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 $2,217 per month in Lisbon vs $1,053 in La Serena, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,245 per month in Lisbon vs $1,798 in La Serena, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,272 per month in Lisbon vs $2,543 in La Serena, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 111% more than La Serena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while La Serena is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$7.97 CLP 7,060

97.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$50.6 CLP 44.8K

23.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$8.52 CLP 7,543

23.71%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$2.96 CLP 2,624

-6.42%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$1.10 CLP 977

107.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$0.68 CLP 599

127.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$2.13 CLP 1,889

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$4.02 CLP 3,563

-1.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.29 CLP 1,142

-16.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.54 CLP 2,254

-30.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.60 CLP 1,421

10.62%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$3.98 CLP 3,521

-21.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$13.25 CLP 11.7K

0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$6.09 CLP 5,396

31.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$13.23 CLP 11.7K

20.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$1.89 CLP 1,673

20.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.85 CLP 1,643

-11.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.35 CLP 1,191

46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.53 CLP 1,352

60.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.25 CLP 1,109

41.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.28 CLP 1,132

53.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.12 CLP 996

75.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.97 CLP 856

-17.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$5.38 CLP 4,761

21.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$5.52 CLP 4,886

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$0.99 CLP 880

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$2.17 CLP 1,919

37.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

$1.10 CLP 970

112.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

$37.99 CLP 33.6K

20.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$0.73 CLP 650

483.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.04 CLP 1,809

-58.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$13.10 CLP 11.6K

43.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.43 CLP 1,267

44.76%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$20.7K CLP 18.4M

70.10%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$13.1K CLP 11.6M

195.28%

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

$151 €130

$91.7 CLP 81.3K

64.76%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$11.56 CLP 10.2K

80.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$22.11 CLP 19.6K

78.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

$35.87 CLP 31.8K

34.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

$21.47 CLP 19.0K

-13.32%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$8.53 CLP 7,555

5.98%

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

$610 €525

$441 CLP 390.4K

38.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$46.17 CLP 40.9K

119.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$29.77 CLP 26.4K

36.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$97.6 CLP 86.4K

-4.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$110 CLP 97.1K

8.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

$362 CLP 320.8K

342.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

$291 CLP 258.1K

325.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

$1,069 CLP 946.7K

182.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

$706 CLP 625.0K

192.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

$2,224 CLP 2.0M

258.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

$1,450 CLP 1.3M

212.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

$781 CLP 691.9K

108.42%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for La Serena: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,603 in Lisbon versus $362 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 108% 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 $62.0 in Lisbon versus $51.0 in La Serena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 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 111%, 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 $3,325 per month in Lisbon and $1,579 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 $2,217 in Lisbon and $1,053 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 $1,053, than in Lisbon at $2,217. 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.