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: $1,026 in Iquique versus $1,044 in La Serena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,702 in Iquique versus $1,757 in La Serena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,377 in Iquique versus $2,469 in La Serena.

Living in Iquique costs roughly 2% less than in La Serena, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iquique 23% lower, La Serena 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 CLP 7,463

$8.00 CLP 7,448

0.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.94 CLP 40.9K

$50.7 CLP 47.2K

-13.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 CLP 6,718

$8.87 CLP 8,256

-18.71%

Cappuccino

$3.58 CLP 3,336

$3.09 CLP 2,879

15.86%

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

$1.35 CLP 1,258

$1.10 CLP 1,027

22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 951

$0.72 CLP 670

41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 CLP 3,244

$2.14 CLP 1,990

62.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 CLP 3,456

$3.95 CLP 3,680

-6.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,119

$1.30 CLP 1,214

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CLP 1,138

$2.57 CLP 2,396

-52.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 CLP 1,313

$1.54 CLP 1,437

-8.44%

Eggs

$3.47 CLP 3,227

$3.95 CLP 3,678

-12.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 CLP 9,703

$12.84 CLP 12.0K

-18.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 CLP 6,196

$6.05 CLP 5,638

9.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 CLP 10.1K

$13.54 CLP 12.6K

-20.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,759

$1.98 CLP 1,839

-4.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 CLP 2,223

$1.78 CLP 1,661

34.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,442

$1.39 CLP 1,296

11.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 CLP 1,042

$1.55 CLP 1,441

-27.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 CLP 767

$1.18 CLP 1,103

-30.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 CLP 622

$1.31 CLP 1,216

-48.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 CLP 1,168

$1.07 CLP 999

16.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,095

$0.96 CLP 891

22.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.45 CLP 5,071

$5.46 CLP 5,085

-0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 CLP 7,636

$5.46 CLP 5,082

50.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,434

$1.04 CLP 968

48.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,138

$2.23 CLP 2,072

3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 CLP 620

$1.05 CLP 981

-36.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.37 CLP 34.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 435

$0.72 CLP 670

-34.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 CLP 1,978

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.70 CLP 11.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,341

$1.44 CLP 1,344

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

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

$20.9K CLP 19.5M

-5.55%

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

$21.3K CLP 19.8M

$12.8K CLP 11.9M

66.40%

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

$81.7 CLP 76.1K

$91.6 CLP 85.3K

-10.75%

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

$13.37 CLP 12.5K

$11.51 CLP 10.7K

16.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.65 CLP 20.2K

$22.61 CLP 21.1K

-4.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.71 CLP 39.8K

$35.97 CLP 33.5K

18.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.02 CLP 19.6K

$21.67 CLP 20.2K

-3.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.80 CLP 5,397

$8.74 CLP 8,137

-33.64%

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

$440 CLP 409.8K

$428 CLP 398.9K

2.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.76 CLP 29.6K

$45.25 CLP 42.1K

-29.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.53 CLP 22.8K

$30.18 CLP 28.1K

-18.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.65 CLP 45.3K

$97.0 CLP 90.3K

-49.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.4 CLP 57.2K

$110 CLP 102.4K

-44.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 CLP 408.0K

$363 CLP 338.1K

20.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 CLP 369.5K

$285 CLP 265.0K

39.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 CLP 705.4K

$1,067 CLP 993.7K

-29.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 CLP 784.5K

$709 CLP 660.0K

18.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,812 CLP 1.7M

$2,151 CLP 2.0M

-15.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,077 CLP 1.9M

$1,373 CLP 1.3M

51.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,004 CLP 934.9K

$736 CLP 685.1K

36.47%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for La Serena: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Iquique and $363 in La Serena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 36% 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 Iquique vs $51.0 in La Serena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $247 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 and La Serena differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,026 vs $1,044 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 36% higher in Iquique, 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: $438 in Iquique versus $363 in La Serena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in La Serena. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,026 per month in Iquique versus $1,044 in La Serena – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,026 in Iquique versus $1,044 in La Serena, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in La Serena. 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 2% less than in La Serena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.