Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and La Serena Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and La Serena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,288 per month in Santiago vs $1,044 in La Serena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,020 per month in Santiago vs $1,757 in La Serena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,752 per month in Santiago vs $2,469 in La Serena, rent included.

Santiago costs about 23% more than La Serena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Santiago and La Serena are more affordable than the global median – Santiago 4% lower, La Serena 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.72 CLP 9,983

$8.00 CLP 7,448

34.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 CLP 51.0K

$50.7 CLP 47.2K

7.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 CLP 7,601

$8.87 CLP 8,256

-8.00%

Cappuccino

$3.16 CLP 2,941

$3.09 CLP 2,879

2.27%

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

$1.78 CLP 1,660

$1.10 CLP 1,027

61.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,162

$0.72 CLP 670

73.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 CLP 3,086

$2.14 CLP 1,990

54.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 CLP 3,946

$3.95 CLP 3,680

7.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,101

$1.30 CLP 1,214

-9.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,429

$2.57 CLP 2,396

-40.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CLP 2,031

$1.54 CLP 1,437

41.56%

Eggs

$4.19 CLP 3,898

$3.95 CLP 3,678

6.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 CLP 9,913

$12.84 CLP 12.0K

-17.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 CLP 6,135

$6.05 CLP 5,638

8.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 CLP 10.4K

$13.54 CLP 12.6K

-17.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,947

$1.98 CLP 1,839

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,440

$1.78 CLP 1,661

-12.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 CLP 1,923

$1.39 CLP 1,296

48.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,730

$1.55 CLP 1,441

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,820

$1.18 CLP 1,103

65.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,514

$1.31 CLP 1,216

24.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 CLP 1,194

$1.07 CLP 999

19.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,160

$0.96 CLP 891

30.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 CLP 5,359

$5.46 CLP 5,085

5.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 CLP 6,051

$5.46 CLP 5,082

19.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,452

$1.04 CLP 968

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CLP 2,308

$2.23 CLP 2,072

11.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 CLP 788

$1.05 CLP 981

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.60 CLP 39.7K

$37.37 CLP 34.8K

14.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 477

$0.72 CLP 670

-29.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CLP 1,351

$2.12 CLP 1,978

-31.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.30 CLP 10.5K

$12.70 CLP 11.8K

-11.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CLP 1,290

$1.44 CLP 1,344

-3.47%

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

$19.5K CLP 18.2M

$20.9K CLP 19.5M

-6.67%

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

$22.6K CLP 21.0M

$12.8K CLP 11.9M

76.53%

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

$134 CLP 124.6K

$91.6 CLP 85.3K

46.05%

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

$13.59 CLP 12.7K

$11.51 CLP 10.7K

18.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.02 CLP 20.5K

$22.61 CLP 21.1K

-2.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.67 CLP 32.3K

$35.97 CLP 33.5K

-3.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.24 CLP 19.8K

$21.67 CLP 20.2K

-1.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 CLP 5,857

$8.74 CLP 8,137

-28.03%

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

$436 CLP 406.4K

$428 CLP 398.9K

1.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,744 CLP 8.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CLP 51.5K

$45.25 CLP 42.1K

22.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.30 CLP 30.1K

$30.18 CLP 28.1K

7.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 CLP 71.9K

$97.0 CLP 90.3K

-20.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 CLP 79.6K

$110 CLP 102.4K

-22.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 CLP 479.3K

$363 CLP 338.1K

41.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 CLP 430.1K

$285 CLP 265.0K

62.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$989 CLP 920.7K

$1,067 CLP 993.7K

-7.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 CLP 856.6K

$709 CLP 660.0K

29.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 CLP 2.7M

$2,151 CLP 2.0M

33.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,757 CLP 2.6M

$1,373 CLP 1.3M

100.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$803 CLP 747.6K

$736 CLP 685.1K

9.13%

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 Santiago: July 11, 2026

Last update for La Serena: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Santiago versus $363 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 9% higher in Santiago, 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 $55.0 in Santiago versus $51.0 in La Serena. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Santiago vs $247 in La Serena – so Santiago 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

Santiago vs La Serena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santiago is pricier by about 23%, 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 $1,932 per month in Santiago and $1,567 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 $1,288 in Santiago and $1,044 in La Serena. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 14% less in La Serena. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in La Serena, where all-in costs run around $1,044, than in Santiago at $1,288. In La Serena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santiago 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, Santiago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.