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: $1,053 in Concepcion versus $1,045 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,621 in Concepcion versus $1,709 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Concepcion versus $2,374 in Iquique.

Living in Concepcion is roughly 1% more expensive than Iquique, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Concepcion 21% lower, Iquique 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.61 CLP 6,758

$8.01 CLP 7,113

-4.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 CLP 39.9K

$42.47 CLP 37.7K

5.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 CLP 7,652

$7.18 CLP 6,374

20.06%

Cappuccino

$2.61 CLP 2,320

$3.68 CLP 3,268

-29.08%

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

$1.43 CLP 1,268

$1.30 CLP 1,156

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 CLP 978

$1.02 CLP 904

7.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 CLP 3,493

$3.50 CLP 3,105

12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CLP 3,468

$3.75 CLP 3,331

4.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 CLP 1,169

$1.16 CLP 1,029

13.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 CLP 1,322

$1.17 CLP 1,042

27.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,358

$1.37 CLP 1,219

11.68%

Eggs

$3.82 CLP 3,392

$3.58 CLP 3,174

6.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CLP 10.3K

$10.59 CLP 9,400

9.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 CLP 6,030

$6.58 CLP 5,839

3.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.01 CLP 10.7K

$10.97 CLP 9,738

9.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,406

$1.82 CLP 1,619

-13.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CLP 1,192

$2.27 CLP 2,013

-40.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,363

$1.58 CLP 1,402

-2.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,357

$1.11 CLP 989

37.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 CLP 1,004

$0.82 CLP 729

37.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,202

$0.63 CLP 557

114.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 CLP 997

$1.22 CLP 1,082

-8.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CLP 1,074

$1.19 CLP 1,054

1.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 CLP 4,907

$5.30 CLP 4,701

4.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.38 CLP 4,774

$8.38 CLP 7,437

-35.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 932

$1.56 CLP 1,383

-32.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CLP 1,609

$2.30 CLP 2,038

-21.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 CLP 542

$0.68 CLP 604

-10.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.11 CLP 30.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 CLP 1,116

$0.51 CLP 454

147.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 CLP 2,019

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.08 CLP 11.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,217

$1.43 CLP 1,266

-4.20%

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

$20.4K CLP 18.1M

$19.4K CLP 17.2M

5.52%

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

$25.2K CLP 22.3M

$21.7K CLP 19.2M

16.24%

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

$104 CLP 92.7K

$81.7 CLP 72.5K

27.89%

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

$12.85 CLP 11.4K

$13.61 CLP 12.1K

-5.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.54 CLP 24.4K

$22.34 CLP 19.8K

23.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.94 CLP 24.8K

$42.96 CLP 38.1K

-34.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.81 CLP 9,598

$21.01 CLP 18.6K

-48.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 CLP 5,231

$5.54 CLP 4,913

6.32%

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

$342 CLP 303.6K

$440 CLP 390.7K

-22.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,579 CLP 4.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.62 CLP 39.6K

$32.41 CLP 28.8K

37.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.82 CLP 24.7K

$24.37 CLP 21.6K

14.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.2 CLP 53.5K

$48.10 CLP 42.7K

25.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.1 CLP 61.3K

$61.7 CLP 54.8K

11.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 CLP 413.9K

$449 CLP 398.5K

3.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 CLP 319.2K

$388 CLP 344.5K

-7.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 CLP 829.3K

$740 CLP 656.3K

26.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 CLP 525.2K

$839 CLP 744.5K

-29.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,294 CLP 2.0M

$1,926 CLP 1.7M

19.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,989 CLP 1.8M

$2,137 CLP 1.9M

-6.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$582 CLP 516.7K

$1,018 CLP 903.9K

-42.84%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Iquique: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $466 in Concepcion and $449 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 75% 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 $42.00 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $227 per month, with Iquique 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

Concepcion vs Iquique: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Concepcion and Iquique differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,053 vs $1,045 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Iquique earns 75% 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: $466 in Concepcion versus $449 in Iquique. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $342 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 $42.00 versus $45.00 in Concepcion. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,045 in Iquique versus $1,053 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 1% less than in Concepcion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.