Cost of Living Comparison Between San Bernardo and La Serena Cost of Living Comparison Between San Bernardo and La Serena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,133 per month in San Bernardo vs $1,043 in La Serena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,747 per month in San Bernardo vs $1,804 in La Serena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,360 per month in San Bernardo vs $2,565 in La Serena, rent included.

San Bernardo costs about 9% more than La Serena, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both San Bernardo and La Serena are more affordable than the global median – San Bernardo 15% lower, La Serena 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.65 CLP 9,469

$7.87 CLP 6,997

35.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 CLP 47.7K

$50.8 CLP 45.1K

5.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 CLP 7,460

$8.66 CLP 7,703

-3.12%

Cappuccino

$3.29 CLP 2,926

$3.08 CLP 2,739

6.82%

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

$0.87 CLP 778

$1.16 CLP 1,034

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 CLP 1,163

$0.69 CLP 613

89.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 CLP 2,953

$2.22 CLP 1,975

49.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 CLP 3,911

$4.15 CLP 3,691

6.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 CLP 1,030

$1.30 CLP 1,159

-10.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,345

$2.49 CLP 2,219

-39.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 CLP 1,852

$1.60 CLP 1,425

30.00%

Eggs

$4.10 CLP 3,649

$3.88 CLP 3,451

5.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 CLP 9,367

$13.09 CLP 11.6K

-19.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 CLP 6,024

$6.06 CLP 5,390

11.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 CLP 9,801

$13.32 CLP 11.8K

-17.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 CLP 1,779

$1.90 CLP 1,687

5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CLP 1,390

$1.87 CLP 1,663

-16.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,873

$1.36 CLP 1,205

55.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 CLP 1,714

$1.55 CLP 1,376

24.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,657

$1.24 CLP 1,100

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 CLP 1,507

$1.26 CLP 1,117

34.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 CLP 1,199

$1.09 CLP 967

23.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,088

$0.89 CLP 793

37.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 CLP 2,984

$5.31 CLP 4,720

-36.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 CLP 6,048

$5.64 CLP 5,016

20.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,365

$1.04 CLP 921

48.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CLP 2,309

$2.17 CLP 1,930

19.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 CLP 560

$1.10 CLP 976

-42.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.39 CLP 34.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 451

$0.73 CLP 652

-30.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CLP 1,245

$2.07 CLP 1,841

-32.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.40 CLP 10.1K

$12.77 CLP 11.4K

-10.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,267

$1.43 CLP 1,267

-0.70%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

$21.2K CLP 18.8M

-8.80%

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

$22.3K CLP 19.8M

$13.0K CLP 11.6M

71.13%

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

$130 CLP 115.4K

$92.2 CLP 82.0K

40.79%

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

$13.51 CLP 12.0K

$11.70 CLP 10.4K

15.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.15 CLP 19.7K

$22.51 CLP 20.0K

-1.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.06 CLP 33.8K

$40.00 CLP 35.6K

-4.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.01 CLP 18.7K

$21.36 CLP 19.0K

-1.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 CLP 5,593

$8.49 CLP 7,549

-25.91%

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

$440 CLP 390.8K

$442 CLP 392.8K

-0.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,722 CLP 7.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CLP 48.8K

$45.07 CLP 40.1K

21.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.33 CLP 28.8K

$65.0 CLP 57.8K

-50.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 CLP 68.6K

$96.0 CLP 85.4K

-19.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.2 CLP 74.0K

$111 CLP 98.6K

-24.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$472 CLP 419.9K

$370 CLP 328.7K

27.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 331.8K

$286 CLP 254.5K

30.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 CLP 789.3K

$1,033 CLP 918.9K

-14.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 CLP 528.5K

$702 CLP 624.4K

-15.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,050 CLP 1.8M

$2,184 CLP 1.9M

-6.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,513 CLP 1.3M

$1,443 CLP 1.3M

4.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,382 CLP 1.2M

$780 CLP 693.2K

77.27%

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 San Bernardo: April 26, 2026

Last update for La Serena: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $472 in San Bernardo versus $370 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 77% higher in San Bernardo, 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 $54.0 in San Bernardo versus $51.0 in La Serena. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in San Bernardo vs $245 in La Serena – so San Bernardo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

San Bernardo vs La Serena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Bernardo is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,700 per month in San Bernardo and $1,565 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 $1,133 in San Bernardo and $1,043 in La Serena. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $440 per month in San Bernardo and $442 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 $1,043, than in San Bernardo at $1,133. In La Serena it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Bernardo 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, San Bernardo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.