Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Valdivia and Arica

For one person, living is cheaper in Arica: $110 a month against $998 in Valdivia, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Valdivia
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Valdivia Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Arica
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Arica Living Index

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Valdivia

🇨🇱 Chile

$998

/mo nomad

Arica

🇨🇱 Chile

$110

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Valdivia and in Arica

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Valdivia and in Arica actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $998 per month in Valdivia vs $110 in Arica, rent included.

Valdivia $998
Arica $110

A couple spends around $1,526 per month in Valdivia vs $177 in Arica, rent included.

Valdivia $1,526
Arica $177

A family of three spends $2,054 per month in Valdivia vs $245 in Arica, rent included.

Valdivia $2,054
Arica $245

Valdivia costs about 807% more than Arica, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Valdivia and Arica are more affordable than the global median – Valdivia 26% lower, Arica 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 CLP 6,046

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.96 CLP 45.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 CLP 6,443

Cappuccino

$2.12 CLP 2,089

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

$1.96 CLP 1,933

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,235

$1.22 CLP 1,197

2.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 CLP 3,421

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 CLP 3,428

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,157

$0.99 CLP 977

19.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 CLP 1,278

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,504

Eggs

$3.07 CLP 3,027

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.12 CLP 8,975

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 CLP 6,247

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.47 CLP 12.3K

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 2,054

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,874

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 CLP 1,756

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 CLP 1,742

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 CLP 2,235

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 CLP 1,542

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 CLP 1,457

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CLP 1,117

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 CLP 5,038

Wine (Bottle)

$4.48 CLP 4,413

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CLP 1,435

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CLP 2,076

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 CLP 597

$0.75 CLP 739

-18.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 CLP 968

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,413

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

$15.0K CLP 14.7M

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

$17.6K CLP 17.3M

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

$91.9 CLP 90.4K

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

$13.35 CLP 13.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 CLP 30.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.35 CLP 39.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.71 CLP 23.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 CLP 4,572

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

$247 CLP 243.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,067 CLP 3.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 CLP 50.4K

$40.50 CLP 39.9K

26.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.74 CLP 17.5K

$20.06 CLP 19.7K

-11.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.59 CLP 48.8K

$52.7 CLP 51.8K

-5.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 CLP 74.7K

$91.8 CLP 90.3K

-17.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 CLP 562.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 CLP 357.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 CLP 966.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 CLP 550.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,469 CLP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 CLP 615.2K

$501 CLP 493.0K

24.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Valdivia: October 19, 2026

Last update for Arica: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Valdivia

$363 36.3%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Valdivia

$227 22.8%

Arica

$9.9 * 9% 95.6% $218

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Valdivia

$136 13.7%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Valdivia

$131 13.2%

Arica

$4.9 * 4.4% 96.3% $127

Clothing & Footwear

Valdivia

$88 8.8%

Arica

$92 83.8% 5.4% $4.7

Sport & Entertainment

Valdivia

$50 5%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Valdivia

$3.4 * 0.3%

Arica

$3 * 2.7% 12% $0.4

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 25% higher in Valdivia, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Valdivia

🇨🇱 Arica

🕒 Local time

11:18 11:18 AM

Same time as Valdivia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

150,048

202,131

💱 Currency

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Valdivia Arica 2,390 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Valdivia
Arica

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Valdivia vs Arica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $998 in Valdivia, $110 in Arica – roughly 807% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,498 per month in Valdivia and $165 in Arica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $998 in Valdivia and $110 in Arica. That's a gap of about 807%.

Groceries cost about 2193% more in Valdivia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $110, than in Valdivia at $998. In Arica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Valdivia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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