Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between La Serena and Arica

For one person, living is cheaper in Arica: $110 a month against $1,099 in La Serena, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

53

Cost of Living Index in La Serena
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La Serena Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Arica
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Arica Living Index

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La Serena

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,099

/mo nomad

Arica

🇨🇱 Chile

$110

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in La Serena and in Arica

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

A single person spends $1,099 per month in La Serena vs $110 in Arica, rent included.

La Serena $1,099
Arica $110

A couple spends around $1,829 per month in La Serena vs $177 in Arica, rent included.

La Serena $1,829
Arica $177

A family of three spends $2,559 per month in La Serena vs $245 in Arica, rent included.

La Serena $2,559
Arica $245

La Serena costs about 899% more than Arica, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both La Serena and Arica are more affordable than the global median – La Serena 19% lower, Arica 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.80 CLP 7,678

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.89 CLP 47.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 CLP 8,255

Cappuccino

$2.78 CLP 2,733

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

$1.05 CLP 1,037

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 CLP 638

$1.22 CLP 1,197

-46.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 CLP 2,047

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CLP 3,844

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 CLP 1,197

$0.99 CLP 977

23.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 CLP 2,326

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 CLP 1,448

Eggs

$3.85 CLP 3,793

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 CLP 12.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.89 CLP 5,801

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 CLP 12.2K

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,861

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 CLP 1,733

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,257

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 CLP 1,431

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 CLP 1,128

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 CLP 1,177

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 CLP 1,010

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 CLP 863

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 CLP 5,138

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 CLP 5,100

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 929

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 CLP 1,992

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 CLP 1,028

$0.75 CLP 739

38.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.03 CLP 35.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 CLP 697

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 CLP 2,041

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.19 CLP 12.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,394

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

$20.1K CLP 19.7M

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

$12.3K CLP 12.1M

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

$85.8 CLP 84.5K

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

$10.93 CLP 10.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.68 CLP 20.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.9 CLP 82.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.71 CLP 20.4K

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 CLP 7,912

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.49 CLP 42.8K

$40.50 CLP 39.9K

7.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 CLP 60.1K

$20.06 CLP 19.7K

204.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 CLP 90.9K

$52.7 CLP 51.8K

75.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CLP 103.7K

$91.8 CLP 90.3K

14.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 CLP 417.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 CLP 311.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 CLP 884.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 CLP 711.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,068 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,319 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$698 CLP 687.3K

$501 CLP 493.0K

39.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

30.00%

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

Last update for La Serena: October 18, 2026

Last update for Arica: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

La Serena

$316 28.8%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

La Serena

$232 21.1%

Arica

$9.9 * 9% 95.7% $222

Eating Out

La Serena

$146 13.3%

Arica

$4.9 * 4.4% 96.7% $141

Clothing & Footwear

La Serena

$136 12.4%

Arica

$92 83.8% 32.2% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

La Serena

$117 10.7%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

La Serena

$100 9.1%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

La Serena

$51 4.7%

Arica

$3 * 2.7% 94.1% $48

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 39% higher in La Serena, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇨🇱 La Serena

🇨🇱 Arica

🕒 Local time

09:32 9:32 AM

Same time as La Serena

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

195,382

202,131

💱 Currency

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

La Serena Arica 1,270 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

La Serena
Arica

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,099 in La Serena, $110 in Arica – roughly 899% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,648 per month in La Serena and $165 in Arica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,099 in La Serena and $110 in Arica. That's a gap of about 899%.

Groceries cost about 2241% more in La Serena, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $110, than in La Serena at $1,099. In Arica it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Serena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arica – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Arica. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, La Serena makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.