Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,026 in Iquique versus $2,320 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,702 in Iquique versus $3,426 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,377 in Iquique versus $4,532 in Barcelona.

Living in Iquique costs roughly 56% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iquique is 23% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 CLP 7,463

$17.66 €15.43

-54.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.94 CLP 40.9K

$69.7 €60.9

-36.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 CLP 6,718

$14.16 €12.37

-49.08%

Cappuccino

$3.58 CLP 3,336

$2.80 €2.45

27.86%

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

$1.35 CLP 1,258

$2.81 €2.46

-51.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 951

$2.06 €1.80

-50.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 CLP 3,244

$4.60 €4.02

-24.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 CLP 3,456

$4.69 €4.10

-20.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,119

$1.23 €1.07

-2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CLP 1,138

$2.03 €1.78

-39.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 CLP 1,313

$1.98 €1.73

-28.79%

Eggs

$3.47 CLP 3,227

$3.49 €3.05

-0.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 CLP 9,703

$18.33 €16.01

-43.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 CLP 6,196

$9.83 €8.59

-32.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 CLP 10.1K

$19.13 €16.71

-43.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,759

$2.73 €2.38

-30.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 CLP 2,223

$2.38 €2.08

0.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,442

$2.08 €1.82

-25.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 CLP 1,042

$2.75 €2.41

-59.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 CLP 767

$1.96 €1.71

-58.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 CLP 622

$1.79 €1.57

-62.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 CLP 1,168

$1.48 €1.29

-15.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,095

$0.91 €0.80

29.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.45 CLP 5,071

$7.13 €6.23

-23.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 CLP 7,636

$7.88 €6.88

4.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,434

$1.38 €1.20

11.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,138

$2.39 €2.09

-3.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 CLP 620

$3.01 €2.63

-77.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.65

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 435

$4.36 €3.81

-89.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.86

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,341

$1.82 €1.59

-20.88%

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

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

$37.9K €33.1K

-47.79%

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

$21.3K CLP 19.8M

$32.4K €28.3K

-34.32%

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

$81.7 CLP 76.1K

$189 €165

-56.76%

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

$13.37 CLP 12.5K

$22.29 €19.48

-40.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.65 CLP 20.2K

$37.16 €32.47

-41.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.71 CLP 39.8K

$58.0 €50.7

-26.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.02 CLP 19.6K

$20.66 €18.05

1.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.80 CLP 5,397

$10.87 €9.50

-46.64%

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

$440 CLP 409.8K

$706 €617

-37.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.76 CLP 29.6K

$89.4 €78.2

-64.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.53 CLP 22.8K

$36.60 €31.98

-32.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.65 CLP 45.3K

$104 €90.9

-53.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.4 CLP 57.2K

$119 €104

-48.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 CLP 408.0K

$1,579 €1,379

-72.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 CLP 369.5K

$1,238 €1,082

-67.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 CLP 705.4K

$2,712 €2,370

-72.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 CLP 784.5K

$2,039 €1,782

-58.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,812 CLP 1.7M

$7,527 €6,576

-75.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,077 CLP 1.9M

$5,239 €4,577

-60.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,004 CLP 934.9K

$2,364 €2,065

-57.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

3.39

121.24%

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

Last update for Iquique: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Iquique and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 135% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $44.00 in Iquique vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $320 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

Iquique vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iquique and Barcelona differ by about 126% in total monthly costs ($1,026 vs $2,320 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 135% lower in Barcelona. 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: $438 in Iquique versus $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $440 in Iquique versus $706 in Barcelona. 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 $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,026 in Iquique versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. 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.

Safety-wise, Iquique and Barcelona are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Iquique gentler on the wallet – expenses run 126% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.