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: $1,043 in La Serena versus $1,068 in Coquimbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,804 in La Serena versus $1,617 in Coquimbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,565 in La Serena versus $2,165 in Coquimbo.

Living in La Serena costs roughly 2% less than in Coquimbo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.87 CLP 6,997

$8.59 CLP 7,642

-8.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 CLP 45.1K

$43.78 CLP 38.9K

15.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 CLP 7,703

$7.91 CLP 7,030

9.48%

Cappuccino

$3.08 CLP 2,739

$2.70 CLP 2,405

14.07%

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

$1.16 CLP 1,034

$1.35 CLP 1,200

-14.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 CLP 613

$1.01 CLP 901

-31.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 CLP 1,975

$3.19 CLP 2,841

-30.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 CLP 3,691

$4.15 CLP 3,688

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 CLP 1,159

$1.09 CLP 971

19.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 CLP 2,219

$1.58 CLP 1,402

57.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,425

$1.86 CLP 1,651

-13.98%

Eggs

$3.88 CLP 3,451

$3.51 CLP 3,121

10.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.09 CLP 11.6K

$10.30 CLP 9,162

27.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 CLP 5,390

$6.50 CLP 5,779

-6.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.32 CLP 11.8K

$11.07 CLP 9,845

20.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,687

$1.80 CLP 1,601

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 CLP 1,663

$1.58 CLP 1,407

18.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 CLP 1,205

$1.59 CLP 1,416

-14.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,376

$1.50 CLP 1,332

3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,100

$1.28 CLP 1,140

-3.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 CLP 1,117

$1.35 CLP 1,203

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 CLP 967

$1.28 CLP 1,135

-14.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CLP 793

$1.17 CLP 1,043

-23.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.31 CLP 4,720

$5.36 CLP 4,763

-0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.64 CLP 5,016

$9.14 CLP 8,131

-38.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 CLP 921

$1.57 CLP 1,396

-33.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 CLP 1,930

$2.20 CLP 1,961

-1.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 CLP 976

$0.62 CLP 549

77.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.39 CLP 34.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 CLP 652

$0.51 CLP 454

43.14%

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

$1.39 CLP 1,233

2.88%

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

$21.2K CLP 18.8M

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

9.75%

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

$13.0K CLP 11.6M

$21.3K CLP 18.9M

-38.79%

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

$92.2 CLP 82.0K

$134 CLP 119.3K

-31.29%

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

$11.70 CLP 10.4K

$13.41 CLP 11.9K

-12.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.51 CLP 20.0K

$21.84 CLP 19.4K

3.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.00 CLP 35.6K

$38.75 CLP 34.5K

3.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.36 CLP 19.0K

$21.16 CLP 18.8K

0.95%

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 CLP 7,549

$5.81 CLP 5,171

46.13%

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

$442 CLP 392.8K

$431 CLP 383.3K

2.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.07 CLP 40.1K

$50.0 CLP 44.5K

-9.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.0 CLP 57.8K

$29.98 CLP 26.7K

116.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 CLP 85.4K

$61.8 CLP 54.9K

55.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CLP 98.6K

$83.0 CLP 73.8K

33.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 CLP 328.7K

$472 CLP 419.4K

-21.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 CLP 254.5K

$372 CLP 330.6K

-23.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 CLP 918.9K

$878 CLP 780.4K

17.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 CLP 624.4K

$584 CLP 519.6K

20.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,184 CLP 1.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,443 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 CLP 693.2K

$661 CLP 587.7K

17.96%

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 Coquimbo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in La Serena and $472 in Coquimbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Serena pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $51.0 in La Serena vs $44.00 in Coquimbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $233 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 ($1,043 vs $1,068 including rent). La Serena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

La Serena pays 18% 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 $472 in Coquimbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $442 in La Serena versus $431 in Coquimbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in La Serena – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $44.00 in Coquimbo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,043 in La Serena versus $1,068 in Coquimbo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in La Serena but tight or insufficient in Coquimbo. 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.

Expats usually find La Serena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Coquimbo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.