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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,043 per month in La Serena vs $1,076 in Linares, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,804 per month in La Serena vs $1,675 in Linares, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,565 per month in La Serena vs $2,275 in Linares, rent included.

La Serena is about 3% cheaper than Linares, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both La Serena and Linares are more affordable than the global median – La Serena 22% lower, Linares 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.87 CLP 6,997

$5.29 CLP 4,706

48.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 CLP 45.1K

$54.8 CLP 48.7K

-7.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 CLP 7,703

$8.29 CLP 7,370

4.46%

Cappuccino

$3.08 CLP 2,739

$3.27 CLP 2,906

-5.81%

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

$1.16 CLP 1,034

$0.67 CLP 593

73.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 CLP 613

$1.05 CLP 938

-34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 CLP 1,975

$3.17 CLP 2,822

-29.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 CLP 3,691

$3.15 CLP 2,797

31.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 CLP 1,159

$1.23 CLP 1,095

5.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 CLP 2,219

$1.58 CLP 1,405

57.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,425

$2.08 CLP 1,847

-23.08%

Eggs

$3.88 CLP 3,451

$2.62 CLP 2,327

48.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.09 CLP 11.6K

$10.44 CLP 9,284

25.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 CLP 5,390

$6.51 CLP 5,787

-6.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.32 CLP 11.8K

$10.83 CLP 9,632

22.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,687

$2.02 CLP 1,793

-5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 CLP 1,663

$1.55 CLP 1,376

20.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 CLP 1,205

$2.06 CLP 1,830

-33.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,376

$0.85 CLP 754

82.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,100

$0.77 CLP 688

61.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 CLP 1,117

$1.61 CLP 1,432

-21.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 CLP 967

$1.30 CLP 1,152

-16.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CLP 793

$1.19 CLP 1,061

-25.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.31 CLP 4,720

$5.63 CLP 5,010

-5.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.64 CLP 5,016

$6.61 CLP 5,876

-14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 CLP 921

$1.55 CLP 1,377

-32.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 CLP 1,930

$2.51 CLP 2,236

-13.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 CLP 976

$0.58 CLP 520

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.39 CLP 34.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 CLP 652

$0.51 CLP 452

43.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 CLP 1,841

$1.42 CLP 1,267

45.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 CLP 11.4K

$11.41 CLP 10.1K

11.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,267

$1.42 CLP 1,262

0.70%

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

$21.2K CLP 18.8M

$19.5K CLP 17.3M

8.74%

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

$13.0K CLP 11.6M

$22.9K CLP 20.4M

-43.21%

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

$92.2 CLP 82.0K

$132 CLP 117.3K

-30.10%

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

$11.70 CLP 10.4K

$13.63 CLP 12.1K

-14.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.51 CLP 20.0K

$22.17 CLP 19.7K

1.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.00 CLP 35.6K

$38.80 CLP 34.5K

3.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.36 CLP 19.0K

$20.93 CLP 18.6K

2.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 CLP 7,549

$6.60 CLP 5,869

28.64%

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

$442 CLP 392.8K

$432 CLP 384.4K

2.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,918 CLP 3.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.07 CLP 40.1K

$54.7 CLP 48.6K

-17.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.0 CLP 57.8K

$33.20 CLP 29.5K

95.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 CLP 85.4K

$78.1 CLP 69.4K

23.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CLP 98.6K

$82.5 CLP 73.3K

34.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 CLP 328.7K

$484 CLP 430.7K

-23.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 CLP 254.5K

$372 CLP 330.8K

-23.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 CLP 918.9K

$869 CLP 772.9K

18.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 CLP 624.4K

$582 CLP 517.7K

20.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,184 CLP 1.9M

$2,322 CLP 2.1M

-5.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,443 CLP 1.3M

$2,328 CLP 2.1M

-38.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 CLP 693.2K

$884 CLP 786.3K

-11.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

4.94

31.58%

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

Last update for La Serena: April 25, 2026

Last update for Linares: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $370 in La Serena versus $484 in Linares. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Linares, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in La Serena versus $55.0 in Linares. Groceries tell a different story – $245 in La Serena vs $226 in Linares – so Linares wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Linares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Linares is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,565 per month in La Serena and $1,614 in Linares. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Serena, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,043 in La Serena and $1,076 in Linares. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $442 per month in La Serena and $432 in Linares. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,043 in La Serena and $1,076 in Linares, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward La Serena – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with La Serena. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Linares makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.