Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Concepcion Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Concepcion

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,045 in Iquique versus $1,053 in Concepcion.

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

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

Living in Iquique costs roughly 1% less than in Concepcion, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 CLP 7,113

$7.61 CLP 6,758

5.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.47 CLP 37.7K

$44.94 CLP 39.9K

-5.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 CLP 6,374

$8.62 CLP 7,652

-16.71%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CLP 3,268

$2.61 CLP 2,320

41.00%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,156

$1.43 CLP 1,268

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 904

$1.10 CLP 978

-7.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 CLP 3,105

$3.94 CLP 3,493

-11.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 CLP 3,331

$3.91 CLP 3,468

-4.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 CLP 1,029

$1.32 CLP 1,169

-12.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 CLP 1,042

$1.49 CLP 1,322

-21.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 CLP 1,219

$1.53 CLP 1,358

-10.46%

Eggs

$3.58 CLP 3,174

$3.82 CLP 3,392

-6.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 CLP 9,400

$11.56 CLP 10.3K

-8.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 CLP 5,839

$6.79 CLP 6,030

-3.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 CLP 9,738

$12.01 CLP 10.7K

-8.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 CLP 1,619

$1.58 CLP 1,406

15.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 CLP 2,013

$1.34 CLP 1,192

69.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,402

$1.54 CLP 1,363

2.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 CLP 989

$1.53 CLP 1,357

-27.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 CLP 729

$1.13 CLP 1,004

-27.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 CLP 557

$1.35 CLP 1,202

-53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 CLP 1,082

$1.12 CLP 997

8.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,054

$1.21 CLP 1,074

-1.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 CLP 4,701

$5.53 CLP 4,907

-4.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.38 CLP 7,437

$5.38 CLP 4,774

55.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,383

$1.05 CLP 932

48.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,038

$1.81 CLP 1,609

27.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 CLP 604

$0.61 CLP 542

11.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.11 CLP 30.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 454

$1.26 CLP 1,116

-59.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 CLP 2,019

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.08 CLP 11.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,266

$1.37 CLP 1,217

4.38%

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

$19.4K CLP 17.2M

$20.4K CLP 18.1M

-5.23%

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

$21.7K CLP 19.2M

$25.2K CLP 22.3M

-13.97%

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

$81.7 CLP 72.5K

$104 CLP 92.7K

-21.81%

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

$13.61 CLP 12.1K

$12.85 CLP 11.4K

5.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.34 CLP 19.8K

$27.54 CLP 24.4K

-18.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 CLP 38.1K

$27.94 CLP 24.8K

53.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.01 CLP 18.6K

$10.81 CLP 9,598

94.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 CLP 4,913

$5.89 CLP 5,231

-5.94%

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

$440 CLP 390.7K

$342 CLP 303.6K

28.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,579 CLP 4.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.41 CLP 28.8K

$44.62 CLP 39.6K

-27.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.37 CLP 21.6K

$27.82 CLP 24.7K

-12.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.10 CLP 42.7K

$60.2 CLP 53.5K

-20.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.7 CLP 54.8K

$69.1 CLP 61.3K

-10.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 CLP 398.5K

$466 CLP 413.9K

-3.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 CLP 344.5K

$360 CLP 319.2K

7.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 CLP 656.3K

$934 CLP 829.3K

-20.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$839 CLP 744.5K

$592 CLP 525.2K

41.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 CLP 1.7M

$2,294 CLP 2.0M

-16.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,137 CLP 1.9M

$1,989 CLP 1.8M

7.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,018 CLP 903.9K

$582 CLP 516.7K

74.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

5.3

41.51%

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

Last update for Iquique: May 31, 2026

Last update for Concepcion: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Iquique and $466 in Concepcion. 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: $42.00 in Iquique vs $45.00 in Concepcion for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $229 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 Concepcion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Iquique pays 75% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $449 in Iquique versus $466 in Concepcion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $440 in Iquique versus $342 in Concepcion. 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.