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: $1,042 in La Serena versus $1,047 in Chillan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,787 in La Serena versus $1,504 in Chillan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in La Serena versus $1,961 in Chillan.

Monthly costs are close between La Serena and Chillan; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: La Serena 23% lower, Chillan 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.22 CLP 7,389

$5.52 CLP 4,961

48.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 CLP 46.6K

$27.29 CLP 24.5K

90.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 CLP 7,868

$6.30 CLP 5,661

38.89%

Cappuccino

$2.98 CLP 2,674

$3.10 CLP 2,788

-3.87%

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

$1.12 CLP 1,004

$0.94 CLP 847

19.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 CLP 598

$0.98 CLP 877

-31.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 CLP 1,998

$3.73 CLP 3,350

-40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 CLP 3,682

$4.19 CLP 3,767

-2.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 CLP 1,159

$1.14 CLP 1,027

13.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 CLP 2,302

$1.78 CLP 1,601

43.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 CLP 1,401

$1.85 CLP 1,666

-15.68%

Eggs

$4.03 CLP 3,624

$3.83 CLP 3,440

5.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 CLP 11.7K

$7.66 CLP 6,884

69.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 CLP 5,605

$6.79 CLP 6,101

-8.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.04 CLP 11.7K

$10.93 CLP 9,822

19.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 CLP 1,728

$1.84 CLP 1,652

4.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,615

$1.51 CLP 1,360

19.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 CLP 1,255

$1.60 CLP 1,434

-12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 CLP 1,317

$1.46 CLP 1,314

0.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 CLP 1,107

$1.30 CLP 1,166

-5.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 CLP 1,194

$1.35 CLP 1,216

-1.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 CLP 1,015

$1.27 CLP 1,140

-11.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 CLP 826

$1.22 CLP 1,092

-24.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.33 CLP 4,791

$5.54 CLP 4,980

-3.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.35 CLP 4,809

$3.48 CLP 3,123

53.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 940

$1.61 CLP 1,445

-34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 CLP 2,025

$2.22 CLP 1,997

1.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 CLP 953

$0.63 CLP 564

68.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.12 CLP 34.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 CLP 643

$0.47 CLP 426

53.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 CLP 1,913

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.01 CLP 11.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,274

$1.37 CLP 1,229

3.65%

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

$20.7K CLP 18.6M

$12.6K CLP 11.3M

64.04%

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

$13.1K CLP 11.8M

$15.4K CLP 13.9M

-15.20%

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

$92.7 CLP 83.3K

$135 CLP 121.4K

-31.40%

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

$11.35 CLP 10.2K

$13.40 CLP 12.0K

-15.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.61 CLP 20.3K

$24.46 CLP 22.0K

-7.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.68 CLP 33.0K

$16.19 CLP 14.5K

126.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 CLP 19.5K

$21.58 CLP 19.4K

0.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.86 CLP 7,963

$11.75 CLP 10.6K

-24.60%

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

$441 CLP 396.0K

$439 CLP 394.1K

0.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.06 CLP 41.4K

$51.0 CLP 45.8K

-9.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.87 CLP 26.8K

$30.24 CLP 27.2K

-1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 CLP 86.7K

$52.0 CLP 46.7K

85.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CLP 98.4K

$68.3 CLP 61.4K

60.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 CLP 327.0K

$487 CLP 437.9K

-25.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 CLP 251.6K

$373 CLP 335.4K

-24.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 CLP 962.0K

$463 CLP 416.5K

130.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 CLP 627.9K

$597 CLP 536.6K

17.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,226 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,434 CLP 1.3M

$2,621 CLP 2.4M

-45.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$746 CLP 670.6K

$696 CLP 625.2K

7.25%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Chillan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in La Serena and $487 in Chillan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Serena pays 7% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $52.0 in La Serena vs $27.00 in Chillan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $219 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 pays 7% 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: $364 in La Serena versus $487 in Chillan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $441 in La Serena versus $439 in Chillan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Chillan pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,042 in La Serena versus $1,047 in Chillan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in La Serena but tight or insufficient in Chillan. The gap between the two cities makes La Serena 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.

It comes down to priorities – La Serena wins on affordability, Chillan on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.