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 $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $1,112 in La Serena, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $1,845 in La Serena, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $2,578 in La Serena, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 106% more than La Serena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while La Serena is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$7.83 CLP 7,468

124.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$48.70 CLP 46.5K

29.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$8.61 CLP 8,212

34.49%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$3.00 CLP 2,866

3.33%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.13 CLP 1,074

120.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.70 CLP 668

148.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.15 CLP 2,050

61.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$3.89 CLP 3,711

-11.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.21 CLP 1,159

-4.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.48 CLP 2,367

-22.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.54 CLP 1,470

-2.60%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$3.80 CLP 3,626

4.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$12.38 CLP 11.8K

7.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$5.84 CLP 5,572

37.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$12.96 CLP 12.4K

39.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.84 CLP 1,752

27.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.80 CLP 1,715

-2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.30 CLP 1,241

42.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.45 CLP 1,379

75.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.22 CLP 1,160

50.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.27 CLP 1,208

65.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.03 CLP 987

44.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.89 CLP 850

-7.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$5.33 CLP 5,088

33.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$5.37 CLP 5,128

10.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$0.96 CLP 919

36.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.08 CLP 1,989

2.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.06 CLP 1,007

122.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$36.20 CLP 34.5K

28.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.72 CLP 685

466.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$2.14 CLP 2,044

-46.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$12.58 CLP 12.0K

35.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.42 CLP 1,359

62.68%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$19.9K CLP 19.0M

71.08%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$12.6K CLP 12.0M

229.62%

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

$169 €147

$88.2 CLP 84.1K

91.19%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$11.04 CLP 10.5K

75.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$21.16 CLP 20.2K

58.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$87.3 CLP 83.3K

-44.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$21.04 CLP 20.1K

-7.65%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$8.56 CLP 8,173

11.80%

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

$696 €607

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$43.70 CLP 41.7K

140.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$61.5 CLP 58.7K

-22.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$94.8 CLP 90.4K

6.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$106 CLP 101.5K

17.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$439 CLP 419.4K

278.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$327 CLP 312.0K

281.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$906 CLP 864.6K

227.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$724 CLP 690.6K

183.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$2,089 CLP 2.0M

274.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$1,374 CLP 1.3M

224.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$733 CLP 699.0K

122.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.5

-41.85%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for La Serena: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,662 in Lisbon versus $439 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 123% 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 $49.00 in La Serena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $237 – 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 106%, 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 $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $1,668 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 $2,296 in Lisbon and $1,112 in La Serena. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $49.00 in La Serena. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in La Serena, where all-in costs run around $1,112, than in Lisbon at $2,296. 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.