Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquimbo and La Serena Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquimbo and La Serena

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,068 in Coquimbo versus $1,043 in La Serena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,617 in Coquimbo versus $1,804 in La Serena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,165 in Coquimbo versus $2,565 in La Serena.

Living in Coquimbo is roughly 2% more expensive than La Serena, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Coquimbo 20% lower, La Serena 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 CLP 7,697

$7.87 CLP 7,048

9.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 CLP 39.2K

$50.8 CLP 45.5K

-13.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 CLP 7,081

$8.66 CLP 7,759

-8.66%

Cappuccino

$2.70 CLP 2,423

$3.08 CLP 2,759

-12.34%

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

$1.35 CLP 1,209

$1.16 CLP 1,041

16.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CLP 907

$0.69 CLP 617

46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 CLP 2,862

$2.22 CLP 1,989

43.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 CLP 3,715

$4.15 CLP 3,718

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 CLP 978

$1.30 CLP 1,167

-16.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 CLP 1,412

$2.49 CLP 2,235

-36.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,663

$1.60 CLP 1,436

16.25%

Eggs

$3.51 CLP 3,143

$3.88 CLP 3,476

-9.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 CLP 9,229

$13.09 CLP 11.7K

-21.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 CLP 5,821

$6.06 CLP 5,429

7.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 CLP 9,917

$13.32 CLP 11.9K

-16.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,613

$1.90 CLP 1,699

-5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,417

$1.87 CLP 1,675

-15.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,426

$1.36 CLP 1,214

16.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,342

$1.55 CLP 1,386

-3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,149

$1.24 CLP 1,108

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,211

$1.26 CLP 1,125

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 CLP 1,143

$1.09 CLP 974

17.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,051

$0.89 CLP 799

31.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.36 CLP 4,798

$5.31 CLP 4,754

0.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.14 CLP 8,190

$5.64 CLP 5,052

62.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CLP 1,406

$1.04 CLP 928

50.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CLP 1,975

$2.17 CLP 1,944

1.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 553

$1.10 CLP 983

-43.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.39 CLP 34.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 457

$0.73 CLP 657

-30.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 CLP 1,854

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 CLP 11.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CLP 1,242

$1.43 CLP 1,277

-2.80%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

$21.2K CLP 19.0M

-8.88%

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

$21.3K CLP 19.1M

$13.0K CLP 11.7M

63.38%

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

$134 CLP 120.2K

$92.2 CLP 82.6K

45.53%

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

$13.41 CLP 12.0K

$11.70 CLP 10.5K

14.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.84 CLP 19.6K

$22.51 CLP 20.2K

-2.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.75 CLP 34.7K

$40.00 CLP 35.8K

-3.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.16 CLP 19.0K

$21.36 CLP 19.1K

-0.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.81 CLP 5,208

$8.49 CLP 7,604

-31.57%

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

$431 CLP 386.1K

$442 CLP 395.7K

-2.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 CLP 44.8K

$45.07 CLP 40.4K

10.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.98 CLP 26.9K

$65.0 CLP 58.2K

-53.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 CLP 55.3K

$96.0 CLP 86.0K

-35.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 CLP 74.3K

$111 CLP 99.3K

-25.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$472 CLP 422.4K

$370 CLP 331.1K

27.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 CLP 333.0K

$286 CLP 256.3K

29.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 CLP 786.1K

$1,033 CLP 925.6K

-15.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$584 CLP 523.4K

$702 CLP 629.0K

-16.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,184 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,443 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$661 CLP 592.0K

$780 CLP 698.3K

-15.22%

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 Coquimbo: April 25, 2026

Last update for La Serena: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $472 in Coquimbo and $370 in La Serena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Serena pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Coquimbo vs $51.0 in La Serena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $245 per month, with Coquimbo 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

Coquimbo vs La Serena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Coquimbo and La Serena differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $1,043 including rent). La Serena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, La Serena earns 18% 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: $472 in Coquimbo versus $370 in La Serena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $431 in Coquimbo versus $442 in La Serena. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in La Serena – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $44.00 in Coquimbo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,043 in La Serena versus $1,068 in Coquimbo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in La Serena but tight or insufficient in Coquimbo. The gap between the two cities makes La Serena 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 La Serena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Coquimbo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.