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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,113 per month in Temuco vs $1,112 in La Serena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,656 per month in Temuco vs $1,845 in La Serena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,199 per month in Temuco vs $2,578 in La Serena, rent included.

Temuco and La Serena have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Temuco and La Serena are more affordable than the global median – Temuco 19% lower, La Serena 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 CLP 7,309

$7.83 CLP 7,468

-2.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.48 CLP 30.0K

$48.70 CLP 46.5K

-35.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 CLP 6,817

$8.61 CLP 8,212

-17.07%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CLP 3,693

$3.00 CLP 2,866

29.00%

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

$2.25 CLP 2,143

$1.13 CLP 1,074

99.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 CLP 1,093

$0.70 CLP 668

64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 CLP 3,553

$2.15 CLP 2,050

73.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 CLP 3,199

$3.89 CLP 3,711

-13.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,121

$1.21 CLP 1,159

-2.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 CLP 1,366

$2.48 CLP 2,367

-42.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 CLP 1,265

$1.54 CLP 1,470

-13.64%

Eggs

$3.48 CLP 3,317

$3.80 CLP 3,626

-8.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 CLP 8,828

$12.38 CLP 11.8K

-25.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 CLP 5,774

$5.84 CLP 5,572

3.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.72 CLP 11.2K

$12.96 CLP 12.4K

-9.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 CLP 1,781

$1.84 CLP 1,752

1.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 CLP 1,965

$1.80 CLP 1,715

14.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 CLP 1,939

$1.30 CLP 1,241

56.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 CLP 2,141

$1.45 CLP 1,379

54.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 CLP 2,291

$1.22 CLP 1,160

96.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CLP 2,519

$1.27 CLP 1,208

107.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 CLP 1,792

$1.03 CLP 987

82.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CLP 1,154

$0.89 CLP 850

35.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.76 CLP 4,545

$5.33 CLP 5,088

-10.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 CLP 4,665

$5.37 CLP 5,128

-8.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,493

$0.96 CLP 919

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 CLP 2,072

$2.08 CLP 1,989

4.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 CLP 861

$1.06 CLP 1,007

-15.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.55 CLP 33.0K

$36.20 CLP 34.5K

-4.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 CLP 828

$0.72 CLP 685

20.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 CLP 1,463

$2.14 CLP 2,044

-28.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.48 CLP 9,047

$12.58 CLP 12.0K

-24.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CLP 1,296

$1.42 CLP 1,359

-4.23%

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

$12.5K CLP 12.0M

$19.9K CLP 19.0M

-37.14%

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

$17.7K CLP 16.9M

$12.6K CLP 12.0M

41.25%

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

$140 CLP 133.2K

$88.2 CLP 84.1K

58.35%

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

$11.45 CLP 10.9K

$11.04 CLP 10.5K

3.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.22 CLP 22.2K

$21.16 CLP 20.2K

9.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.19 CLP 46.0K

$87.3 CLP 83.3K

-44.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.11 CLP 44.0K

$21.04 CLP 20.1K

119.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 CLP 4,568

$8.56 CLP 8,173

-44.04%

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

$218 CLP 207.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,845 CLP 2.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.53 CLP 42.5K

$43.70 CLP 41.7K

1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.01 CLP 17.2K

$61.5 CLP 58.7K

-70.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 CLP 62.5K

$94.8 CLP 90.4K

-30.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 CLP 80.4K

$106 CLP 101.5K

-20.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 CLP 382.0K

$439 CLP 419.4K

-8.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 CLP 316.7K

$327 CLP 312.0K

1.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 CLP 699.7K

$906 CLP 864.6K

-19.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 CLP 498.2K

$724 CLP 690.6K

-27.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,064 CLP 2.0M

$2,089 CLP 2.0M

-1.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,696 CLP 1.6M

$1,374 CLP 1.3M

23.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 CLP 516.8K

$733 CLP 699.0K

-26.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

6.5

-26.15%

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

Last update for Temuco: September 12, 2026

Last update for La Serena: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $400 in Temuco 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.

Salaries run about 35% higher in La Serena. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Temuco versus $49.00 in La Serena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $237 – making Temuco 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,670 per month in Temuco 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 La Serena, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 5% less in La Serena. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Temuco 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 La Serena, where all-in costs run around $1,112, than in Temuco at $1,113. In La Serena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Temuco 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, Temuco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.