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 $1,086 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $1,070 in Valdivia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,649 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $1,636 in Valdivia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,212 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $2,201 in Valdivia, rent included.

San Pedro de Atacama costs about 1% more than Valdivia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both San Pedro de Atacama and Valdivia are more affordable than the global median – San Pedro de Atacama 18% lower, Valdivia 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 CLP 6,686

$6.54 CLP 6,084

9.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.66 CLP 41.6K

$43.80 CLP 40.8K

1.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 CLP 7,271

$7.19 CLP 6,690

8.62%

Cappuccino

$2.72 CLP 2,533

$2.53 CLP 2,355

7.51%

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

$1.62 CLP 1,505

$2.40 CLP 2,233

-32.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 CLP 1,118

$1.54 CLP 1,433

-22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 CLP 3,309

$3.82 CLP 3,551

-6.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 CLP 3,787

$4.12 CLP 3,834

-1.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CLP 1,150

$1.23 CLP 1,145

0.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 CLP 1,364

$1.44 CLP 1,339

2.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,514

$1.70 CLP 1,579

-4.12%

Eggs

$3.52 CLP 3,279

$3.10 CLP 2,882

13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 CLP 9,560

$9.40 CLP 8,750

9.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 CLP 6,334

$6.87 CLP 6,397

-0.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.79 CLP 11.0K

$13.27 CLP 12.3K

-11.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 CLP 1,841

$2.23 CLP 2,077

-11.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,490

$2.01 CLP 1,869

-20.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 CLP 1,651

$1.85 CLP 1,720

-4.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 CLP 1,541

$1.88 CLP 1,745

-11.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,535

$2.46 CLP 2,287

-32.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,388

$1.58 CLP 1,472

-5.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,208

$1.51 CLP 1,401

-13.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CLP 1,116

$1.16 CLP 1,079

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 CLP 4,745

$5.36 CLP 4,988

-4.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.05 CLP 4,697

$4.88 CLP 4,545

3.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CLP 1,492

$1.54 CLP 1,437

3.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CLP 2,063

$2.26 CLP 2,098

-1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 572

$0.55 CLP 513

12.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 CLP 604

$1.67 CLP 1,552

-61.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CLP 1,289

$1.38 CLP 1,280

0.72%

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

$17.4K CLP 16.2M

$15.6K CLP 14.5M

11.84%

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

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

$18.0K CLP 16.7M

10.16%

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

$131 CLP 121.6K

$95.3 CLP 88.7K

37.16%

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

$13.57 CLP 12.6K

$18.78 CLP 17.5K

-27.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.21 CLP 20.7K

$29.28 CLP 27.2K

-24.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.51 CLP 35.8K

$43.25 CLP 40.2K

-10.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.35 CLP 21.7K

$24.37 CLP 22.7K

-4.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 CLP 5,081

$4.81 CLP 4,479

13.51%

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

$392 CLP 364.6K

$270 CLP 251.4K

45.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.39 CLP 44.1K

$52.8 CLP 49.2K

-10.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.63 CLP 22.9K

$18.35 CLP 17.1K

34.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 CLP 58.1K

$52.8 CLP 49.1K

18.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.7 CLP 76.0K

$80.2 CLP 74.6K

1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 CLP 449.6K

$610 CLP 567.5K

-20.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 CLP 341.6K

$384 CLP 357.5K

-4.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$897 CLP 834.6K

$1,041 CLP 968.9K

-13.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 CLP 553.4K

$597 CLP 555.8K

-0.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,311 CLP 2.2M

$4,601 CLP 4.3M

-49.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 CLP 610.5K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Valdivia: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $483 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $610 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 $45.00 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $44.00 in Valdivia. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in San Pedro de Atacama vs $241 in Valdivia – so San Pedro de Atacama 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 Pedro de Atacama vs Valdivia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Pedro de Atacama is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,629 per month in San Pedro de Atacama and $1,605 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 $45.00 in San Pedro de Atacama and $44.00 in Valdivia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $1,070, than in San Pedro de Atacama at $1,086. 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.