Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro de Atacama and La Serena Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro de Atacama and La Serena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,068 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $1,112 in La Serena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,615 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $1,845 in La Serena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,161 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $2,578 in La Serena, rent included.

San Pedro de Atacama is about 4% cheaper than La Serena, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both San Pedro de Atacama and La Serena are more affordable than the global median – San Pedro de Atacama 22% lower, La Serena 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 CLP 6,965

$7.83 CLP 7,506

-7.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.43 CLP 42.6K

$48.70 CLP 46.7K

-8.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 CLP 7,468

$8.61 CLP 8,253

-9.52%

Cappuccino

$2.80 CLP 2,685

$3.00 CLP 2,881

-6.67%

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

$1.57 CLP 1,508

$1.13 CLP 1,079

38.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,122

$0.70 CLP 671

67.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 CLP 3,332

$2.15 CLP 2,060

61.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 CLP 3,684

$3.89 CLP 3,730

-1.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,133

$1.21 CLP 1,164

-2.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,448

$2.48 CLP 2,379

-39.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,549

$1.54 CLP 1,477

4.55%

Eggs

$3.58 CLP 3,432

$3.80 CLP 3,644

-5.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CLP 9,755

$12.38 CLP 11.9K

-17.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 CLP 6,215

$5.84 CLP 5,600

10.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.43 CLP 11.0K

$12.96 CLP 12.4K

-11.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,804

$1.84 CLP 1,760

2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,547

$1.80 CLP 1,724

-10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 CLP 1,628

$1.30 CLP 1,247

30.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,584

$1.45 CLP 1,386

13.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,534

$1.22 CLP 1,166

31.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,433

$1.27 CLP 1,214

17.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,248

$1.03 CLP 992

26.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,134

$0.89 CLP 854

32.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 CLP 4,905

$5.33 CLP 5,113

-3.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.95 CLP 4,747

$5.37 CLP 5,154

-7.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,474

$0.96 CLP 924

60.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 2,140

$2.08 CLP 1,999

7.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 CLP 587

$1.06 CLP 1,012

-42.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.20 CLP 34.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 CLP 667

$0.72 CLP 689

-2.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 CLP 2,054

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 CLP 12.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,378

$1.42 CLP 1,366

1.41%

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

$17.9K CLP 17.2M

$19.9K CLP 19.1M

-10.22%

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

$19.5K CLP 18.7M

$12.6K CLP 12.0M

55.01%

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

$130 CLP 124.5K

$88.2 CLP 84.5K

47.22%

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

$13.47 CLP 12.9K

$11.04 CLP 10.6K

22.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.21 CLP 21.3K

$21.16 CLP 20.3K

4.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.39 CLP 36.8K

$87.3 CLP 83.7K

-56.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.60 CLP 21.7K

$21.04 CLP 20.2K

7.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.53 CLP 5,306

$8.56 CLP 8,214

-35.40%

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

$383 CLP 367.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,372 CLP 8.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.05 CLP 45.1K

$43.70 CLP 41.9K

7.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 CLP 23.6K

$61.5 CLP 59.0K

-59.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 CLP 59.7K

$94.8 CLP 90.9K

-34.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 CLP 80.4K

$106 CLP 102.0K

-21.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 CLP 453.9K

$439 CLP 421.5K

7.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 357.8K

$327 CLP 313.6K

14.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 CLP 840.9K

$906 CLP 869.0K

-3.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 CLP 558.3K

$724 CLP 694.1K

-19.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,309 CLP 2.2M

$2,089 CLP 2.0M

10.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,374 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 CLP 702.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.5

-22.92%

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

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: September 12, 2026

Last update for La Serena: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in San Pedro de Atacama 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $49.00 in La Serena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $237 – making San Pedro de Atacama 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

San Pedro de Atacama vs La Serena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – La Serena is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,602 per month in San Pedro de Atacama 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 San Pedro de Atacama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in La Serena, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama 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 San Pedro de Atacama, where all-in costs run around $1,068, than in La Serena at $1,112. In San Pedro de Atacama it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Serena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Pedro de Atacama – 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 San Pedro de Atacama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, La Serena makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.