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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $1,064 in La Serena, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $1,803 in La Serena, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $2,541 in La Serena, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 114% more than La Serena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while La Serena is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$8.16 CLP 7,597

93.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$51.8 CLP 48.2K

22.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$8.67 CLP 8,063

20.53%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$3.03 CLP 2,819

-3.96%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$1.16 CLP 1,080

97.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.67 CLP 620

123.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$2.14 CLP 1,991

66.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$4.09 CLP 3,810

-3.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.30 CLP 1,211

-16.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.53 CLP 2,358

-30.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.54 CLP 1,429

10.39%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$3.90 CLP 3,630

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$13.25 CLP 12.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$6.24 CLP 5,809

23.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$13.35 CLP 12.4K

18.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.00 CLP 1,857

14.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.82 CLP 1,690

-8.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.34 CLP 1,249

50.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$1.48 CLP 1,380

66.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.25 CLP 1,161

43.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.26 CLP 1,173

64.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.08 CLP 1,000

82.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.95 CLP 887

-12.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$5.37 CLP 4,997

21.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$5.23 CLP 4,867

6.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.01 CLP 939

31.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$2.23 CLP 2,071

34.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$1.09 CLP 1,017

108.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

$38.45 CLP 35.8K

20.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$0.74 CLP 687

471.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$2.06 CLP 1,915

-58.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$13.03 CLP 12.1K

44.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.43 CLP 1,328

41.26%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$20.6K CLP 19.1M

69.96%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$13.1K CLP 12.2M

202.33%

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

$148 €128

$93.3 CLP 86.8K

58.59%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$11.35 CLP 10.6K

80.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$22.00 CLP 20.5K

79.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

$35.74 CLP 33.3K

34.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

$21.13 CLP 19.7K

-12.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$8.84 CLP 8,228

2.94%

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

$615 €532

$439 CLP 408.9K

39.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$46.67 CLP 43.4K

117.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$30.63 CLP 28.5K

37.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$95.6 CLP 89.0K

-3.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$109 CLP 101.4K

12.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$369 CLP 343.6K

336.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$285 CLP 265.4K

339.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$1,035 CLP 962.7K

196.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$707 CLP 657.5K

188.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

$2,158 CLP 2.0M

259.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

$1,354 CLP 1.3M

216.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

$739 CLP 687.6K

116.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.5

-41.38%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for La Serena: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $369 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 117% higher in Lisbon, 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $52.0 in La Serena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $247 – making La Serena 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

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

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 114%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $1,597 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 $2,280 in Lisbon and $1,064 in La Serena. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% less in La Serena. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in La Serena, where all-in costs run around $1,064, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In La Serena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon 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.

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 La Serena. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.