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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,069 per month in Quellón vs $1,064 in La Serena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,633 per month in Quellón vs $1,803 in La Serena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,197 per month in Quellón vs $2,541 in La Serena, rent included.

Quellón and La Serena have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 CLP 8,013

$8.16 CLP 7,597

5.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.10 CLP 41.0K

$51.8 CLP 48.2K

-14.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 CLP 7,619

$8.67 CLP 8,063

-5.54%

Cappuccino

$2.84 CLP 2,643

$3.03 CLP 2,819

-6.27%

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

$1.29 CLP 1,204

$1.16 CLP 1,080

11.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 CLP 957

$0.67 CLP 620

53.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 CLP 3,082

$2.14 CLP 1,991

54.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 CLP 3,935

$4.09 CLP 3,810

3.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,116

$1.30 CLP 1,211

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 CLP 1,444

$2.53 CLP 2,358

-38.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,757

$1.54 CLP 1,429

22.73%

Eggs

$3.51 CLP 3,266

$3.90 CLP 3,630

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 CLP 9,818

$13.25 CLP 12.3K

-20.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 CLP 6,333

$6.24 CLP 5,809

9.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 CLP 10.1K

$13.35 CLP 12.4K

-19.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,764

$2.00 CLP 1,857

-5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CLP 1,448

$1.82 CLP 1,690

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,473

$1.34 CLP 1,249

17.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,417

$1.48 CLP 1,380

2.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 CLP 1,145

$1.25 CLP 1,161

-1.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 CLP 1,264

$1.26 CLP 1,173

7.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,181

$1.08 CLP 1,000

17.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CLP 1,145

$0.95 CLP 887

29.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 CLP 5,081

$5.37 CLP 4,997

1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.90 CLP 5,486

$5.23 CLP 4,867

12.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CLP 1,513

$1.01 CLP 939

61.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,138

$2.23 CLP 2,071

3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 CLP 532

$1.09 CLP 1,017

-47.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.45 CLP 35.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 439

$0.74 CLP 687

-36.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 CLP 1,915

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 CLP 12.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,285

$1.43 CLP 1,328

-3.50%

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

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

$20.6K CLP 19.1M

-4.52%

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

$21.8K CLP 20.2M

$13.1K CLP 12.2M

65.89%

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

$130 CLP 120.9K

$93.3 CLP 86.8K

39.25%

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

$13.48 CLP 12.5K

$11.35 CLP 10.6K

18.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.70 CLP 20.2K

$22.00 CLP 20.5K

-1.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.07 CLP 36.4K

$35.74 CLP 33.3K

9.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.39 CLP 19.9K

$21.13 CLP 19.7K

1.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.75 CLP 5,349

$8.84 CLP 8,228

-34.95%

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

$438 CLP 407.7K

$439 CLP 408.9K

-0.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 CLP 46.6K

$46.67 CLP 43.4K

7.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.03 CLP 27.9K

$30.63 CLP 28.5K

-1.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 CLP 56.3K

$95.6 CLP 89.0K

-36.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.0 CLP 78.1K

$109 CLP 101.4K

-22.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 CLP 449.8K

$369 CLP 343.6K

30.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 CLP 350.3K

$285 CLP 265.4K

32.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 CLP 820.4K

$1,035 CLP 962.7K

-14.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 CLP 545.3K

$707 CLP 657.5K

-17.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,158 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,354 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$739 CLP 687.6K

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 Quellón: July 26, 2026

Last update for La Serena: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $483 in Quellón 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Quellón versus $52.0 in La Serena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $247 – making Quellón 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,603 per month in Quellón 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Quellón and $52.0 in La Serena. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $438 per month in Quellón and $439 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 $1,064, than in Quellón at $1,069. In La Serena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quellón 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, Quellón makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.