Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Ángeles and La Serena Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Ángeles and La Serena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,067 per month in Los Ángeles vs $1,048 in La Serena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,641 per month in Los Ángeles vs $1,754 in La Serena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,216 per month in Los Ángeles vs $2,459 in La Serena, rent included.

Los Ángeles costs about 2% more than La Serena, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 CLP 7,950

$7.90 CLP 7,063

12.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.60 CLP 39.9K

$51.5 CLP 46.1K

-13.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 CLP 6,963

$8.94 CLP 7,999

-12.98%

Cappuccino

$2.86 CLP 2,557

$2.96 CLP 2,651

-3.38%

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

$1.35 CLP 1,205

$1.12 CLP 1,000

20.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 CLP 954

$0.67 CLP 601

59.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 CLP 2,914

$2.13 CLP 1,908

53.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 CLP 3,730

$4.10 CLP 3,672

1.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,058

$1.23 CLP 1,103

-4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,367

$2.48 CLP 2,220

-38.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 CLP 1,652

$1.53 CLP 1,369

20.92%

Eggs

$3.49 CLP 3,121

$3.94 CLP 3,523

-11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 CLP 9,402

$13.11 CLP 11.7K

-19.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 CLP 6,143

$5.96 CLP 5,332

15.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.92 CLP 9,770

$13.27 CLP 11.9K

-17.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,678

$1.99 CLP 1,778

-5.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,389

$1.85 CLP 1,655

-16.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,431

$1.33 CLP 1,192

20.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 CLP 1,287

$1.48 CLP 1,328

-2.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 CLP 1,139

$1.20 CLP 1,071

5.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 CLP 1,214

$1.31 CLP 1,169

3.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 CLP 1,097

$1.13 CLP 1,011

8.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,064

$0.91 CLP 813

30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 CLP 4,912

$5.33 CLP 4,770

3.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 CLP 5,368

$5.50 CLP 4,918

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,375

$1.03 CLP 925

49.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 CLP 2,004

$2.25 CLP 2,014

-0.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 CLP 561

$1.10 CLP 988

-42.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.15 CLP 34.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 448

$0.76 CLP 683

-34.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 CLP 1,843

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.76 CLP 11.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,288

$1.50 CLP 1,343

-4.00%

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

$19.6K CLP 17.6M

$21.2K CLP 19.0M

-7.60%

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

$21.2K CLP 18.9M

$13.1K CLP 11.8M

61.04%

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

$133 CLP 119.4K

$92.8 CLP 83.0K

43.82%

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

$13.39 CLP 12.0K

$11.41 CLP 10.2K

17.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.26 CLP 19.9K

$22.64 CLP 20.3K

-1.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.96 CLP 34.9K

$36.44 CLP 32.6K

6.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 CLP 19.2K

$21.62 CLP 19.3K

-0.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 CLP 4,973

$8.85 CLP 7,914

-37.18%

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

$435 CLP 389.4K

$438 CLP 392.0K

-0.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.71 CLP 44.5K

$45.54 CLP 40.7K

9.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.92 CLP 27.7K

$30.87 CLP 27.6K

0.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 CLP 55.5K

$98.8 CLP 88.4K

-37.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 CLP 74.3K

$112 CLP 99.8K

-25.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 CLP 434.8K

$366 CLP 327.8K

32.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 CLP 337.6K

$285 CLP 255.4K

32.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 CLP 782.3K

$1,037 CLP 927.8K

-15.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 CLP 535.8K

$708 CLP 633.2K

-15.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,236 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 CLP 691.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

6.5

-20.31%

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

Last update for Los Ángeles: June 2, 2026

Last update for La Serena: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Los Ángeles 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Los Ángeles versus $51.0 in La Serena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $244 – making Los Ángeles 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

Los Ángeles vs La Serena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Los Ángeles is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,601 per month in Los Ángeles and $1,573 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 $1,067 in Los Ángeles and $1,048 in La Serena. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $435 per month in Los Ángeles and $438 in La Serena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in La Serena, where all-in costs run around $1,048, than in Los Ángeles at $1,067. In La Serena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Los Ángeles 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.

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