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: $1,075 in Concepcion versus $1,063 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,709 in Concepcion versus $1,657 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,342 in Concepcion versus $2,251 in Iquique.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Concepcion 22% lower, Iquique 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 CLP 7,159

$7.96 CLP 7,408

-3.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.52 CLP 44.2K

$43.56 CLP 40.5K

9.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 CLP 7,657

$7.42 CLP 6,902

10.92%

Cappuccino

$2.90 CLP 2,701

$3.54 CLP 3,296

-18.08%

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

$1.43 CLP 1,328

$1.30 CLP 1,213

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 973

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.03 CLP 3,750

$3.33 CLP 3,094

21.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 CLP 3,598

$3.72 CLP 3,462

4.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 CLP 1,173

$1.17 CLP 1,091

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,420

$1.22 CLP 1,134

25.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,412

$1.37 CLP 1,279

10.95%

Eggs

$3.76 CLP 3,499

$3.14 CLP 2,922

19.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 CLP 10.8K

$10.51 CLP 9,777

9.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 CLP 6,632

$10.80 CLP 10.0K

-33.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.24 CLP 11.4K

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,472

$2.42 CLP 2,251

-34.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CLP 1,241

$2.24 CLP 2,089

-40.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,443

$1.64 CLP 1,524

-5.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,416

$1.09 CLP 1,011

39.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 CLP 1,057

$0.77 CLP 715

48.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,319

$0.66 CLP 610

115.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 CLP 1,055

$1.10 CLP 1,024

2.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CLP 1,141

$1.41 CLP 1,314

-12.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 CLP 5,010

$7.42 CLP 6,901

-27.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.17 CLP 4,814

$8.10 CLP 7,537

-36.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 974

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CLP 1,676

$0.82 CLP 767

119.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 538

$0.73 CLP 680

-20.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.06 CLP 31.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 CLP 1,132

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 CLP 2,201

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.92 CLP 12.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 CLP 1,380

$1.46 CLP 1,362

1.37%

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

$21.1K CLP 19.7M

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

$25.1K CLP 23.3M

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

$109 CLP 101.6K

$92.0 CLP 85.6K

18.70%

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

$13.52 CLP 12.6K

$15.79 CLP 14.7K

-14.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.06 CLP 26.1K

$24.70 CLP 23.0K

13.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.28 CLP 28.2K

$53.1 CLP 49.4K

-43.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.53 CLP 9,802

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 CLP 5,512

$7.32 CLP 6,810

-19.13%

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

$332 CLP 309.1K

$271 CLP 252.1K

22.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,511 CLP 4.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.60 CLP 43.4K

$31.86 CLP 29.6K

46.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.13 CLP 21.5K

$24.23 CLP 22.5K

-4.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 CLP 61.4K

$47.84 CLP 44.5K

37.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.2 CLP 62.6K

$60.9 CLP 56.7K

10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 CLP 460.0K

$449 CLP 417.9K

10.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 CLP 340.4K

$407 CLP 378.4K

-10.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 CLP 899.7K

$710 CLP 660.8K

36.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 CLP 604.3K

$801 CLP 745.4K

-18.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,196 CLP 2.0M

$1,787 CLP 1.7M

22.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 CLP 1.7M

$2,057 CLP 1.9M

-9.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$574 CLP 533.8K

$972 CLP 904.1K

-40.96%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Iquique: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $494 in Concepcion and $449 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 69% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Concepcion vs $44.00 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $208 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 ($1,075 vs $1,063 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 69% 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: $494 in Concepcion versus $449 in Iquique. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $332 in Concepcion versus $271 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 $48.00 in Concepcion. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,075 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.