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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,076 per month in Linares vs $1,043 in La Serena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,675 per month in Linares vs $1,804 in La Serena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,275 per month in Linares vs $2,565 in La Serena, rent included.

Linares costs about 3% more than La Serena, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Linares and La Serena are more affordable than the global median – Linares 20% lower, La Serena 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 CLP 4,741

$7.87 CLP 7,048

-32.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 CLP 49.0K

$50.8 CLP 45.5K

7.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 CLP 7,424

$8.66 CLP 7,759

-4.27%

Cappuccino

$3.27 CLP 2,927

$3.08 CLP 2,759

6.17%

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

$0.67 CLP 597

$1.16 CLP 1,041

-42.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 945

$0.69 CLP 617

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 CLP 2,843

$2.22 CLP 1,989

42.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 CLP 2,817

$4.15 CLP 3,718

-24.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,103

$1.30 CLP 1,167

-5.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 CLP 1,415

$2.49 CLP 2,235

-36.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 CLP 1,861

$1.60 CLP 1,436

30.00%

Eggs

$2.62 CLP 2,344

$3.88 CLP 3,476

-32.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 CLP 9,351

$13.09 CLP 11.7K

-20.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 CLP 5,829

$6.06 CLP 5,429

7.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 CLP 9,702

$13.32 CLP 11.9K

-18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 CLP 1,806

$1.90 CLP 1,699

6.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,386

$1.87 CLP 1,675

-17.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 CLP 1,843

$1.36 CLP 1,214

51.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 CLP 759

$1.55 CLP 1,386

-45.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 CLP 693

$1.24 CLP 1,108

-37.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,443

$1.26 CLP 1,125

27.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,160

$1.09 CLP 974

19.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,068

$0.89 CLP 799

33.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.63 CLP 5,047

$5.31 CLP 4,754

6.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 CLP 5,919

$5.64 CLP 5,052

17.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,387

$1.04 CLP 928

49.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 CLP 2,252

$2.17 CLP 1,944

15.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 524

$1.10 CLP 983

-47.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.39 CLP 34.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 456

$0.73 CLP 657

-30.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CLP 1,276

$2.07 CLP 1,854

-31.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.41 CLP 10.2K

$12.77 CLP 11.4K

-10.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,271

$1.43 CLP 1,277

-0.70%

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

$19.5K CLP 17.4M

$21.2K CLP 19.0M

-8.04%

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

$22.9K CLP 20.5M

$13.0K CLP 11.7M

76.09%

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

$132 CLP 118.1K

$92.2 CLP 82.6K

43.06%

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

$13.63 CLP 12.2K

$11.70 CLP 10.5K

16.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.17 CLP 19.9K

$22.51 CLP 20.2K

-1.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 CLP 34.8K

$40.00 CLP 35.8K

-3.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.93 CLP 18.7K

$21.36 CLP 19.1K

-2.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 CLP 5,912

$8.49 CLP 7,604

-22.26%

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

$432 CLP 387.2K

$442 CLP 395.7K

-2.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,918 CLP 3.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 CLP 49.0K

$45.07 CLP 40.4K

21.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.20 CLP 29.7K

$65.0 CLP 58.2K

-48.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 CLP 69.9K

$96.0 CLP 86.0K

-18.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 CLP 73.9K

$111 CLP 99.3K

-25.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 CLP 433.8K

$370 CLP 331.1K

31.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 CLP 333.2K

$286 CLP 256.3K

29.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 CLP 778.6K

$1,033 CLP 925.6K

-15.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 CLP 521.5K

$702 CLP 629.0K

-17.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,322 CLP 2.1M

$2,184 CLP 2.0M

6.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,328 CLP 2.1M

$1,443 CLP 1.3M

61.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$884 CLP 792.0K

$780 CLP 698.3K

13.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.94

6.5

-24.00%

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

Last update for Linares: April 25, 2026

Last update for La Serena: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Linares versus $370 in La Serena. 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 13% higher in Linares, 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 $55.0 in Linares versus $51.0 in La Serena. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Linares vs $245 in La Serena – so Linares wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Linares vs La Serena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Linares is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,614 per month in Linares and $1,565 in La Serena. 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 $1,076 in Linares and $1,043 in La Serena. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $432 per month in Linares and $442 in La Serena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,076 in Linares and $1,043 in La Serena, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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, Linares makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.