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 $1,093 per month in La Serena vs $1,125 in Linares, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,828 per month in La Serena vs $1,721 in Linares, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,564 per month in La Serena vs $2,318 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 20% lower, Linares 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 CLP 7,552

$5.45 CLP 5,024

50.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 CLP 47.3K

$54.1 CLP 49.9K

-5.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 CLP 8,306

$9.33 CLP 8,606

-3.54%

Cappuccino

$3.03 CLP 2,792

$3.50 CLP 3,227

-13.43%

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

$1.18 CLP 1,085

$0.65 CLP 599

81.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 CLP 638

$1.08 CLP 994

-36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 CLP 2,024

$4.43 CLP 4,086

-50.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 CLP 3,756

$3.30 CLP 3,041

23.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 CLP 1,224

$1.37 CLP 1,263

-2.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 CLP 2,305

$1.90 CLP 1,750

31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,426

$1.72 CLP 1,589

-9.88%

Eggs

$3.98 CLP 3,675

$2.67 CLP 2,467

49.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.42 CLP 12.4K

$11.63 CLP 10.7K

15.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 CLP 5,801

$7.35 CLP 6,784

-14.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 CLP 12.6K

$11.53 CLP 10.6K

18.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,756

$2.14 CLP 1,971

-11.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,753

$1.65 CLP 1,524

15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,242

$1.70 CLP 1,567

-20.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,432

$0.85 CLP 784

82.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 CLP 1,168

$0.80 CLP 734

58.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 CLP 1,221

$1.56 CLP 1,442

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 CLP 1,043

$1.37 CLP 1,260

-17.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 CLP 862

$1.20 CLP 1,106

-22.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 CLP 5,016

$5.56 CLP 5,129

-2.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.31 CLP 4,899

$6.32 CLP 5,832

-15.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 973

$1.77 CLP 1,630

-40.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 CLP 2,068

$2.60 CLP 2,397

-13.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 CLP 1,028

$0.63 CLP 579

76.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.52 CLP 34.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 CLP 736

$0.43 CLP 395

86.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 CLP 2,062

$0.97 CLP 899

130.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.15 CLP 12.1K

$12.24 CLP 11.3K

7.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 CLP 1,392

$1.69 CLP 1,556

-10.65%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.8M

$18.9K CLP 17.4M

2.16%

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

$21.8K CLP 20.1M

$22.7K CLP 21.0M

-4.38%

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

$91.8 CLP 84.7K

$159 CLP 146.5K

-42.18%

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

$11.72 CLP 10.8K

$12.86 CLP 11.9K

-8.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 CLP 20.9K

$21.05 CLP 19.4K

7.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.21 CLP 30.6K

$34.04 CLP 31.4K

-2.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.20 CLP 20.5K

Cinema Ticket

$8.48 CLP 7,822

$7.81 CLP 7,207

8.58%

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

$444 CLP 409.6K

$462 CLP 426.4K

-3.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,427 CLP 6.9M

$3,936 CLP 3.6M

88.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.36 CLP 43.7K

$54.3 CLP 50.1K

-12.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.87 CLP 27.6K

$30.74 CLP 28.4K

-2.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 CLP 92.2K

$70.9 CLP 65.4K

40.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 CLP 103.6K

$87.0 CLP 80.2K

29.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 CLP 417.5K

$511 CLP 471.4K

-11.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 CLP 311.5K

$389 CLP 358.7K

-13.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 CLP 903.0K

$964 CLP 889.2K

1.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 CLP 702.2K

$629 CLP 580.4K

20.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,167 CLP 2.0M

$2,294 CLP 2.1M

-5.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,390 CLP 1.3M

$2,282 CLP 2.1M

-39.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 CLP 699.4K

$861 CLP 794.0K

-11.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

4.94

4.25%

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

Last update for La Serena: August 16, 2026

Last update for Linares: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $453 in La Serena versus $511 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 14% 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 $54.0 in Linares. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in La Serena vs $240 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

Linares costs about 3% more than La Serena, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,639 per month in La Serena and $1,687 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 $1,093 in La Serena and $1,125 in Linares. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $444 per month in La Serena and $462 in Linares. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in La Serena, where all-in costs run around $1,093, than in Linares at $1,125. In La Serena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Linares it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.