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: $1,035 in Iquique versus $1,070 in Valdivia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,691 in Iquique versus $1,636 in Valdivia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,346 in Iquique versus $2,201 in Valdivia.

Living in Iquique costs roughly 3% less than in Valdivia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iquique 22% lower, Valdivia 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 CLP 7,455

$6.54 CLP 6,084

22.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.69 CLP 39.7K

$43.80 CLP 40.8K

-2.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.17 CLP 6,671

$7.19 CLP 6,690

-0.28%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CLP 3,436

$2.53 CLP 2,355

45.85%

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

$1.37 CLP 1,273

$2.40 CLP 2,233

-42.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 CLP 955

$1.54 CLP 1,433

-33.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 CLP 3,134

$3.82 CLP 3,551

-11.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CLP 3,410

$4.12 CLP 3,834

-11.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,115

$1.23 CLP 1,145

-2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 CLP 1,110

$1.44 CLP 1,339

-17.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,320

$1.70 CLP 1,579

-16.47%

Eggs

$3.49 CLP 3,249

$3.10 CLP 2,882

12.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.50 CLP 9,767

$9.40 CLP 8,750

11.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 CLP 6,312

$6.87 CLP 6,397

-1.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.11 CLP 10.3K

$13.27 CLP 12.3K

-16.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 CLP 1,703

$2.23 CLP 2,077

-17.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 CLP 2,185

$2.01 CLP 1,869

16.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,471

$1.85 CLP 1,720

-14.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 CLP 1,072

$1.88 CLP 1,745

-38.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 CLP 731

$2.46 CLP 2,287

-67.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 CLP 630

$1.58 CLP 1,472

-56.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 CLP 1,144

$1.51 CLP 1,401

-18.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,131

$1.16 CLP 1,079

5.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.45 CLP 5,075

$5.36 CLP 4,988

1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 CLP 7,666

$4.88 CLP 4,545

68.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CLP 1,514

$1.54 CLP 1,437

5.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CLP 2,061

$2.26 CLP 2,098

-2.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 CLP 634

$0.55 CLP 513

23.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 468

$1.67 CLP 1,552

-70.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,324

$1.38 CLP 1,280

2.90%

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

$19.9K CLP 18.5M

$15.6K CLP 14.5M

27.67%

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

$21.8K CLP 20.3M

$18.0K CLP 16.7M

21.09%

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

$81.6 CLP 76.0K

$95.3 CLP 88.7K

-14.33%

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

$13.64 CLP 12.7K

$18.78 CLP 17.5K

-27.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.65 CLP 20.1K

$29.28 CLP 27.2K

-26.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.84 CLP 39.9K

$43.25 CLP 40.2K

-0.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 CLP 20.1K

$24.37 CLP 22.7K

-11.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.59 CLP 5,201

$4.81 CLP 4,479

16.22%

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

$443 CLP 412.0K

$270 CLP 251.4K

63.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.48 CLP 30.2K

$52.8 CLP 49.2K

-38.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.81 CLP 22.2K

$18.35 CLP 17.1K

29.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.97 CLP 44.6K

$52.8 CLP 49.1K

-9.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.9 CLP 58.5K

$80.2 CLP 74.6K

-21.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 CLP 406.4K

$610 CLP 567.5K

-28.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 CLP 372.2K

$384 CLP 357.5K

4.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 CLP 696.3K

$1,041 CLP 968.9K

-28.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 CLP 795.5K

$597 CLP 555.8K

43.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,777 CLP 1.7M

$4,601 CLP 4.3M

-61.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,002 CLP 1.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$964 CLP 896.9K

$656 CLP 610.5K

46.90%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Valdivia: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Iquique and $610 in Valdivia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 47% 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 $44.00 in Valdivia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $241 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,035 vs $1,070 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 47% 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: $437 in Iquique versus $610 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 $1,035 per month in Iquique versus $1,070 in Valdivia – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,035 in Iquique versus $1,070 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 3% less than in Valdivia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.