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: $1,064 in La Serena versus $1,041 in Chillan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,803 in La Serena versus $1,531 in Chillan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,541 in La Serena versus $2,020 in Chillan.

Living in La Serena is roughly 2% more expensive than in Chillan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: La Serena 20% lower, Chillan 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.16 CLP 7,597

$5.49 CLP 5,104

48.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.8 CLP 48.2K

$26.86 CLP 25.0K

92.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.67 CLP 8,063

$6.17 CLP 5,737

40.52%

Cappuccino

$3.03 CLP 2,819

$2.96 CLP 2,754

2.36%

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

$1.16 CLP 1,080

$0.92 CLP 853

26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 CLP 620

$0.94 CLP 877

-28.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 CLP 1,991

$3.60 CLP 3,349

-40.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 CLP 3,810

$4.24 CLP 3,942

-3.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 CLP 1,211

$1.10 CLP 1,025

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 CLP 2,358

$1.76 CLP 1,640

43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,429

$1.91 CLP 1,777

-19.37%

Eggs

$3.90 CLP 3,630

$3.91 CLP 3,636

-0.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 CLP 12.3K

$7.75 CLP 7,210

70.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 CLP 5,809

$6.72 CLP 6,257

-7.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 CLP 12.4K

$10.94 CLP 10.2K

22.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 CLP 1,857

$1.87 CLP 1,743

6.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 CLP 1,690

$1.52 CLP 1,413

19.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 CLP 1,249

$1.54 CLP 1,436

-12.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 CLP 1,380

$1.51 CLP 1,408

-1.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 CLP 1,161

$1.29 CLP 1,200

-3.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 CLP 1,173

$1.42 CLP 1,320

-11.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 CLP 1,000

$1.27 CLP 1,180

-14.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 CLP 887

$1.21 CLP 1,130

-21.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 CLP 4,997

$5.35 CLP 4,982

0.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 CLP 4,867

$3.49 CLP 3,251

49.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 CLP 939

$1.54 CLP 1,434

-34.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 2,071

$2.23 CLP 2,072

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 CLP 1,017

$0.67 CLP 624

62.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.45 CLP 35.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 CLP 687

$0.51 CLP 474

45.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 CLP 1,915

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 CLP 12.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,328

$1.35 CLP 1,257

5.93%

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

$20.6K CLP 19.1M

$12.9K CLP 12.0M

59.13%

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

$13.1K CLP 12.2M

$15.8K CLP 14.7M

-16.84%

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

$93.3 CLP 86.8K

$134 CLP 124.8K

-30.47%

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

$11.35 CLP 10.6K

$13.47 CLP 12.5K

-15.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.00 CLP 20.5K

$24.22 CLP 22.5K

-9.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.74 CLP 33.3K

$16.76 CLP 15.6K

113.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.13 CLP 19.7K

$20.91 CLP 19.5K

1.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 CLP 8,228

$12.09 CLP 11.2K

-26.88%

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

$439 CLP 408.9K

$432 CLP 402.0K

1.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.67 CLP 43.4K

$50.6 CLP 47.1K

-7.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.63 CLP 28.5K

$29.90 CLP 27.8K

2.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 CLP 89.0K

$50.5 CLP 46.9K

89.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CLP 101.4K

$66.4 CLP 61.8K

64.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 343.6K

$475 CLP 441.9K

-22.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 CLP 265.4K

$380 CLP 353.4K

-24.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 CLP 962.7K

$459 CLP 426.8K

125.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 CLP 657.5K

$585 CLP 544.1K

20.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,158 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,354 CLP 1.3M

$2,520 CLP 2.3M

-46.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$739 CLP 687.6K

$698 CLP 649.3K

5.90%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chillan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $369 in La Serena and $475 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: $52.0 in La Serena vs $27.00 in Chillan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 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 and Chillan differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,064 vs $1,041 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% higher in La Serena, 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: $369 in La Serena versus $475 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 $1,064 per month in La Serena versus $1,041 in Chillan – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,041 in Chillan versus $1,064 in La Serena, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chillan but tight or insufficient in La Serena. The gap between the two cities makes Chillan 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.

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.