Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between La Serena and Valparaiso

For one person, living costs are similar in La Serena and in Valparaiso: $1,093 and $1,075 a month, rent and utilities included.

La Serena, Chile
Valparaiso, Chile
La Serena
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,093
/mo nomad
Valparaiso
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,075
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Valparaiso actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,093 per month in La Serena vs $1,075 in Valparaiso, rent included.

  • La Serena $1,093
  • Valparaiso $1,075

A couple spends around $1,806 per month in La Serena vs $1,582 in Valparaiso, rent included.

  • La Serena $1,806
  • Valparaiso $1,582

A family of three spends $2,518 per month in La Serena vs $2,090 in Valparaiso, rent included.

  • La Serena $2,518
  • Valparaiso $2,090

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

Both La Serena and Valparaiso are more affordable than the global median – La Serena 20% lower, Valparaiso 21% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
La Serena
Valparaiso
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.54 CLP 7,489
$8.94 CLP 8,882
-15.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87 CLP 47.5K
$35.36 CLP 35.1K
35.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.24 CLP 8,183
$8.54 CLP 8,482
-3.51%
Cappuccino
$2.91 CLP 2,890
$2.75 CLP 2,728
5.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 CLP 1,075
$1.18 CLP 1,170
-8.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 CLP 624
$0.83 CLP 822
-24.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.08 CLP 2,062
$3.92 CLP 3,890
-46.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90 CLP 3,874
$4.43 CLP 4,400
-11.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
La Serena
Valparaiso
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 CLP 1,150
$1.23 CLP 1,227
-5.69%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 CLP 2,361
$1.80 CLP 1,791
32.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 CLP 1,488
$1.57 CLP 1,559
-4.46%
Eggs
$3.69 CLP 3,663
$3.81 CLP 3,788
-3.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.25 CLP 12.2K
$10.96 CLP 10.9K
11.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 CLP 5,596
$6.74 CLP 6,698
-16.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.68 CLP 12.6K
$8.80 CLP 8,740
44.09%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 CLP 1,847
$1.66 CLP 1,649
12.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 CLP 1,663
$1.55 CLP 1,539
7.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.25 CLP 1,238
$1.52 CLP 1,513
-17.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.42 CLP 1,414
$1.51 CLP 1,499
-5.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.16 CLP 1,149
$0.93 CLP 920
24.73%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 CLP 1,168
$1.24 CLP 1,231
-4.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 CLP 996
$1.19 CLP 1,179
-15.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 CLP 886
$1.11 CLP 1,104
-19.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.11 CLP 5,074
$4.17 CLP 4,138
22.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.14 CLP 5,109
$5.10 CLP 5,064
0.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 CLP 968
$1.32 CLP 1,310
-26.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 CLP 2,001
$1.77 CLP 1,762
13.56%
🚌 Getting Around
La Serena
Valparaiso
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 CLP 983
$0.58 CLP 581
70.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.66 CLP 34.4K
$50.1 CLP 49.7K
-30.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.70 CLP 693
$0.42 CLP 417
66.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.00 CLP 1,982
$0.83 CLP 823
140.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.35 CLP 12.3K
$3.44 CLP 3,414
259.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 CLP 1,368
$1.41 CLP 1,404
-2.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.2K CLP 19.1M
$14.3K CLP 14.2M
34.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$12.1K CLP 12.0M
$18.6K CLP 18.5M
-35.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
La Serena
Valparaiso
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.7 CLP 84.2K
$117 CLP 115.8K
-27.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.79 CLP 10.7K
$11.94 CLP 11.9K
-9.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.76 CLP 20.6K
$18.86 CLP 18.7K
10.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
La Serena
Valparaiso
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$88.4 CLP 87.8K
$24.53 CLP 24.4K
260.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.59 CLP 20.4K
$22.75 CLP 22.6K
-9.49%
Cinema Ticket
$7.97 CLP 7,912
$7.24 CLP 7,191
10.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
La Serena
Valparaiso
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$438 CLP 434.7K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$10.8K CLP 10.8M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
La Serena
Valparaiso
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.44 CLP 42.2K
$31.44 CLP 31.2K
34.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.5 CLP 59.1K
$27.41 CLP 27.2K
117.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.1 CLP 89.5K
$54.0 CLP 53.6K
67.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 CLP 100.9K
$48.80 CLP 48.5K
108.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
La Serena
Valparaiso
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$414 CLP 411.6K
$464 CLP 461.1K
-10.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$316 CLP 313.7K
$373 CLP 370.1K
-15.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$877 CLP 871.4K
$676 CLP 671.7K
29.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$696 CLP 690.9K
$532 CLP 528.8K
30.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,009 CLP 2.0M
$1,526 CLP 1.5M
31.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,298 CLP 1.3M
$991 CLP 984.1K
31.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
La Serena
Valparaiso
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$710 CLP 705.2K
$725 CLP 720.2K
-2.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.5
5.39
20.59%

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

Last update for La Serena: October 25, 2026

Last update for Valparaiso: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
La Serena
$316
Valparaiso
$373 18% $57
Groceries & Markets
La Serena
$230
Valparaiso
$220 4.5% $10
Eating Out
La Serena
$145
Valparaiso
$167 14.9% $22
Clothing & Footwear
La Serena
$132
Valparaiso
$73 45% $59
Monthly Utilities & Internet
La Serena
$116
Valparaiso
$147 26.8% $31
Sport & Entertainment
La Serena
$104
Valparaiso
$39 62.6% $65
Getting Around
La Serena
$49
Valparaiso
$57 15.6% $7.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $414 in La Serena versus $464 in Valparaiso. 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 $35 in Valparaiso. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $220 – making Valparaiso the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇱 La Serena
🇨🇱 Valparaiso
🕒 Local time
15:22 3:22 PM
15:22 3:22 PM
Same time as La Serena
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
195,382
251,177
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 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 Valparaiso 350 km
From you
  • La Serena
  • Valparaiso

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 Valparaiso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,640 per month in La Serena and $1,613 in Valparaiso. 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 La Serena, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $414 there versus $464 in Valparaiso.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 31% less in La Serena. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is eating out cheaper in La Serena or in Valparaiso?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in La Serena and $35 in Valparaiso. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $2,000 enough for either La Serena or Valparaiso?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,093 in La Serena and $1,075 in Valparaiso, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

La Serena vs other spots: cost of living compared

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