Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro de Atacama and Valdivia Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro de Atacama and Valdivia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,068 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $1,021 in Valdivia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,615 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $1,583 in Valdivia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,161 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $2,145 in Valdivia, rent included.

San Pedro de Atacama costs about 5% more than Valdivia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Pedro de Atacama and Valdivia are more affordable than the global median – San Pedro de Atacama 22% lower, Valdivia 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 CLP 6,965

$6.59 CLP 6,323

10.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.43 CLP 42.6K

$47.56 CLP 45.6K

-6.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 CLP 7,468

$6.97 CLP 6,680

11.76%

Cappuccino

$2.80 CLP 2,685

$2.11 CLP 2,020

32.70%

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

$1.57 CLP 1,508

$2.06 CLP 1,972

-23.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,122

$1.27 CLP 1,220

-7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 CLP 3,332

$3.62 CLP 3,468

-4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 CLP 3,684

$3.61 CLP 3,459

6.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,133

$1.16 CLP 1,116

1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,448

$1.32 CLP 1,265

14.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,549

$1.58 CLP 1,519

1.90%

Eggs

$3.58 CLP 3,432

$3.14 CLP 3,007

14.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CLP 9,755

$9.26 CLP 8,879

9.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 CLP 6,215

$6.50 CLP 6,232

-0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.43 CLP 11.0K

$13.07 CLP 12.5K

-12.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,804

$2.16 CLP 2,069

-12.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,547

$1.97 CLP 1,886

-18.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 CLP 1,628

$1.79 CLP 1,713

-5.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,584

$1.84 CLP 1,763

-10.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,534

$2.37 CLP 2,272

-32.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,433

$1.54 CLP 1,473

-3.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,248

$1.52 CLP 1,459

-14.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,134

$1.17 CLP 1,126

0.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 CLP 4,905

$5.24 CLP 5,030

-2.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.95 CLP 4,747

$4.62 CLP 4,427

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,474

$1.57 CLP 1,506

-1.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 2,140

$2.16 CLP 2,074

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 CLP 587

$0.59 CLP 562

3.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 CLP 667

$1.02 CLP 976

-31.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,378

$1.44 CLP 1,379

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

$17.9K CLP 17.2M

$15.3K CLP 14.7M

16.85%

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

$19.5K CLP 18.7M

$18.1K CLP 17.3M

7.61%

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

$130 CLP 124.5K

$93.0 CLP 89.2K

39.59%

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

$13.47 CLP 12.9K

$13.69 CLP 13.1K

-1.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.21 CLP 21.3K

$31.64 CLP 30.3K

-29.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.39 CLP 36.8K

$41.56 CLP 39.9K

-7.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.60 CLP 21.7K

$24.21 CLP 23.2K

-6.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.53 CLP 5,306

$4.73 CLP 4,537

16.91%

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

$383 CLP 367.2K

$249 CLP 238.4K

54.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,372 CLP 8.0M

$3,114 CLP 3.0M

168.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.05 CLP 45.1K

$53.0 CLP 50.8K

-11.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 CLP 23.6K

$17.82 CLP 17.1K

38.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 CLP 59.7K

$50.3 CLP 48.2K

23.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 CLP 80.4K

$77.4 CLP 74.2K

8.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 CLP 453.9K

$592 CLP 568.1K

-20.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 357.8K

$384 CLP 368.2K

-2.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 CLP 840.9K

$994 CLP 953.3K

-11.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 CLP 558.3K

$564 CLP 540.5K

3.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,309 CLP 2.2M

$4,518 CLP 4.3M

-48.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$632 CLP 606.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

4.5

11.33%

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 Valdivia: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $592 in Valdivia. 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 $48.00 in Valdivia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $234 – 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 Valdivia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Pedro de Atacama is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,602 per month in San Pedro de Atacama and $1,531 in Valdivia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Valdivia, 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 San Pedro de Atacama and $48.00 in Valdivia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in San Pedro de Atacama – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Valdivia, where all-in costs run around $1,021, than in San Pedro de Atacama at $1,068. In Valdivia it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Pedro de Atacama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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