Cost of Living Comparison Between La Serena and Antofagasta Cost of Living Comparison Between La Serena and Antofagasta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,044 in La Serena versus $964 in Antofagasta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,757 in La Serena versus $1,529 in Antofagasta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,469 in La Serena versus $2,093 in Antofagasta.

Living in La Serena is roughly 8% more expensive than in Antofagasta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: La Serena 22% lower, Antofagasta 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.00 CLP 7,448

$7.37 CLP 6,864

8.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 CLP 47.2K

$37.04 CLP 34.5K

36.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 CLP 8,256

$7.59 CLP 7,068

16.86%

Cappuccino

$3.09 CLP 2,879

$2.75 CLP 2,560

12.36%

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

$1.10 CLP 1,027

$1.29 CLP 1,202

-14.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 CLP 670

$0.97 CLP 899

-25.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 CLP 1,990

$1.67 CLP 1,552

28.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 CLP 3,680

$4.27 CLP 3,973

-7.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 CLP 1,214

$1.14 CLP 1,064

14.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 CLP 2,396

$1.73 CLP 1,608

48.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,437

$1.25 CLP 1,161

23.20%

Eggs

$3.95 CLP 3,678

$2.94 CLP 2,738

34.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 CLP 12.0K

$9.94 CLP 9,257

29.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 CLP 5,638

$4.30 CLP 4,003

40.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.54 CLP 12.6K

$8.88 CLP 8,267

52.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 CLP 1,839

$2.11 CLP 1,967

-6.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 CLP 1,661

$2.36 CLP 2,193

-24.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 CLP 1,296

$2.57 CLP 2,397

-45.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,441

$1.16 CLP 1,082

33.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 CLP 1,103

$0.89 CLP 831

32.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 CLP 1,216

$0.94 CLP 877

39.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 CLP 999

$1.25 CLP 1,162

-14.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 CLP 891

$1.22 CLP 1,141

-21.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 CLP 5,085

$4.84 CLP 4,503

12.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.46 CLP 5,082

$5.87 CLP 5,468

-6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 CLP 968

$1.55 CLP 1,447

-32.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 2,072

$1.37 CLP 1,275

62.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 CLP 981

$0.63 CLP 590

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.37 CLP 34.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 CLP 670

$0.50 CLP 467

44.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 CLP 1,978

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.70 CLP 11.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,344

$1.40 CLP 1,308

2.86%

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

$20.9K CLP 19.5M

$19.4K CLP 18.0M

8.13%

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

$12.8K CLP 11.9M

$21.6K CLP 20.1M

-40.74%

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

$91.6 CLP 85.3K

$47.85 CLP 44.6K

91.41%

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

$11.51 CLP 10.7K

$10.53 CLP 9,807

9.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.61 CLP 21.1K

$13.11 CLP 12.2K

72.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.97 CLP 33.5K

$43.75 CLP 40.7K

-17.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.67 CLP 20.2K

$21.04 CLP 19.6K

2.99%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 CLP 8,137

$5.48 CLP 5,102

59.49%

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

$428 CLP 398.9K

$270 CLP 251.5K

58.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,357 CLP 3.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.25 CLP 42.1K

$41.10 CLP 38.3K

10.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.18 CLP 28.1K

$16.09 CLP 15.0K

87.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 CLP 90.3K

$60.8 CLP 56.6K

59.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CLP 102.4K

$71.1 CLP 66.2K

54.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 CLP 338.1K

$472 CLP 439.3K

-23.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 CLP 265.0K

$374 CLP 348.0K

-23.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 CLP 993.7K

$851 CLP 792.8K

25.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 CLP 660.0K

$704 CLP 655.8K

0.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,151 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,373 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$736 CLP 685.1K

$732 CLP 682.1K

0.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.18

25.48%

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

Last update for La Serena: July 11, 2026

Last update for Antofagasta: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $363 in La Serena and $472 in Antofagasta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Serena pays 0% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $51.0 in La Serena vs $37.00 in Antofagasta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $211 per month, with Antofagasta 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

La Serena vs Antofagasta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antofagasta wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in La Serena. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Antofagasta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 0% higher in La Serena, 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: $363 in La Serena versus $472 in Antofagasta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in La Serena versus $270 in Antofagasta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Antofagasta – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $51.0 in La Serena. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $964 in Antofagasta versus $1,044 in La Serena, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Antofagasta but tight or insufficient in La Serena. The gap between the two cities makes Antofagasta 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 Antofagasta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in La Serena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.