11.0K

$8.56 CLP 8,110

35.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.18 CLP 35.2K

$43.70 CLP 41.4K

-14.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.50 CLP 17.5K

$61.5 CLP 58.2K

-69.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.3 CLP 47.6K

$94.8 CLP 89.8K

-46.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 CLP 61.0K

$106 CLP 100.7K

-39.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 CLP 300.0K

$439 CLP 416.2K

-27.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 CLP 234.8K

$327 CLP 309.6K

-24.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$458 CLP 433.6K

$906 CLP 858.0K

-49.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 CLP 312.9K

$724 CLP 685.4K

-54.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,475 CLP 2.3M

$2,089 CLP 2.0M

18.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,475 CLP 2.3M

$1,374 CLP 1.3M

80.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$693 CLP 655.9K

$733 CLP 693.7K

-5.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

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

Last update for Chillan: September 14, 2026

Last update for La Serena: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $317 in Chillan and $439 in La Serena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Serena pays 6% 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: $47.00 in Chillan vs $49.00 in La Serena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $237 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

Chillan and La Serena differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($892 vs $1,112 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in La Serena. 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: $317 in Chillan versus $439 in La Serena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in La Serena. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $892 per month in Chillan versus $1,112 in La Serena – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $892 in Chillan versus $1,112 in La Serena, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chillan but tight or insufficient in La Serena. The gap between the two cities makes Chillan 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 Chillan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in La Serena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.