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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,045 in Iquique versus $1,048 in La Serena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,709 in Iquique versus $1,754 in La Serena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,374 in Iquique versus $2,459 in La Serena.

Monthly costs are close between Iquique and La Serena; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 CLP 7,113

$7.90 CLP 7,007

1.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.47 CLP 37.7K

$51.5 CLP 45.7K

-17.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 CLP 6,374

$8.94 CLP 7,935

-19.69%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CLP 3,268

$2.96 CLP 2,630

24.32%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,156

$1.12 CLP 992

16.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 904

$0.67 CLP 597

52.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 CLP 3,105

$2.13 CLP 1,893

64.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 CLP 3,331

$4.10 CLP 3,642

-8.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 CLP 1,029

$1.23 CLP 1,094

-5.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 CLP 1,042

$2.48 CLP 2,202

-52.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 CLP 1,219

$1.53 CLP 1,358

-10.46%

Eggs

$3.58 CLP 3,174

$3.94 CLP 3,495

-9.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 CLP 9,400

$13.11 CLP 11.6K

-19.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 CLP 5,839

$5.96 CLP 5,289

10.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 CLP 9,738

$13.27 CLP 11.8K

-17.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 CLP 1,619

$1.99 CLP 1,764

-8.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 CLP 2,013

$1.85 CLP 1,642

22.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,402

$1.33 CLP 1,182

18.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 CLP 989

$1.48 CLP 1,317

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 CLP 729

$1.20 CLP 1,063

-31.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 CLP 557

$1.31 CLP 1,159

-51.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 CLP 1,082

$1.13 CLP 1,003

7.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,054

$0.91 CLP 807

30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 CLP 4,701

$5.33 CLP 4,731

-0.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.38 CLP 7,437

$5.50 CLP 4,879

52.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,383

$1.03 CLP 917

51.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,038

$2.25 CLP 1,998

2.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 CLP 604

$1.10 CLP 980

-38.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.15 CLP 33.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 454

$0.76 CLP 678

-32.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 CLP 1,828

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.76 CLP 11.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,266

$1.50 CLP 1,333

-4.67%

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

$19.4K CLP 17.2M

$21.2K CLP 18.9M

-8.80%

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

$21.7K CLP 19.2M

$13.1K CLP 11.7M

64.69%

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

$81.7 CLP 72.5K

$92.8 CLP 82.4K

-12.00%

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

$13.61 CLP 12.1K

$11.41 CLP 10.1K

19.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.34 CLP 19.8K

$22.64 CLP 20.1K

-1.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 CLP 38.1K

$36.44 CLP 32.3K

17.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.01 CLP 18.6K

$21.62 CLP 19.2K

-2.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 CLP 4,913

$8.85 CLP 7,850

-37.40%

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

$440 CLP 390.7K

$438 CLP 388.8K

0.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.41 CLP 28.8K

$45.54 CLP 40.4K

-28.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.37 CLP 21.6K

$30.87 CLP 27.4K

-21.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.10 CLP 42.7K

$98.8 CLP 87.7K

-51.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.7 CLP 54.8K

$112 CLP 99.0K

-44.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 CLP 398.5K

$366 CLP 325.2K

22.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 CLP 344.5K

$285 CLP 253.3K

35.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 CLP 656.3K

$1,037 CLP 920.4K

-28.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$839 CLP 744.5K

$708 CLP 628.1K

18.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 CLP 1.7M

$2,236 CLP 2.0M

-13.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,137 CLP 1.9M

$1,462 CLP 1.3M

46.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,018 CLP 903.9K

$773 CLP 686.1K

31.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.5

15.38%

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

Last update for Iquique: May 31, 2026

Last update for La Serena: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Iquique and $366 in La Serena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 32% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $42.00 in Iquique vs $51.0 in La Serena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $244 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 La Serena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iquique pays 32% 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 $366 in La Serena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $440 in Iquique versus $438 in La Serena. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in La Serena. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Iquique gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Iquique wins on affordability, La Serena on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.