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: $1,042 in La Serena versus $1,069 in Coquimbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,787 in La Serena versus $1,622 in Coquimbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in La Serena versus $2,176 in Coquimbo.

Living in La Serena costs roughly 3% less than in Coquimbo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: La Serena 23% lower, Coquimbo 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.22 CLP 7,389

$8.66 CLP 7,783

-5.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 CLP 46.6K

$44.66 CLP 40.1K

16.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 CLP 7,868

$8.21 CLP 7,378

6.58%

Cappuccino

$2.98 CLP 2,674

$2.72 CLP 2,441

9.56%

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

$1.12 CLP 1,004

$1.30 CLP 1,165

-13.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 CLP 598

$1.02 CLP 915

-34.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 CLP 1,998

$3.21 CLP 2,883

-30.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 CLP 3,682

$4.06 CLP 3,650

0.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 CLP 1,159

$1.06 CLP 950

21.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 CLP 2,302

$1.53 CLP 1,374

67.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 CLP 1,401

$1.92 CLP 1,726

-18.75%

Eggs

$4.03 CLP 3,624

$3.43 CLP 3,079

17.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 CLP 11.7K

$10.34 CLP 9,295

25.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 CLP 5,605

$6.72 CLP 6,039

-7.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.04 CLP 11.7K

$10.79 CLP 9,695

20.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 CLP 1,728

$1.82 CLP 1,633

5.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,615

$1.52 CLP 1,362

18.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 CLP 1,255

$1.55 CLP 1,391

-9.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 CLP 1,317

$1.45 CLP 1,304

1.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 CLP 1,107

$1.27 CLP 1,143

-3.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 CLP 1,194

$1.42 CLP 1,277

-6.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 CLP 1,015

$1.27 CLP 1,141

-11.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 CLP 826

$1.19 CLP 1,068

-22.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.33 CLP 4,791

$5.51 CLP 4,950

-3.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.35 CLP 4,809

$6.02 CLP 5,411

-11.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 940

$1.56 CLP 1,402

-32.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 CLP 2,025

$2.21 CLP 1,988

1.81%

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 419

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 1,235

3.65%

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

$20.7K CLP 18.6M

$19.6K CLP 17.6M

5.57%

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

$13.1K CLP 11.8M

$21.3K CLP 19.1M

-38.50%

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

$92.7 CLP 83.3K

$132 CLP 118.9K

-29.96%

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

$11.35 CLP 10.2K

$13.32 CLP 12.0K

-14.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.61 CLP 20.3K

$21.78 CLP 19.6K

3.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.68 CLP 33.0K

$37.95 CLP 34.1K

-3.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 CLP 19.5K

$21.29 CLP 19.1K

1.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.86 CLP 7,963

$5.81 CLP 5,222

52.50%

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

$441 CLP 396.0K

$438 CLP 394.0K

0.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.06 CLP 41.4K

$51.6 CLP 46.4K

-10.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.87 CLP 26.8K

$29.86 CLP 26.8K

0.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 CLP 86.7K

$62.1 CLP 55.8K

55.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CLP 98.4K

$83.2 CLP 74.8K

31.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 CLP 327.0K

$486 CLP 436.4K

-25.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 CLP 251.6K

$373 CLP 335.5K

-25.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 CLP 962.0K

$892 CLP 801.6K

20.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 CLP 627.9K

$592 CLP 531.7K

18.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,226 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,434 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$746 CLP 670.6K

$661 CLP 594.3K

12.82%

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 Coquimbo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in La Serena and $486 in Coquimbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Serena pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in La Serena vs $45.00 in Coquimbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $226 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,042 vs $1,069 including rent). La Serena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

La Serena pays 13% 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 $486 in Coquimbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $441 in La Serena versus $438 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 $52.0 versus $45.00 in Coquimbo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,042 in La Serena versus $1,069 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 3% less than in Coquimbo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.