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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,064 per month in La Serena vs $1,069 in Quellón, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,803 per month in La Serena vs $1,633 in Quellón, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,541 per month in La Serena vs $2,197 in Quellón, rent included.

La Serena and Quellón have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.16 CLP 7,597

$8.61 CLP 8,013

-5.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.8 CLP 48.2K

$44.10 CLP 41.0K

17.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.67 CLP 8,063

$8.19 CLP 7,619

5.86%

Cappuccino

$3.03 CLP 2,819

$2.84 CLP 2,643

6.69%

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

$1.16 CLP 1,080

$1.29 CLP 1,204

-10.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 CLP 620

$1.03 CLP 957

-34.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 CLP 1,991

$3.31 CLP 3,082

-35.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 CLP 3,810

$4.23 CLP 3,935

-3.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 CLP 1,211

$1.20 CLP 1,116

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 CLP 2,358

$1.55 CLP 1,444

63.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,429

$1.89 CLP 1,757

-18.52%

Eggs

$3.90 CLP 3,630

$3.51 CLP 3,266

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 CLP 12.3K

$10.55 CLP 9,818

25.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 CLP 5,809

$6.81 CLP 6,333

-8.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 CLP 12.4K

$10.80 CLP 10.1K

23.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 CLP 1,857

$1.90 CLP 1,764

5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 CLP 1,690

$1.56 CLP 1,448

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 CLP 1,249

$1.58 CLP 1,473

-15.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 CLP 1,380

$1.52 CLP 1,417

-2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 CLP 1,161

$1.23 CLP 1,145

1.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 CLP 1,173

$1.36 CLP 1,264

-7.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 CLP 1,000

$1.27 CLP 1,181

-14.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 CLP 887

$1.23 CLP 1,145

-22.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 CLP 4,997

$5.46 CLP 5,081

-1.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 CLP 4,867

$5.90 CLP 5,486

-11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 CLP 939

$1.63 CLP 1,513

-38.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 2,071

$2.30 CLP 2,138

-3.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 CLP 1,017

$0.57 CLP 532

91.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.45 CLP 35.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 CLP 687

$0.47 CLP 439

57.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 CLP 1,915

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 CLP 12.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,328

$1.38 CLP 1,285

3.62%

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

$20.6K CLP 19.1M

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

4.73%

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

$13.1K CLP 12.2M

$21.8K CLP 20.2M

-39.72%

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

$93.3 CLP 86.8K

$130 CLP 120.9K

-28.19%

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

$11.35 CLP 10.6K

$13.48 CLP 12.5K

-15.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.00 CLP 20.5K

$21.70 CLP 20.2K

1.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.74 CLP 33.3K

$39.07 CLP 36.4K

-8.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.13 CLP 19.7K

$21.39 CLP 19.9K

-1.22%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 CLP 8,228

$5.75 CLP 5,349

53.74%

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

$439 CLP 408.9K

$438 CLP 407.7K

0.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.67 CLP 43.4K

$50.1 CLP 46.6K

-6.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.63 CLP 28.5K

$30.03 CLP 27.9K

2.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 CLP 89.0K

$60.5 CLP 56.3K

58.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CLP 101.4K

$84.0 CLP 78.1K

29.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 343.6K

$483 CLP 449.8K

-23.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 CLP 265.4K

$377 CLP 350.3K

-24.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 CLP 962.7K

$882 CLP 820.4K

17.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 CLP 657.5K

$586 CLP 545.3K

20.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,158 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,354 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$739 CLP 687.6K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Quellón: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $369 in La Serena versus $483 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 $52.0 in La Serena versus $44.00 in Quellón. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $231 – making Quellón 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 Quellón: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,597 per month in La Serena and $1,603 in Quellón. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in La Serena and $44.00 in Quellón. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $439 per month in La Serena and $438 in Quellón. 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 $1,064, than in Quellón at $1,069. In La Serena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quellón 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, Quellón makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.