Cost of Living Comparison Between Valdivia and Calama Cost of Living Comparison Between Valdivia and Calama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,077 in Valdivia versus $1,071 in Calama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Valdivia versus $1,603 in Calama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,126 in Valdivia versus $2,136 in Calama.

Living in Valdivia is roughly 1% more expensive than Calama, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Valdivia 20% lower, Calama 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 CLP 5,896

$8.19 CLP 7,362

-19.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.36 CLP 38.1K

$33.14 CLP 29.8K

27.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 CLP 6,457

$7.92 CLP 7,121

-9.34%

Cappuccino

$2.49 CLP 2,241

$2.14 CLP 1,920

16.36%

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

$2.38 CLP 2,142

$0.94 CLP 846

153.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,395

$0.95 CLP 854

63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 CLP 3,345

$3.16 CLP 2,839

17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CLP 3,614

$4.07 CLP 3,659

-1.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,110

$1.23 CLP 1,109

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 CLP 1,290

$1.57 CLP 1,409

-8.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 CLP 1,454

$1.94 CLP 1,747

-16.49%

Eggs

$3.21 CLP 2,887

$3.47 CLP 3,120

-7.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 CLP 8,251

$10.33 CLP 9,279

-11.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 CLP 5,958

$6.51 CLP 5,847

1.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 CLP 11.9K

$11.02 CLP 9,905

19.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 CLP 2,088

$1.83 CLP 1,647

26.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 CLP 1,799

$1.53 CLP 1,371

30.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 CLP 1,717

$1.52 CLP 1,370

25.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,691

$1.50 CLP 1,345

25.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CLP 2,208

$1.28 CLP 1,149

92.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,481

$1.41 CLP 1,269

17.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 CLP 1,368

$1.27 CLP 1,137

19.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 CLP 1,045

$1.17 CLP 1,050

-0.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 CLP 4,920

$5.26 CLP 4,727

3.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.92 CLP 4,421

$6.06 CLP 5,445

-18.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,382

$1.56 CLP 1,403

-1.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 CLP 1,950

$2.32 CLP 2,089

-6.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 CLP 539

$0.59 CLP 529

1.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 CLP 1,439

$0.51 CLP 459

213.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CLP 1,327

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,282

$1.58 CLP 1,424

-9.49%

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

$15.6K CLP 14.0M

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

-19.02%

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

$18.4K CLP 16.5M

$21.1K CLP 19.0M

-12.99%

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

$96.4 CLP 86.6K

$134 CLP 120.1K

-27.88%

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

$19.02 CLP 17.1K

$13.39 CLP 12.0K

42.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.78 CLP 25.9K

$22.23 CLP 20.0K

29.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.40 CLP 38.1K

$38.84 CLP 34.9K

9.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.19 CLP 22.6K

$21.27 CLP 19.1K

18.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 CLP 4,331

$5.57 CLP 5,010

-13.46%

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

$271 CLP 243.8K

$431 CLP 387.5K

-37.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 CLP 49.2K

$50.0 CLP 45.0K

9.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.66 CLP 16.8K

$29.88 CLP 26.9K

-37.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.0 CLP 47.6K

$61.3 CLP 55.1K

-13.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 CLP 71.8K

$83.1 CLP 74.7K

-3.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 CLP 538.5K

$356 CLP 320.1K

68.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 CLP 348.2K

$376 CLP 338.2K

2.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 CLP 945.7K

$847 CLP 761.6K

24.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 CLP 537.9K

0.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,910 CLP 4.4M

$1,473 CLP 1.3M

233.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,322 CLP 1.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$675 CLP 606.7K

$1,175 CLP 1.1M

-42.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.18

-13.13%

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

Last update for Valdivia: June 8, 2026

Last update for Calama: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $599 in Valdivia and $356 in Calama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 74% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Valdivia vs $33.00 in Calama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $228 per month, with Calama cheaper across the board.

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 Calama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calama wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Valdivia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Calama earns 74% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $599 in Valdivia versus $356 in Calama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Valdivia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,077 per month in Valdivia versus $1,071 in Calama – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,071 in Calama versus $1,077 in Valdivia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calama but tight or insufficient in Valdivia. The gap between the two cities makes Calama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Calama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Valdivia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.