Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Valdivia Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Valdivia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,022 in Iquique versus $1,066 in Valdivia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,703 in Iquique versus $1,624 in Valdivia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,385 in Iquique versus $2,182 in Valdivia.

Living in Iquique costs roughly 4% less than in Valdivia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iquique 24% lower, Valdivia 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.06 CLP 7,169

$6.34 CLP 5,641

27.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.07 CLP 38.3K

$42.66 CLP 37.9K

0.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 CLP 6,527

$7.31 CLP 6,504

0.41%

Cappuccino

$3.61 CLP 3,212

$2.52 CLP 2,241

43.25%

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

$1.29 CLP 1,151

$2.44 CLP 2,167

-47.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CLP 902

$1.52 CLP 1,353

-33.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 CLP 2,993

$3.68 CLP 3,270

-8.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CLP 3,257

$3.95 CLP 3,511

-7.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,069

$1.23 CLP 1,095

-2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 CLP 1,049

$1.36 CLP 1,209

-13.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,265

$1.62 CLP 1,444

-12.35%

Eggs

$3.57 CLP 3,176

$3.13 CLP 2,780

14.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 CLP 9,189

$9.18 CLP 8,165

12.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 CLP 5,968

$6.89 CLP 6,122

-2.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 CLP 9,704

$13.28 CLP 11.8K

-17.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 CLP 1,620

$2.23 CLP 1,980

-18.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CLP 2,075

$1.95 CLP 1,731

19.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,412

$1.89 CLP 1,678

-15.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 CLP 1,018

$1.88 CLP 1,673

-39.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 CLP 700

$2.45 CLP 2,180

-67.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 CLP 596

$1.63 CLP 1,447

-58.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,075

$1.56 CLP 1,388

-22.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,041

$1.20 CLP 1,069

-2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 CLP 4,866

$5.36 CLP 4,765

2.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 CLP 7,585

$5.00 CLP 4,442

70.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CLP 1,439

$1.61 CLP 1,431

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 CLP 2,057

$2.24 CLP 1,988

3.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 CLP 606

$0.59 CLP 527

15.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 417

$1.60 CLP 1,420

-70.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,276

$1.42 CLP 1,262

0.70%

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

$19.7K CLP 17.5M

$15.9K CLP 14.2M

23.42%

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

$21.7K CLP 19.3M

$18.1K CLP 16.1M

19.70%

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

$81.6 CLP 72.6K

$95.8 CLP 85.2K

-14.82%

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

$13.41 CLP 11.9K

$18.76 CLP 16.7K

-28.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.05 CLP 19.6K

$28.57 CLP 25.4K

-22.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.65 CLP 38.8K

$43.78 CLP 38.9K

-0.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.59 CLP 19.2K

$25.23 CLP 22.4K

-14.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 CLP 4,982

$4.99 CLP 4,441

12.22%

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

$438 CLP 389.4K

$275 CLP 244.3K

59.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.79 CLP 29.2K

$54.8 CLP 48.8K

-40.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.41 CLP 21.7K

$19.05 CLP 16.9K

28.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.76 CLP 42.5K

$53.1 CLP 47.2K

-10.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.9 CLP 55.0K

$82.0 CLP 72.9K

-24.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 CLP 389.6K

$608 CLP 541.1K

-27.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 CLP 351.6K

$393 CLP 349.3K

0.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 CLP 673.3K

$1,062 CLP 944.5K

-28.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 CLP 745.1K

$604 CLP 536.8K

38.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,893 CLP 1.7M

$4,893 CLP 4.4M

-61.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,160 CLP 1.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,024 CLP 910.4K

$687 CLP 611.2K

48.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

4.5

66.67%

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

Last update for Iquique: April 28, 2026

Last update for Valdivia: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Iquique and $608 in Valdivia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Iquique vs $43.00 in Valdivia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $240 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 Valdivia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iquique and Valdivia differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,022 vs $1,066 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Iquique pays 49% 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: $438 in Iquique versus $608 in Valdivia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Valdivia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,022 per month in Iquique versus $1,066 in Valdivia – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,022 in Iquique versus $1,066 in Valdivia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in Valdivia. 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 4% less than in Valdivia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.