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: $1,069 in Coquimbo versus $1,042 in La Serena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,622 in Coquimbo versus $1,787 in La Serena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Coquimbo versus $2,533 in La Serena.

Living in Coquimbo is roughly 3% more expensive than La Serena, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Coquimbo 20% lower, La Serena 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 CLP 7,783

$8.22 CLP 7,389

5.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.66 CLP 40.1K

$51.9 CLP 46.6K

-13.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 CLP 7,378

$8.75 CLP 7,868

-6.17%

Cappuccino

$2.72 CLP 2,441

$2.98 CLP 2,674

-8.72%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,165

$1.12 CLP 1,004

16.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 915

$0.67 CLP 598

52.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 CLP 2,883

$2.22 CLP 1,998

44.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 CLP 3,650

$4.10 CLP 3,682

-0.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 CLP 950

$1.29 CLP 1,159

-17.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,374

$2.56 CLP 2,302

-40.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 CLP 1,726

$1.56 CLP 1,401

23.08%

Eggs

$3.43 CLP 3,079

$4.03 CLP 3,624

-14.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 CLP 9,295

$12.98 CLP 11.7K

-20.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 CLP 6,039

$6.24 CLP 5,605

7.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 CLP 9,695

$13.04 CLP 11.7K

-17.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 CLP 1,633

$1.92 CLP 1,728

-5.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,362

$1.80 CLP 1,615

-15.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,391

$1.40 CLP 1,255

10.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 CLP 1,304

$1.47 CLP 1,317

-1.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 CLP 1,143

$1.23 CLP 1,107

3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,277

$1.33 CLP 1,194

6.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,141

$1.13 CLP 1,015

12.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,068

$0.92 CLP 826

29.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.51 CLP 4,950

$5.33 CLP 4,791

3.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 CLP 5,411

$5.35 CLP 4,809

12.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,402

$1.05 CLP 940

48.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CLP 1,988

$2.25 CLP 2,025

-1.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 CLP 564

$1.06 CLP 953

-40.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.12 CLP 34.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 419

$0.72 CLP 643

-34.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 CLP 1,913

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.01 CLP 11.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,235

$1.42 CLP 1,274

-3.52%

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

$19.6K CLP 17.6M

$20.7K CLP 18.6M

-5.28%

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

$21.3K CLP 19.1M

$13.1K CLP 11.8M

62.61%

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

$132 CLP 118.9K

$92.7 CLP 83.3K

42.78%

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

$13.32 CLP 12.0K

$11.35 CLP 10.2K

17.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.78 CLP 19.6K

$22.61 CLP 20.3K

-3.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.95 CLP 34.1K

$36.68 CLP 33.0K

3.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 CLP 19.1K

$21.65 CLP 19.5K

-1.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.81 CLP 5,222

$8.86 CLP 7,963

-34.42%

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

$438 CLP 394.0K

$441 CLP 396.0K

-0.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 CLP 46.4K

$46.06 CLP 41.4K

12.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.86 CLP 26.8K

$29.87 CLP 26.8K

-0.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.1 CLP 55.8K

$96.4 CLP 86.7K

-35.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.2 CLP 74.8K

$110 CLP 98.4K

-24.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 CLP 436.4K

$364 CLP 327.0K

33.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 335.5K

$280 CLP 251.6K

33.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 CLP 801.6K

$1,070 CLP 962.0K

-16.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 CLP 531.7K

$699 CLP 627.9K

-15.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,226 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,434 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$661 CLP 594.3K

$746 CLP 670.6K

-11.37%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for La Serena: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Coquimbo and $364 in La Serena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Serena pays 13% 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 Coquimbo vs $52.0 in La Serena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $246 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,069 vs $1,042 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 13% 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: $486 in Coquimbo versus $364 in La Serena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $438 in Coquimbo versus $441 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 $52.0 versus $45.00 in Coquimbo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,042 in La Serena versus $1,069 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 3% less than in Coquimbo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.