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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,062 per month in La Serena vs $2,243 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,796 per month in La Serena vs $3,315 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,530 per month in La Serena vs $4,387 in Lisbon, rent included.

La Serena is about 53% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

La Serena sits 21% below the global median, while Lisbon is 67% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 CLP 7,336

$15.73 €13.42

-47.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 CLP 45.3K

$63.2 €53.9

-19.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 CLP 7,699

$10.32 €8.80

-16.47%

Cappuccino

$2.99 CLP 2,674

$2.81 €2.40

6.41%

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

$1.15 CLP 1,026

$2.33 €1.99

-50.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 CLP 611

$1.51 €1.29

-54.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 CLP 1,902

$3.37 €2.87

-36.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 CLP 3,652

$3.91 €3.34

4.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 CLP 1,125

$1.08 €0.92

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 CLP 2,269

$1.75 €1.49

45.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,416

$1.75 €1.50

-9.14%

Eggs

$4.10 CLP 3,659

$3.10 €2.64

32.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 CLP 11.4K

$13.28 €11.33

-3.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 CLP 5,462

$7.85 €6.70

-22.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 CLP 11.7K

$16.05 €13.69

-18.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 CLP 1,711

$2.39 €2.04

-19.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,678

$1.72 €1.47

9.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 CLP 1,248

$1.97 €1.68

-28.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,329

$2.55 €2.17

-41.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 CLP 1,063

$1.79 €1.53

-33.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 CLP 1,120

$1.97 €1.68

-36.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 CLP 997

$1.96 €1.67

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CLP 794

$0.84 €0.71

5.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 CLP 4,891

$6.82 €5.82

-19.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.49 CLP 4,905

$5.85 €4.99

-6.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 CLP 923

$1.38 €1.18

-25.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 CLP 1,901

$2.92 €2.49

-27.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 CLP 985

$2.29 €1.95

-51.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.47 CLP 34.4K

$46.88 €39.99

-17.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 CLP 638

$4.12 €3.51

-82.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 CLP 1,899

$0.81 €0.69

162.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.72 CLP 11.4K

$18.94 €16.16

-32.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,278

$2.09 €1.78

-31.58%

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

$21.2K CLP 18.9M

$35.1K €30.0K

-39.63%

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

$12.8K CLP 11.4M

$39.7K €33.9K

-67.78%

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

$93.5 CLP 83.5K

$150 €128

-37.49%

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

$11.68 CLP 10.4K

$20.49 €17.48

-43.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.57 CLP 20.2K

$39.15 €33.40

-42.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.59 CLP 35.4K

$49.65 €42.35

-20.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.73 CLP 19.4K

$18.47 €15.76

17.65%

Cinema Ticket

$8.41 CLP 7,515

$9.20 €7.84

-8.59%

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

$433 CLP 386.4K

$624 €533

-30.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.67 CLP 40.8K

$102 €87.2

-55.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.8 CLP 57.9K

$40.88 €34.87

58.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 CLP 88.2K

$95.7 €81.6

3.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CLP 97.8K

$121 €103

-9.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 CLP 327.0K

$1,653 €1,410

-77.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 CLP 255.2K

$1,233 €1,051

-76.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 CLP 938.6K

$3,043 €2,596

-65.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$706 CLP 630.7K

$2,059 €1,756

-65.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,262 CLP 2.0M

$7,879 €6,720

-71.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,468 CLP 1.3M

$4,303 €3,671

-65.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$788 CLP 703.4K

$1,566 €1,336

-49.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

3.81

70.60%

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

Last update for La Serena: April 22, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $366 in La Serena versus $1,653 in Lisbon. 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 99% higher in Lisbon, 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 in La Serena versus $63 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $270 – making La Serena the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 111%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,592 per month in La Serena and $3,365 in Lisbon. 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 $1,062 in La Serena and $2,243 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 22% less in La Serena. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in La Serena, where all-in costs run around $1,062, than in Lisbon at $2,243. In La Serena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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