Cost of Living Comparison Between Concepcion and Iquique Cost of Living Comparison Between Concepcion and Iquique

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,068 in Concepcion versus $1,026 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,620 in Concepcion versus $1,702 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,173 in Concepcion versus $2,377 in Iquique.

Living in Concepcion is roughly 4% more expensive than in Iquique, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Concepcion 20% lower, Iquique 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 CLP 7,184

$8.01 CLP 7,463

-3.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.34 CLP 42.2K

$43.94 CLP 40.9K

3.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 CLP 7,957

$7.21 CLP 6,718

18.45%

Cappuccino

$2.68 CLP 2,495

$3.58 CLP 3,336

-25.14%

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

$1.47 CLP 1,366

$1.35 CLP 1,258

8.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 CLP 1,017

$1.02 CLP 951

6.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.96 CLP 3,684

$3.48 CLP 3,244

13.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 CLP 3,588

$3.71 CLP 3,456

3.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 CLP 1,213

$1.20 CLP 1,119

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 CLP 1,383

$1.22 CLP 1,138

22.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,472

$1.41 CLP 1,313

12.06%

Eggs

$3.69 CLP 3,434

$3.47 CLP 3,227

6.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.65 CLP 10.8K

$10.42 CLP 9,703

11.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 CLP 6,416

$6.65 CLP 6,196

3.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.15 CLP 11.3K

$10.81 CLP 10.1K

12.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,406

$1.89 CLP 1,759

-20.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 CLP 1,305

$2.39 CLP 2,223

-41.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,432

$1.55 CLP 1,442

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 CLP 1,370

$1.12 CLP 1,042

31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 CLP 1,021

$0.82 CLP 767

34.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 CLP 1,205

$0.67 CLP 622

92.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 CLP 1,094

$1.25 CLP 1,168

-5.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CLP 1,131

$1.18 CLP 1,095

2.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 CLP 5,068

$5.45 CLP 5,071

-0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.05 CLP 4,707

$8.20 CLP 7,636

-38.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 CLP 970

$1.54 CLP 1,434

-32.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CLP 1,716

$2.30 CLP 2,138

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 CLP 582

$0.67 CLP 620

-5.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.17 CLP 31.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 CLP 1,168

$0.47 CLP 435

165.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 CLP 2,152

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.70 CLP 11.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CLP 1,262

$1.44 CLP 1,341

-5.56%

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

$20.7K CLP 19.3M

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

4.65%

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

$25.1K CLP 23.4M

$21.3K CLP 19.8M

17.96%

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

$101 CLP 94.2K

$81.7 CLP 76.1K

23.73%

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

$12.74 CLP 11.9K

$13.37 CLP 12.5K

-4.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.42 CLP 26.5K

$21.65 CLP 20.2K

31.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.38 CLP 25.5K

$42.71 CLP 39.8K

-35.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.57 CLP 9,845

$21.02 CLP 19.6K

-49.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 CLP 5,638

$5.80 CLP 5,397

4.48%

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

$339 CLP 315.9K

$440 CLP 409.8K

-22.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,503 CLP 4.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.96 CLP 40.9K

$31.76 CLP 29.6K

38.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.87 CLP 26.0K

$24.53 CLP 22.8K

13.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 CLP 55.9K

$48.65 CLP 45.3K

23.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 CLP 64.9K

$61.4 CLP 57.2K

13.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 CLP 443.5K

$438 CLP 408.0K

8.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 CLP 327.4K

$397 CLP 369.5K

-11.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$938 CLP 873.4K

$757 CLP 705.4K

23.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 CLP 554.9K

$842 CLP 784.5K

-29.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,176 CLP 2.0M

$1,812 CLP 1.7M

20.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,878 CLP 1.7M

$2,077 CLP 1.9M

-9.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$553 CLP 514.8K

$1,004 CLP 934.9K

-44.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.3

7.5

-29.33%

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

Last update for Concepcion: July 13, 2026

Last update for Iquique: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Concepcion and $438 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 82% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Concepcion vs $44.00 in Iquique. Groceries flip the comparison at $228 vs $228, with Concepcion cheaper for home cooking.

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

Concepcion vs Iquique: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Concepcion and Iquique differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $1,026 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 82% lower in Iquique. 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: $476 in Concepcion versus $438 in Iquique. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $339 in Concepcion versus $440 in Iquique. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Iquique – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $45.00 in Concepcion. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,026 in Iquique versus $1,068 in Concepcion, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in Concepcion. The gap between the two cities makes Iquique 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 Iquique gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Concepcion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.