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: $1,112 in La Serena versus $892 in Chillan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,845 in La Serena versus $1,340 in Chillan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,578 in La Serena versus $1,788 in Chillan.

Living in La Serena is roughly 25% more expensive than in Chillan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: La Serena 19% lower, Chillan 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.83 CLP 7,412

$5.36 CLP 5,078

46.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.70 CLP 46.1K

$47.44 CLP 44.9K

2.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 CLP 8,150

$6.19 CLP 5,859

39.10%

Cappuccino

$3.00 CLP 2,845

$3.43 CLP 3,251

-12.54%

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

$1.13 CLP 1,065

$1.13 CLP 1,069

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 CLP 663

$0.93 CLP 879

-24.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 CLP 2,034

$1.60 CLP 1,516

34.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 CLP 3,683

$4.75 CLP 4,494

-18.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 CLP 1,150

$1.13 CLP 1,066

7.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 CLP 2,349

$1.65 CLP 1,565

50.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,458

$1.81 CLP 1,710

-14.92%

Eggs

$3.80 CLP 3,599

$3.79 CLP 3,590

0.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 CLP 11.7K

$7.16 CLP 6,778

72.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 CLP 5,530

$2.67 CLP 2,526

118.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 CLP 12.3K

$8.26 CLP 7,823

56.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,738

$1.54 CLP 1,461

19.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,702

$1.69 CLP 1,605

6.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 CLP 1,231

$1.24 CLP 1,170

4.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 CLP 1,368

$1.06 CLP 1,008

36.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 CLP 1,151

$1.53 CLP 1,444

-20.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 CLP 1,199

$1.25 CLP 1,188

1.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 CLP 980

$1.05 CLP 998

-1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CLP 843

$1.22 CLP 1,160

-27.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.33 CLP 5,049

$4.67 CLP 4,424

14.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.37 CLP 5,089

$3.33 CLP 3,158

61.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 CLP 912

$1.22 CLP 1,156

-21.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 CLP 1,974

$2.15 CLP 2,035

-3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 CLP 1,000

$0.61 CLP 573

73.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.20 CLP 34.3K

$35.95 CLP 34.0K

0.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 CLP 680

$0.61 CLP 578

18.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 CLP 2,028

$1.15 CLP 1,092

86.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 CLP 11.9K

$12.65 CLP 12.0K

-0.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,349

$1.39 CLP 1,316

2.16%

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

$19.9K CLP 18.9M

$12.2K CLP 11.5M

64.03%

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

$12.6K CLP 11.9M

$15.3K CLP 14.5M

-18.09%

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

$88.2 CLP 83.5K

$129 CLP 122.5K

-31.85%

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

$11.04 CLP 10.5K

$10.27 CLP 9,721

7.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.16 CLP 20.0K

$23.67 CLP 22.4K

-10.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.3 CLP 82.7K

$15.92 CLP 15.1K

448.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.04 CLP 19.9K

$16.97 CLP 16.1K

23.98%

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 CLP 8,110

$11.63 CLP 11.0K

-26.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.70 CLP 41.4K

$37.18 CLP 35.2K

17.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 CLP 58.2K

$18.50 CLP 17.5K

232.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 CLP 89.8K

$50.3 CLP 47.6K

88.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CLP 100.7K

$64.4 CLP 61.0K

65.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 CLP 416.2K

$317 CLP 300.0K

38.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 CLP 309.6K

$248 CLP 234.8K

31.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$906 CLP 858.0K

$458 CLP 433.6K

97.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 CLP 685.4K

$330 CLP 312.9K

119.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,089 CLP 2.0M

$2,475 CLP 2.3M

-15.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,374 CLP 1.3M

$2,475 CLP 2.3M

-44.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 CLP 693.7K

$693 CLP 655.9K

5.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

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

Last update for La Serena: September 15, 2026

Last update for Chillan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in La Serena and $317 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: $49.00 in La Serena vs $47.00 in Chillan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $181 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 25% in total monthly costs ($1,112 vs $892 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: $439 in La Serena versus $317 in Chillan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in La Serena. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,112 per month in La Serena versus $892 in Chillan – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $892 in Chillan versus $1,112 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 25% less than in La Serena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.