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: $1,033 in Iquique versus $1,077 in Valdivia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,669 in Iquique versus $1,602 in Valdivia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,305 in Iquique versus $2,126 in Valdivia.

Living in Iquique costs roughly 4% less than in Valdivia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iquique 23% lower, Valdivia 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.29 CLP 7,446

$6.56 CLP 5,896

26.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.84 CLP 39.4K

$42.36 CLP 38.1K

3.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 CLP 6,549

$7.18 CLP 6,457

1.53%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CLP 3,363

$2.49 CLP 2,241

50.20%

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

$1.34 CLP 1,208

$2.38 CLP 2,142

-43.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 914

$1.55 CLP 1,395

-34.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 CLP 3,024

$3.72 CLP 3,345

-9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 CLP 3,461

$4.02 CLP 3,614

-4.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,082

$1.23 CLP 1,110

-2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CLP 1,098

$1.44 CLP 1,290

-15.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,280

$1.62 CLP 1,454

-12.35%

Eggs

$3.58 CLP 3,214

$3.21 CLP 2,887

11.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.26 CLP 9,222

$9.18 CLP 8,251

11.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 CLP 5,872

$6.63 CLP 5,958

-1.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 CLP 10.0K

$13.21 CLP 11.9K

-15.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 CLP 1,648

$2.32 CLP 2,088

-21.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 CLP 2,050

$2.00 CLP 1,799

14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,387

$1.91 CLP 1,717

-19.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 CLP 1,040

$1.88 CLP 1,691

-38.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 CLP 745

$2.46 CLP 2,208

-66.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 CLP 574

$1.65 CLP 1,481

-61.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,137

$1.52 CLP 1,368

-16.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,098

$1.16 CLP 1,045

5.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 CLP 4,756

$5.47 CLP 4,920

-3.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 CLP 7,353

$4.92 CLP 4,421

66.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,397

$1.54 CLP 1,382

0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 CLP 2,027

$2.17 CLP 1,950

4.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 CLP 618

$0.60 CLP 539

15.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 425

$1.60 CLP 1,439

-70.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,233

$1.43 CLP 1,282

-4.20%

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

$19.9K CLP 17.9M

$15.6K CLP 14.0M

27.48%

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

$21.1K CLP 18.9M

$18.4K CLP 16.5M

14.74%

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

$82.4 CLP 74.1K

$96.4 CLP 86.6K

-14.51%

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

$13.50 CLP 12.1K

$19.02 CLP 17.1K

-29.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.80 CLP 19.6K

$28.78 CLP 25.9K

-24.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.55 CLP 39.1K

$42.40 CLP 38.1K

2.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.92 CLP 18.8K

$25.19 CLP 22.6K

-16.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 CLP 5,208

$4.82 CLP 4,331

20.12%

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

$428 CLP 384.2K

$271 CLP 243.8K

57.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.77 CLP 28.6K

$54.8 CLP 49.2K

-41.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.91 CLP 21.5K

$18.66 CLP 16.8K

28.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.18 CLP 44.2K

$53.0 CLP 47.6K

-7.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.2 CLP 55.0K

$79.9 CLP 71.8K

-23.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 CLP 400.2K

$599 CLP 538.5K

-25.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 CLP 361.2K

$387 CLP 348.2K

3.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 CLP 685.5K

$1,052 CLP 945.7K

-27.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$853 CLP 766.8K

$599 CLP 537.9K

42.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,854 CLP 1.7M

$4,910 CLP 4.4M

-62.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,030 CLP 1.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,010 CLP 907.9K

$675 CLP 606.7K

49.64%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Valdivia: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Iquique and $599 in Valdivia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 50% 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 $42.00 in Valdivia. Groceries flip the comparison at $228 vs $240, with Iquique cheaper for home cooking.

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 ($1,033 vs $1,077 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Iquique pays 50% 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: $445 in Iquique versus $599 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 $1,033 per month in Iquique versus $1,077 in Valdivia – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,033 in Iquique versus $1,077 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.