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 $2,243 per month in Lisbon vs $1,062 in La Serena, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $1,796 in La Serena, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,387 per month in Lisbon vs $2,530 in La Serena, rent included.

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

Lisbon sits 67% above the global median, while La Serena is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$8.21 CLP 7,336

91.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$50.7 CLP 45.3K

24.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$8.62 CLP 7,699

19.72%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$2.99 CLP 2,674

-6.02%

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

$2.33 €1.99

$1.15 CLP 1,026

102.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.68 CLP 611

122.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$2.13 CLP 1,902

58.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$4.09 CLP 3,652

-4.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$1.26 CLP 1,125

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$2.54 CLP 2,269

-31.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$1.59 CLP 1,416

10.06%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

$4.10 CLP 3,659

-24.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

$12.76 CLP 11.4K

4.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

$6.12 CLP 5,462

28.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

$13.12 CLP 11.7K

22.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$1.92 CLP 1,711

24.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.88 CLP 1,678

-8.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.40 CLP 1,248

40.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$1.49 CLP 1,329

71.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.19 CLP 1,063

50.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.25 CLP 1,120

57.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$1.12 CLP 997

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$0.89 CLP 794

-5.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$5.48 CLP 4,891

24.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$5.49 CLP 4,905

6.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.03 CLP 923

33.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

$2.13 CLP 1,901

37.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

$1.10 CLP 985

108.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

$38.47 CLP 34.4K

21.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$0.71 CLP 638

480.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$2.13 CLP 1,899

-61.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$12.72 CLP 11.4K

48.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.43 CLP 1,278

46.15%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$21.2K CLP 18.9M

65.65%

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

$39.7K €33.9K

$12.8K CLP 11.4M

210.39%

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

$150 €128

$93.5 CLP 83.5K

59.97%

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

$20.49 €17.48

$11.68 CLP 10.4K

75.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$22.57 CLP 20.2K

73.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

$39.59 CLP 35.4K

25.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

$21.73 CLP 19.4K

-15.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$8.41 CLP 7,515

9.39%

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

$624 €533

$433 CLP 386.4K

44.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

$45.67 CLP 40.8K

123.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

$64.8 CLP 57.9K

-36.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

$98.8 CLP 88.2K

-3.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$109 CLP 97.8K

10.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

$366 CLP 327.0K

351.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

$286 CLP 255.2K

331.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

$1,051 CLP 938.6K

189.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

$706 CLP 630.7K

191.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

$2,262 CLP 2.0M

248.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

$1,468 CLP 1.3M

193.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

$788 CLP 703.4K

98.88%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for La Serena: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,653 in Lisbon versus $366 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 99% 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 in Lisbon versus $51 in La Serena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $270 vs $244 – 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 $3,365 per month in Lisbon and $1,592 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 $2,243 in Lisbon and $1,062 in La Serena. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 22% 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 $1,062, than in Lisbon at $2,243. 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.