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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,093 in La Serena versus $1,073 in Coquimbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,828 in La Serena versus $1,670 in Coquimbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,564 in La Serena versus $2,267 in Coquimbo.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 CLP 7,552

$7.34 CLP 6,770

11.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 CLP 47.3K

$48.33 CLP 44.6K

6.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 CLP 8,306

$6.47 CLP 5,970

39.10%

Cappuccino

$3.03 CLP 2,792

$3.86 CLP 3,564

-21.50%

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

$1.18 CLP 1,085

$1.17 CLP 1,082

0.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 CLP 638

$1.12 CLP 1,035

-38.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 CLP 2,024

$4.34 CLP 4,006

-49.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 CLP 3,756

$5.06 CLP 4,668

-19.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 CLP 1,224

$1.07 CLP 984

24.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 CLP 2,305

$1.80 CLP 1,662

38.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,426

$1.65 CLP 1,518

-6.06%

Eggs

$3.98 CLP 3,675

$3.90 CLP 3,596

2.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.42 CLP 12.4K

$11.47 CLP 10.6K

17.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 CLP 5,801

$6.47 CLP 5,970

-2.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 CLP 12.6K

$12.70 CLP 11.7K

7.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,756

$1.97 CLP 1,820

-3.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,753

$1.67 CLP 1,538

13.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,242

$1.72 CLP 1,591

-21.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,432

$1.70 CLP 1,566

-8.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 CLP 1,168

$1.03 CLP 947

23.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 CLP 1,221

$1.48 CLP 1,361

-10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 CLP 1,043

$1.35 CLP 1,245

-16.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 CLP 862

$1.17 CLP 1,081

-20.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 CLP 5,016

$5.54 CLP 5,114

-1.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.31 CLP 4,899

$5.97 CLP 5,509

-11.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 973

$1.56 CLP 1,439

-32.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 CLP 2,068

$2.28 CLP 2,104

-1.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 CLP 1,028

$0.85 CLP 785

30.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.52 CLP 34.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 CLP 736

$0.83 CLP 765

-3.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 CLP 2,062

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.15 CLP 12.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 CLP 1,392

$1.48 CLP 1,369

2.03%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.8M

$19.8K CLP 18.3M

-2.76%

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

$21.8K CLP 20.1M

$24.5K CLP 22.6M

-11.09%

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

$91.8 CLP 84.7K

$119 CLP 110.2K

-23.13%

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

$11.72 CLP 10.8K

$13.52 CLP 12.5K

-13.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 CLP 20.9K

$20.45 CLP 18.9K

10.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.21 CLP 30.6K

$27.85 CLP 25.7K

19.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.20 CLP 20.5K

$5.55 CLP 5,117

300.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.48 CLP 7,822

$7.26 CLP 6,697

16.80%

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

$444 CLP 409.6K

$444 CLP 410.0K

-0.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,427 CLP 6.9M

$8,551 CLP 7.9M

-13.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.36 CLP 43.7K

$51.3 CLP 47.4K

-7.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.87 CLP 27.6K

$30.01 CLP 27.7K

-0.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 CLP 92.2K

$60.2 CLP 55.6K

65.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 CLP 103.6K

$74.8 CLP 69.0K

50.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 CLP 417.5K

$512 CLP 472.4K

-11.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 CLP 311.5K

$425 CLP 391.9K

-20.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 CLP 903.0K

$1,042 CLP 961.0K

-6.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 CLP 702.2K

$682 CLP 629.6K

11.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,167 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,390 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 CLP 699.4K

$647 CLP 596.5K

17.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

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

Last update for La Serena: August 16, 2026

Last update for Coquimbo: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in La Serena and $512 in Coquimbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Serena pays 17% 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 $48.00 in Coquimbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $241 per month, with Coquimbo 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 Coquimbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Serena and Coquimbo differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,093 vs $1,073 including rent). Coquimbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 17% 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: $453 in La Serena versus $512 in Coquimbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $444 in La Serena versus $444 in Coquimbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Coquimbo – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $51.0 in La Serena. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,073 in Coquimbo versus $1,093 in La Serena, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Coquimbo but tight or insufficient in La Serena. The gap between the two cities makes Coquimbo 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 Coquimbo 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.