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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,043 in La Serena versus $1,023 in Chillan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,804 in La Serena versus $1,506 in Chillan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,565 in La Serena versus $1,990 in Chillan.

Living in La Serena is roughly 2% more expensive than Chillan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: La Serena 22% lower, Chillan 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.87 CLP 6,997

$5.52 CLP 4,907

42.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 CLP 45.1K

$26.86 CLP 23.9K

88.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 CLP 7,703

$6.14 CLP 5,457

41.04%

Cappuccino

$3.08 CLP 2,739

$3.10 CLP 2,753

-0.65%

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

$1.16 CLP 1,034

$0.96 CLP 851

20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 CLP 613

$0.89 CLP 795

-22.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 CLP 1,975

$3.61 CLP 3,213

-38.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 CLP 3,691

$4.11 CLP 3,652

0.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 CLP 1,159

$1.15 CLP 1,026

13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 CLP 2,219

$1.77 CLP 1,571

40.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,425

$1.90 CLP 1,693

-15.79%

Eggs

$3.88 CLP 3,451

$3.74 CLP 3,326

3.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.09 CLP 11.6K

$7.64 CLP 6,793

71.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 CLP 5,390

$6.56 CLP 5,837

-7.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.32 CLP 11.8K

$11.08 CLP 9,853

20.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,687

$1.87 CLP 1,659

1.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 CLP 1,663

$1.52 CLP 1,351

23.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 CLP 1,205

$1.58 CLP 1,401

-13.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,376

$1.44 CLP 1,284

7.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,100

$1.27 CLP 1,131

-2.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 CLP 1,117

$1.35 CLP 1,205

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 CLP 967

$1.23 CLP 1,090

-11.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CLP 793

$1.22 CLP 1,081

-27.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.31 CLP 4,720

$5.37 CLP 4,778

-1.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.64 CLP 5,016

$3.66 CLP 3,250

54.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 CLP 921

$1.56 CLP 1,384

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 CLP 1,930

$2.29 CLP 2,039

-5.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 CLP 976

$0.67 CLP 592

64.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.39 CLP 34.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 CLP 652

$0.50 CLP 447

46.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 CLP 1,841

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 CLP 11.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,267

$1.37 CLP 1,221

4.38%

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

$21.2K CLP 18.8M

$12.5K CLP 11.2M

68.74%

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

$13.0K CLP 11.6M

$15.8K CLP 14.0M

-17.34%

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

$92.2 CLP 82.0K

$133 CLP 118.6K

-30.89%

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

$11.70 CLP 10.4K

$13.30 CLP 11.8K

-12.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.51 CLP 20.0K

$24.58 CLP 21.9K

-8.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.00 CLP 35.6K

$16.61 CLP 14.8K

140.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.36 CLP 19.0K

$20.94 CLP 18.6K

2.01%

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 CLP 7,549

$12.07 CLP 10.7K

-29.66%

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

$442 CLP 392.8K

$428 CLP 380.6K

3.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.07 CLP 40.1K

$51.6 CLP 45.9K

-12.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.0 CLP 57.8K

$29.72 CLP 26.4K

118.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 CLP 85.4K

$50.2 CLP 44.6K

91.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CLP 98.6K

$67.2 CLP 59.8K

64.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 CLP 328.7K

$484 CLP 430.6K

-23.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 CLP 254.5K

$368 CLP 326.8K

-22.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 CLP 918.9K

$465 CLP 413.2K

122.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 CLP 624.4K

$589 CLP 523.4K

19.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,184 CLP 1.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,443 CLP 1.3M

$2,579 CLP 2.3M

-44.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 CLP 693.2K

$732 CLP 651.1K

6.47%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chillan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in La Serena and $484 in Chillan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Serena pays 6% 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 $27.00 in Chillan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $218 per month, with Chillan 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 Chillan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Serena and Chillan differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,043 vs $1,023 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

La Serena pays 6% 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: $370 in La Serena versus $484 in Chillan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in La Serena. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,043 per month in La Serena versus $1,023 in Chillan – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Chillan 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 Chillan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in La Serena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.