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: $1,048 in La Serena versus $944 in Antofagasta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,754 in La Serena versus $1,493 in Antofagasta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,459 in La Serena versus $2,042 in Antofagasta.

Living in La Serena is roughly 11% more expensive than Antofagasta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: La Serena 22% lower, Antofagasta 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 CLP 7,063

$7.67 CLP 6,859

3.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.5 CLP 46.1K

$37.56 CLP 33.6K

37.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 CLP 7,999

$8.03 CLP 7,185

11.33%

Cappuccino

$2.96 CLP 2,651

$2.75 CLP 2,458

7.64%

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

$1.12 CLP 1,000

$1.30 CLP 1,161

-13.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 CLP 601

$0.90 CLP 805

-25.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 CLP 1,908

$1.64 CLP 1,469

29.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 CLP 3,672

$4.28 CLP 3,829

-4.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,103

$1.12 CLP 1,001

9.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 CLP 2,220

$1.74 CLP 1,558

42.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,369

$1.32 CLP 1,178

15.91%

Eggs

$3.94 CLP 3,523

$3.01 CLP 2,690

30.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.11 CLP 11.7K

$9.98 CLP 8,933

31.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 CLP 5,332

$4.28 CLP 3,833

39.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 CLP 11.9K

$8.81 CLP 7,877

50.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 CLP 1,778

$2.11 CLP 1,888

-5.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 CLP 1,655

$2.28 CLP 2,040

-18.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 CLP 1,192

$2.45 CLP 2,193

-45.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 CLP 1,328

$1.20 CLP 1,078

23.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 CLP 1,071

$0.95 CLP 854

26.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 CLP 1,169

$0.94 CLP 837

39.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 CLP 1,011

$1.21 CLP 1,080

-6.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 CLP 813

$1.16 CLP 1,041

-21.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.33 CLP 4,770

$4.81 CLP 4,306

10.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.50 CLP 4,918

$6.00 CLP 5,364

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 CLP 925

$1.53 CLP 1,370

-32.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 CLP 2,014

$1.43 CLP 1,278

57.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 CLP 988

$0.62 CLP 553

77.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.15 CLP 34.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 CLP 683

$0.47 CLP 419

61.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 CLP 1,843

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.76 CLP 11.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 CLP 1,343

$1.40 CLP 1,249

7.14%

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

$21.2K CLP 19.0M

$19.7K CLP 17.6M

8.10%

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

$13.1K CLP 11.8M

$21.3K CLP 19.1M

-38.33%

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

$92.8 CLP 83.0K

$47.75 CLP 42.7K

94.37%

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

$11.41 CLP 10.2K

$10.47 CLP 9,367

8.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 CLP 20.3K

$13.05 CLP 11.7K

73.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.44 CLP 32.6K

$43.14 CLP 38.6K

-15.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.62 CLP 19.3K

$21.57 CLP 19.3K

0.23%

Cinema Ticket

$8.85 CLP 7,914

$5.42 CLP 4,845

63.28%

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

$438 CLP 392.0K

$273 CLP 243.9K

60.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,289 CLP 2.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.54 CLP 40.7K

$41.85 CLP 37.4K

8.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.87 CLP 27.6K

$16.11 CLP 14.4K

91.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 CLP 88.4K

$61.1 CLP 54.6K

61.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 CLP 99.8K

$72.2 CLP 64.6K

54.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 CLP 327.8K

$463 CLP 414.4K

-20.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 CLP 255.4K

$370 CLP 331.1K

-22.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 CLP 927.8K

$859 CLP 768.2K

20.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$708 CLP 633.2K

$690 CLP 617.1K

2.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,236 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 CLP 691.6K

$757 CLP 676.9K

2.16%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Antofagasta: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $366 in La Serena and $463 in Antofagasta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Serena pays 2% 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 $38.00 in Antofagasta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $210 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 11% 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.

La Serena pays 2% 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: $366 in La Serena versus $463 in Antofagasta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $438 in La Serena versus $273 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 $38.00 versus $51.0 in La Serena. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Antofagasta gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 11% less than in La Serena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.