Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Valdivia

For one person, living costs are similar in Iquique and in Valdivia: $1,005 and $1,006 a month, rent and utilities included.

Iquique, Chile
Valdivia, Chile
Iquique
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,005
/mo nomad
Valdivia
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,006
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iquique and in Valdivia

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Iquique and in Valdivia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,005 in Iquique versus $1,006 in Valdivia.

  • Iquique $1,005
  • Valdivia $1,006

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,595 in Iquique versus $1,537 in Valdivia.

  • Iquique $1,595
  • Valdivia $1,537

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,184 in Iquique versus $2,068 in Valdivia.

  • Iquique $2,184
  • Valdivia $2,068

Monthly costs are close between Iquique and Valdivia; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iquique 26% lower, Valdivia 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Iquique
Valdivia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.87 CLP 7,715
$6.34 CLP 6,217
24.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.43 CLP 40.6K
$46.26 CLP 45.3K
-10.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.11 CLP 6,969
$6.85 CLP 6,712
3.80%
Cappuccino
$3.34 CLP 3,274
$2.15 CLP 2,105
55.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 CLP 1,205
$1.96 CLP 1,920
-37.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 CLP 1,011
$1.24 CLP 1,215
-16.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 CLP 3,179
$3.63 CLP 3,555
-10.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.65 CLP 3,576
$3.51 CLP 3,445
3.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Iquique
Valdivia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 CLP 1,107
$1.18 CLP 1,153
-4.24%
White Bread (500g)
$1.13 CLP 1,112
$1.36 CLP 1,331
-16.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.35 CLP 1,326
$1.56 CLP 1,526
-13.46%
Eggs
$3.00 CLP 2,937
$3.04 CLP 2,982
-1.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.06 CLP 9,864
$8.92 CLP 8,745
12.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.32 CLP 10.1K
$6.34 CLP 6,209
62.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$12.43 CLP 12.2K
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.23 CLP 2,184
$2.17 CLP 2,125
2.76%
Banana (1kg)
$2.22 CLP 2,173
$1.84 CLP 1,804
20.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.52 CLP 1,488
$1.74 CLP 1,709
-12.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.05 CLP 1,034
$1.86 CLP 1,818
-43.55%
Potato (1kg)
$0.78 CLP 763
$2.38 CLP 2,329
-67.23%
Onion (1kg)
$0.59 CLP 580
$1.55 CLP 1,522
-61.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 CLP 1,026
$1.42 CLP 1,389
-26.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 CLP 1,332
$1.10 CLP 1,074
23.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.26 CLP 7,112
$4.98 CLP 4,878
45.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.69 CLP 7,536
$4.67 CLP 4,576
64.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.49 CLP 1,458
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79 CLP 776
$2.01 CLP 1,972
-60.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Iquique
Valdivia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.67 CLP 659
$0.56 CLP 553
19.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.00 CLP 977
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 CLP 1,386
$1.42 CLP 1,390
-0.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$14.9K CLP 14.6M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$17.0K CLP 16.7M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iquique
Valdivia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$86.5 CLP 84.8K
$90.9 CLP 89.1K
-4.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.25 CLP 15.0K
$13.43 CLP 13.2K
13.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.65 CLP 23.2K
$30.85 CLP 30.2K
-23.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Iquique
Valdivia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.3 CLP 49.3K
$40.93 CLP 40.1K
22.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$23.44 CLP 23.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.95 CLP 6,816
$4.56 CLP 4,471
52.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Iquique
Valdivia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$260 CLP 254.6K
$248 CLP 243.0K
4.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$3,000 CLP 2.9M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Iquique
Valdivia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$30.02 CLP 29.4K
$51.9 CLP 50.9K
-42.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.90 CLP 22.4K
$17.69 CLP 17.3K
29.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$45.32 CLP 44.4K
$49.00 CLP 48.0K
-7.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.6 CLP 56.5K
$75.5 CLP 74.0K
-23.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Iquique
Valdivia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$415 CLP 406.8K
$585 CLP 573.2K
-29.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$387 CLP 379.8K
$368 CLP 360.7K
5.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$682 CLP 668.8K
$1,001 CLP 980.9K
-31.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$775 CLP 760.1K
$566 CLP 555.0K
36.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,731 CLP 1.7M
$4,427 CLP 4.3M
-60.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,945 CLP 1.9M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Iquique
Valdivia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$938 CLP 919.3K
$621 CLP 609.1K
50.94%
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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Valdivia: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Iquique
$387
Valdivia
$368 5% $20
Groceries & Markets
Iquique
$199 *
Valdivia
$227 14.5% $29
Eating Out
Iquique
$157
Valdivia
$135 14% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iquique
$125
Valdivia
$135 7.8% $9.8
Clothing & Footwear
Iquique
$70
Valdivia
$87 24.5% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Iquique
$64
Valdivia
$50 22% $14
Getting Around
Iquique
$2.7 *
Valdivia
$3.3 * 20.8% $0.6

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $415 in Iquique and $585 in Valdivia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 51% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $41 in Iquique vs $46 in Valdivia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $227 per month, with Iquique cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇱 Iquique
🇨🇱 Valdivia
🕒 Local time
13:34 1:34 PM
13:34 1:34 PM
Same time as Iquique
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
188,003
150,048
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 980 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,097 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Iquique Valdivia 2,200 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Iquique
  • Valdivia

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city pays better: Iquique or Valdivia?
Average pay runs 51% higher in Iquique, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Iquique and in Valdivia?
Rent for a central apartment: $415 in Iquique versus $585 in Valdivia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Iquique and Valdivia?
Childcare runs $260 in Iquique versus $248 in Valdivia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Valdivia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $2,000 go in Iquique compared to Valdivia?
Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Iquique gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Iquique vs other spots: cost of living compared

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