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: $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,142 in La Serena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,657 in Iquique versus $1,883 in La Serena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,251 in Iquique versus $2,624 in La Serena.

Living in Iquique costs roughly 7% less than in La Serena, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iquique 23% lower, La Serena 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.96 CLP 7,408

$8.26 CLP 7,687

-3.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.56 CLP 40.5K

$51.4 CLP 47.8K

-15.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 CLP 6,902

$8.45 CLP 7,858

-12.19%

Cappuccino

$3.54 CLP 3,296

$3.03 CLP 2,818

16.83%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,213

$1.11 CLP 1,029

17.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 973

$0.72 CLP 671

45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 CLP 3,094

$2.17 CLP 2,015

53.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CLP 3,462

$4.02 CLP 3,743

-7.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 CLP 1,091

$1.29 CLP 1,205

-9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CLP 1,134

$2.47 CLP 2,301

-50.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 CLP 1,279

$1.55 CLP 1,439

-11.61%

Eggs

$3.14 CLP 2,922

$3.85 CLP 3,585

-18.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 CLP 9,777

$13.16 CLP 12.2K

-20.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 CLP 10.0K

$6.00 CLP 5,585

80.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 CLP 12.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 CLP 2,251

$1.88 CLP 1,752

28.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CLP 2,089

$1.77 CLP 1,648

26.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 CLP 1,524

$1.39 CLP 1,296

17.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 CLP 1,011

$1.52 CLP 1,412

-28.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 CLP 715

$1.18 CLP 1,098

-34.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 CLP 610

$1.24 CLP 1,158

-46.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 CLP 1,024

$1.11 CLP 1,031

-0.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 CLP 1,314

$0.89 CLP 825

58.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.42 CLP 6,901

$5.40 CLP 5,023

37.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 CLP 7,537

$5.20 CLP 4,834

55.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 CLP 935

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 CLP 767

$2.13 CLP 1,980

-61.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 CLP 680

$1.08 CLP 1,009

-32.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.04 CLP 35.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 CLP 670

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 CLP 2,028

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.08 CLP 12.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 CLP 1,362

$1.42 CLP 1,324

2.82%

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

$21.1K CLP 19.6M

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

$12.7K CLP 11.8M

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

$92.0 CLP 85.6K

$92.3 CLP 85.9K

-0.38%

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

$15.79 CLP 14.7K

$11.39 CLP 10.6K

38.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.70 CLP 23.0K

$22.39 CLP 20.8K

10.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 CLP 49.4K

$90.4 CLP 84.1K

-41.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.98 CLP 19.5K

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 CLP 6,810

$8.52 CLP 7,923

-14.08%

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

$271 CLP 252.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.86 CLP 29.6K

$45.06 CLP 41.9K

-29.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.23 CLP 22.5K

$63.5 CLP 59.1K

-61.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 CLP 44.5K

$97.3 CLP 90.5K

-50.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.9 CLP 56.7K

$108 CLP 100.2K

-43.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 CLP 417.9K

$437 CLP 406.8K

2.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 CLP 378.4K

$331 CLP 308.2K

22.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 CLP 660.8K

$942 CLP 876.3K

-24.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 CLP 745.4K

$736 CLP 685.2K

8.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,787 CLP 1.7M

$2,159 CLP 2.0M

-17.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,057 CLP 1.9M

$1,389 CLP 1.3M

48.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$972 CLP 904.1K

$741 CLP 689.1K

31.21%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for La Serena: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Iquique and $437 in La Serena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 31% 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 $208 vs $242 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 7% in total monthly costs ($1,063 vs $1,142 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 31% 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: $449 in Iquique versus $437 in La Serena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Iquique – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $51.0 in La Serena. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,063 per month in Iquique versus $1,142 in La Serena – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,142 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 7% less than in La Serena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.