Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between La Serena and Castro

For one person, living is cheaper in Castro: $858 a month against $1,093 in La Serena, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. The total is higher in La Serena despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in La Serena
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La Serena Living Index

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La Serena

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,093

/mo nomad

Castro

🇨🇱 Chile

$858

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Castro actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,093 per month in La Serena vs $858 in Castro, rent included.

La Serena $1,093
Castro $858

A couple spends around $1,806 per month in La Serena vs $1,360 in Castro, rent included.

La Serena $1,806
Castro $1,360

A family of three spends $2,518 per month in La Serena vs $1,862 in Castro, rent included.

La Serena $2,518
Castro $1,862

La Serena costs about 27% more than Castro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both La Serena and Castro are more affordable than the global median – La Serena 20% lower, Castro 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 CLP 7,366

$8.02 CLP 7,833

-5.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 CLP 46.8K

$44.65 CLP 43.6K

7.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.24 CLP 8,049

$5.70 CLP 5,565

44.56%

Cappuccino

$2.91 CLP 2,843

$1.54 CLP 1,507

88.96%

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

$1.08 CLP 1,058

$1.19 CLP 1,164

-9.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 CLP 614

$1.03 CLP 1,005

-38.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 CLP 2,028

$5.18 CLP 5,066

-59.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 CLP 3,811

$7.13 CLP 6,964

-45.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 CLP 1,131

$1.06 CLP 1,040

9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 CLP 2,322

$3.52 CLP 3,435

-32.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,464

$1.27 CLP 1,244

18.11%

Eggs

$3.69 CLP 3,603

$4.21 CLP 4,113

-12.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.25 CLP 12.0K

$9.85 CLP 9,628

24.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 CLP 5,504

$4.01 CLP 3,922

40.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.68 CLP 12.4K

$8.37 CLP 8,180

51.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,817

$1.38 CLP 1,345

34.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 CLP 1,636

$2.15 CLP 2,104

-22.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 CLP 1,218

$1.49 CLP 1,452

-16.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,390

$1.88 CLP 1,837

-24.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 CLP 1,131

$1.17 CLP 1,140

-0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 CLP 1,149

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 CLP 979

$1.56 CLP 1,521

-35.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CLP 872

$1.47 CLP 1,441

-39.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.11 CLP 4,991

$3.56 CLP 3,479

43.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 CLP 5,026

$7.63 CLP 7,451

-32.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 CLP 953

$1.03 CLP 1,002

-5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 CLP 1,968

$3.00 CLP 2,929

-33.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 CLP 967

$0.71 CLP 698

39.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.66 CLP 33.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 CLP 682

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 CLP 1,949

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.35 CLP 12.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,346

$1.29 CLP 1,262

6.98%

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

$19.2K CLP 18.8M

$15.3K CLP 14.9M

26.09%

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

$12.1K CLP 11.8M

$17.9K CLP 17.5M

-32.71%

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

$84.7 CLP 82.8K

$130 CLP 127.0K

-34.83%

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

$10.79 CLP 10.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.76 CLP 20.3K

$29.80 CLP 29.1K

-30.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.4 CLP 86.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.59 CLP 20.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.97 CLP 7,783

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.44 CLP 41.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.5 CLP 58.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 CLP 88.1K

$79.4 CLP 77.6K

13.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CLP 99.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 CLP 404.8K

$351 CLP 342.7K

18.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 CLP 308.6K

$279 CLP 272.7K

13.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 CLP 857.1K

$1,012 CLP 988.5K

-13.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$696 CLP 679.6K

$570 CLP 556.5K

22.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,009 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,298 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$710 CLP 693.7K

$600 CLP 586.0K

18.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

-7.14%

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

Last update for La Serena: October 25, 2026

Last update for Castro: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

La Serena

$316 28.9%

Castro

–

Groceries & Markets

La Serena

$230 21.1%

Castro

–

Eating Out

La Serena

$145 13.3%

Castro

–

Clothing & Footwear

La Serena

$132 12.1%

Castro

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

La Serena

$116 10.6%

Castro

–

Sport & Entertainment

La Serena

$104 9.6%

Castro

–

Getting Around

La Serena

$49 4.5%

Castro

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $414 in La Serena versus $351 in Castro. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in La Serena, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in La Serena versus $45 in Castro. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in La Serena vs $231 in Castro – so La Serena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇱 La Serena

🇨🇱 Castro

🕒 Local time

14:40 2:40 PM

Same time as La Serena

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

195,382

33,417

💱 Currency

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CLP = 10.23 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.19 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.23 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.19 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

La Serena Castro 1,420 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

La Serena
Castro

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 Castro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Serena costs about 27% more than Castro, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,640 per month in La Serena and $1,286 in Castro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castro, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $351 there versus $414 in La Serena.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,093 in La Serena and $858 in Castro. That’s a gap of about 27%.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in La Serena and $45 in Castro. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,093 in La Serena and $858 in Castro. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

If budget matters most, go with Castro. 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.