Cost of Living Comparison Between La Serena and San Pedro de Atacama Cost of Living Comparison Between La Serena and San Pedro de Atacama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,112 per month in La Serena vs $1,068 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,845 per month in La Serena vs $1,615 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,578 per month in La Serena vs $2,161 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

La Serena costs about 4% more than San Pedro de Atacama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both La Serena and San Pedro de Atacama are more affordable than the global median – La Serena 19% lower, San Pedro de Atacama 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.83 CLP 7,506

$7.26 CLP 6,965

7.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.70 CLP 46.7K

$44.43 CLP 42.6K

9.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 CLP 8,253

$7.79 CLP 7,468

10.53%

Cappuccino

$3.00 CLP 2,881

$2.80 CLP 2,685

7.14%

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

$1.13 CLP 1,079

$1.57 CLP 1,508

-28.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 CLP 671

$1.17 CLP 1,122

-40.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 CLP 2,060

$3.47 CLP 3,332

-38.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 CLP 3,730

$3.84 CLP 3,684

1.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 CLP 1,164

$1.18 CLP 1,133

2.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 CLP 2,379

$1.51 CLP 1,448

64.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,477

$1.61 CLP 1,549

-4.35%

Eggs

$3.80 CLP 3,644

$3.58 CLP 3,432

6.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 CLP 11.9K

$10.17 CLP 9,755

21.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 CLP 5,600

$6.48 CLP 6,215

-9.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 CLP 12.4K

$11.43 CLP 11.0K

13.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,760

$1.88 CLP 1,804

-2.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,724

$1.61 CLP 1,547

11.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 CLP 1,247

$1.70 CLP 1,628

-23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 CLP 1,386

$1.65 CLP 1,584

-12.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 CLP 1,166

$1.60 CLP 1,534

-23.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 CLP 1,214

$1.49 CLP 1,433

-14.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 CLP 992

$1.30 CLP 1,248

-20.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CLP 854

$1.18 CLP 1,134

-24.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.33 CLP 5,113

$5.12 CLP 4,905

4.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.37 CLP 5,154

$4.95 CLP 4,747

8.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 CLP 924

$1.54 CLP 1,474

-37.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 CLP 1,999

$2.23 CLP 2,140

-6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 CLP 1,012

$0.61 CLP 587

73.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.20 CLP 34.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 CLP 689

$0.70 CLP 667

2.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 CLP 2,054

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 CLP 12.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,366

$1.44 CLP 1,378

-1.39%

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

$19.9K CLP 19.1M

$17.9K CLP 17.2M

11.38%

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

$12.6K CLP 12.0M

$19.5K CLP 18.7M

-35.49%

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

$88.2 CLP 84.5K

$130 CLP 124.5K

-32.07%

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

$11.04 CLP 10.6K

$13.47 CLP 12.9K

-18.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.16 CLP 20.3K

$22.21 CLP 21.3K

-4.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.3 CLP 83.7K

$38.39 CLP 36.8K

127.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.04 CLP 20.2K

$22.60 CLP 21.7K

-6.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 CLP 8,214

$5.53 CLP 5,306

54.79%

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

$383 CLP 367.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,372 CLP 8.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.70 CLP 41.9K

$47.05 CLP 45.1K

-7.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 CLP 59.0K

$24.64 CLP 23.6K

149.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 CLP 90.9K

$62.2 CLP 59.7K

52.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CLP 102.0K

$83.9 CLP 80.4K

26.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 CLP 421.5K

$473 CLP 453.9K

-7.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 CLP 313.6K

$373 CLP 357.8K

-12.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$906 CLP 869.0K

$877 CLP 840.9K

3.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 CLP 694.1K

$582 CLP 558.3K

24.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,089 CLP 2.0M

$2,309 CLP 2.2M

-9.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,374 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 CLP 702.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.01

29.74%

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

Last update for La Serena: September 15, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in La Serena versus $473 in San Pedro de Atacama. 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 $49.00 in La Serena versus $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $228 – making San Pedro de Atacama 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 San Pedro de Atacama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – La Serena is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,668 per month in La Serena and $1,602 in San Pedro de Atacama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 4% more in La Serena, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in La Serena and $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Pedro de Atacama, where all-in costs run around $1,068, than in La Serena at $1,112. In San Pedro de Atacama it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Serena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Pedro de Atacama – 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 San Pedro de Atacama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, La Serena makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.