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 $1,080 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $1,066 in Valdivia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,613 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $1,624 in Valdivia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,145 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $2,182 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 19% lower, Valdivia 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.15 CLP 6,401

$6.34 CLP 5,682

12.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.58 CLP 39.0K

$42.66 CLP 38.2K

2.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 CLP 7,098

$7.31 CLP 6,551

8.34%

Cappuccino

$2.86 CLP 2,562

$2.52 CLP 2,258

13.49%

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

$1.60 CLP 1,433

$2.44 CLP 2,183

-34.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 CLP 1,078

$1.52 CLP 1,363

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 CLP 3,227

$3.68 CLP 3,293

-2.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 CLP 3,590

$3.95 CLP 3,536

1.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 CLP 1,065

$1.23 CLP 1,103

-3.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,373

$1.36 CLP 1,218

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 CLP 1,506

$1.62 CLP 1,455

3.70%

Eggs

$3.63 CLP 3,248

$3.13 CLP 2,800

15.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 CLP 9,003

$9.18 CLP 8,225

9.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 CLP 6,151

$6.89 CLP 6,167

-0.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.69 CLP 10.5K

$13.28 CLP 11.9K

-11.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 CLP 1,770

$2.23 CLP 1,994

-11.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,439

$1.95 CLP 1,744

-17.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 CLP 1,514

$1.89 CLP 1,691

-10.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 CLP 1,554

$1.88 CLP 1,685

-7.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,411

$2.45 CLP 2,196

-35.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,388

$1.63 CLP 1,458

-4.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 CLP 1,212

$1.56 CLP 1,398

-13.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CLP 1,112

$1.20 CLP 1,077

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 CLP 4,794

$5.36 CLP 4,800

-0.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.15 CLP 4,616

$5.00 CLP 4,475

3.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,399

$1.61 CLP 1,441

-3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 CLP 2,020

$2.24 CLP 2,002

0.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 CLP 547

$0.59 CLP 531

3.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 CLP 622

$1.60 CLP 1,430

-56.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,272

$1.42 CLP 1,271

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

$17.7K CLP 15.9M

$15.9K CLP 14.3M

11.43%

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

$19.8K CLP 17.7M

$18.1K CLP 16.3M

9.16%

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

$134 CLP 120.2K

$95.8 CLP 85.8K

40.06%

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

$13.62 CLP 12.2K

$18.76 CLP 16.8K

-27.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.10 CLP 19.8K

$28.57 CLP 25.6K

-22.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.14 CLP 35.1K

$43.78 CLP 39.2K

-10.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.22 CLP 20.8K

$25.23 CLP 22.6K

-7.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.38 CLP 4,814

$4.99 CLP 4,473

7.82%

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

$383 CLP 342.8K

$275 CLP 246.1K

39.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.88 CLP 42.9K

$54.8 CLP 49.1K

-12.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.60 CLP 22.0K

$19.05 CLP 17.1K

29.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.4 CLP 55.0K

$53.1 CLP 47.6K

15.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 CLP 73.4K

$82.0 CLP 73.5K

-0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 CLP 436.9K

$608 CLP 545.0K

-19.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 CLP 333.2K

$393 CLP 351.8K

-5.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 CLP 804.0K

$1,062 CLP 951.4K

-15.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 CLP 522.3K

$604 CLP 540.7K

-3.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,328 CLP 2.1M

$4,893 CLP 4.4M

-52.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$687 CLP 615.6K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Valdivia: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $488 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $608 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 $43.00 in Valdivia. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in San Pedro de Atacama vs $240 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 $1,620 per month in San Pedro de Atacama and $1,600 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 $43.00 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 $1,066, than in San Pedro de Atacama at $1,080. 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.