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: $1,023 in Chillan versus $1,043 in La Serena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,506 in Chillan versus $1,804 in La Serena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,990 in Chillan versus $2,565 in La Serena.

Living in Chillan costs roughly 2% less than in La Serena, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chillan 24% lower, La Serena 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 CLP 4,907

$7.87 CLP 6,997

-29.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.86 CLP 23.9K

$50.8 CLP 45.1K

-47.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 CLP 5,457

$8.66 CLP 7,703

-29.10%

Cappuccino

$3.10 CLP 2,753

$3.08 CLP 2,739

0.65%

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

$0.96 CLP 851

$1.16 CLP 1,034

-17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 CLP 795

$0.69 CLP 613

28.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 CLP 3,213

$2.22 CLP 1,975

62.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 CLP 3,652

$4.15 CLP 3,691

-0.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 CLP 1,026

$1.30 CLP 1,159

-11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 CLP 1,571

$2.49 CLP 2,219

-28.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,693

$1.60 CLP 1,425

18.75%

Eggs

$3.74 CLP 3,326

$3.88 CLP 3,451

-3.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 CLP 6,793

$13.09 CLP 11.6K

-41.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 CLP 5,837

$6.06 CLP 5,390

8.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 CLP 9,853

$13.32 CLP 11.8K

-16.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 CLP 1,659

$1.90 CLP 1,687

-1.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,351

$1.87 CLP 1,663

-18.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,401

$1.36 CLP 1,205

16.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 CLP 1,284

$1.55 CLP 1,376

-7.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 CLP 1,131

$1.24 CLP 1,100

2.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,205

$1.26 CLP 1,117

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 CLP 1,090

$1.09 CLP 967

12.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,081

$0.89 CLP 793

37.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 CLP 4,778

$5.31 CLP 4,720

1.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.66 CLP 3,250

$5.64 CLP 5,016

-35.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,384

$1.04 CLP 921

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CLP 2,039

$2.17 CLP 1,930

5.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 CLP 592

$1.10 CLP 976

-39.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.39 CLP 34.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 447

$0.73 CLP 652

-31.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 CLP 1,841

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 CLP 11.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,221

$1.43 CLP 1,267

-4.20%

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

$12.5K CLP 11.2M

$21.2K CLP 18.8M

-40.74%

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

$15.8K CLP 14.0M

$13.0K CLP 11.6M

20.98%

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

$133 CLP 118.6K

$92.2 CLP 82.0K

44.70%

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

$13.30 CLP 11.8K

$11.70 CLP 10.4K

13.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 CLP 21.9K

$22.51 CLP 20.0K

9.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.61 CLP 14.8K

$40.00 CLP 35.6K

-58.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 CLP 18.6K

$21.36 CLP 19.0K

-1.97%

Cinema Ticket

$12.07 CLP 10.7K

$8.49 CLP 7,549

42.17%

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

$428 CLP 380.6K

$442 CLP 392.8K

-3.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 CLP 45.9K

$45.07 CLP 40.1K

14.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.72 CLP 26.4K

$65.0 CLP 57.8K

-54.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.2 CLP 44.6K

$96.0 CLP 85.4K

-47.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.2 CLP 59.8K

$111 CLP 98.6K

-39.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 CLP 430.6K

$370 CLP 328.7K

31.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 CLP 326.8K

$286 CLP 254.5K

28.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 CLP 413.2K

$1,033 CLP 918.9K

-55.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 CLP 523.4K

$702 CLP 624.4K

-16.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,184 CLP 1.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,579 CLP 2.3M

$1,443 CLP 1.3M

78.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 CLP 651.1K

$780 CLP 693.2K

-6.07%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for La Serena: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chillan and $370 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: $27.00 in Chillan vs $51.0 in La Serena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $245 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 2% in total monthly costs ($1,023 vs $1,043 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, La Serena earns 6% 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: $484 in Chillan versus $370 in La Serena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in La Serena. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,023 per month in Chillan versus $1,043 in La Serena – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Chillan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 2% less than in La Serena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.