Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between La Serena and Quellón

For one person, living is cheaper in Quellón: $556 a month against $1,093 in La Serena, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

La Serena, Chile
Quellón, Chile
La Serena
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,093
/mo nomad
Quellón
🇨🇱 Chile
$556
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in La Serena and in Quellón

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in La Serena and in Quellón actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,093 per month in La Serena vs $556 in Quellón, rent included.

  • La Serena $1,093
  • Quellón $556

A couple spends around $1,806 per month in La Serena vs $936 in Quellón, rent included.

  • La Serena $1,806
  • Quellón $936

A family of three spends $2,518 per month in La Serena vs $1,316 in Quellón, rent included.

  • La Serena $2,518
  • Quellón $1,316

La Serena costs about 97% more than Quellón, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both La Serena and Quellón are more affordable than the global median – La Serena 20% lower, Quellón 59% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
La Serena
Quellón
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.54 CLP 7,489
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87 CLP 47.5K
$50.3 CLP 49.9K
-4.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.24 CLP 8,183
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.91 CLP 2,890
$2.54 CLP 2,528
14.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 CLP 1,075
$1.23 CLP 1,225
-12.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 CLP 624
$0.82 CLP 819
-23.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.08 CLP 2,062
$3.07 CLP 3,049
-32.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90 CLP 3,874
$3.11 CLP 3,094
25.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
La Serena
Quellón
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 CLP 1,150
$1.20 CLP 1,189
-3.33%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 CLP 2,361
$1.04 CLP 1,031
128.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 CLP 1,488
$1.98 CLP 1,966
-24.24%
Eggs
$3.69 CLP 3,663
$2.75 CLP 2,734
34.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.25 CLP 12.2K
$5.97 CLP 5,930
105.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 CLP 5,596
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.68 CLP 12.6K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 CLP 1,847
$1.80 CLP 1,785
3.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 CLP 1,663
$2.19 CLP 2,172
-23.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.25 CLP 1,238
$3.49 CLP 3,472
-64.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.42 CLP 1,414
$1.77 CLP 1,760
-19.77%
Potato (1kg)
$1.16 CLP 1,149
$1.03 CLP 1,022
12.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 CLP 1,168
$2.07 CLP 2,059
-43.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 CLP 996
$0.99 CLP 981
1.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 CLP 886
$1.99 CLP 1,979
-55.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.11 CLP 5,074
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$5.14 CLP 5,109
$9.15 CLP 9,093
-43.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 CLP 968
$2.83 CLP 2,808
-65.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 CLP 2,001
$1.78 CLP 1,767
12.92%
🚌 Getting Around
La Serena
Quellón
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 CLP 983
$0.47 CLP 467
110.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.66 CLP 34.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.70 CLP 693
$2.99 CLP 2,968
-76.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.00 CLP 1,982
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.35 CLP 12.3K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 CLP 1,368
$1.35 CLP 1,336
2.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.2K CLP 19.1M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$12.1K CLP 12.0M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
La Serena
Quellón
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.7 CLP 84.2K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.79 CLP 10.7K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.76 CLP 20.6K
$30.00 CLP 29.8K
-30.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
La Serena
Quellón
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$88.4 CLP 87.8K
$50.7 CLP 50.4K
74.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.59 CLP 20.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.97 CLP 7,912
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
La Serena
Quellón
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.44 CLP 42.2K
$25.72 CLP 25.6K
65.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.5 CLP 59.1K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.1 CLP 89.5K
$50.7 CLP 50.4K
77.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 CLP 100.9K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
La Serena
Quellón
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$414 CLP 411.6K
$256 CLP 253.9K
62.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$316 CLP 313.7K
$200 CLP 199.1K
57.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$877 CLP 871.4K
$409 CLP 406.3K
114.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$696 CLP 690.9K
$356 CLP 353.8K
95.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,009 CLP 2.0M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,298 CLP 1.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
La Serena
Quellón
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$710 CLP 705.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.5
0
-

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

Last update for La Serena: October 25, 2026

Last update for Quellón: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
La Serena
$316
Quellón
–
Groceries & Markets
La Serena
$230
Quellón
–
Eating Out
La Serena
$145
Quellón
–
Clothing & Footwear
La Serena
$132
Quellón
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
La Serena
$116
Quellón
–
Sport & Entertainment
La Serena
$104
Quellón
–
Getting Around
La Serena
$49
Quellón
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $414 in La Serena versus $256 in Quellón. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in La Serena versus $50 in Quellón. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in La Serena vs $175 in Quellón – so Quellón wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇱 La Serena
🇨🇱 Quellón
🕒 Local time
01:51 1:51 AM
01:51 1:51 AM
Same time as La Serena
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
195,382
17,552
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 993 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.01 USD). 1 EUR = 1,109 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.02 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • La Serena Quellón 1,480 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • La Serena
  • Quellón

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Quellón: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quellón cheaper than La Serena?
Yes – La Serena is pricier by about 97%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,640 per month in La Serena and $834 in Quellón. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Quellón, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $256 there versus $414 in La Serena.
How do food prices compare in La Serena and in Quellón?
Groceries cost about 31% more in La Serena, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in La Serena or in Quellón?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in La Serena and $50 in Quellón. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $800 a realistic budget for living in La Serena or in Quellón?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Quellón, where all-in costs run around $556, than in La Serena at $1,093. In Quellón it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Serena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

La Serena vs other spots: cost of living compared

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