Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Valdivia and Iquique

For one person, living costs are similar in Valdivia and in Iquique: $1,006 and $1,005 a month, rent and utilities included.

Valdivia, Chile
Iquique, Chile
Valdivia
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,006
/mo nomad
Iquique
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,005
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Valdivia and in Iquique

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 Iquique actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,006 in Valdivia versus $1,005 in Iquique.

  • Valdivia $1,006
  • Iquique $1,005

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,537 in Valdivia versus $1,595 in Iquique.

  • Valdivia $1,537
  • Iquique $1,595

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,068 in Valdivia versus $2,184 in Iquique.

  • Valdivia $2,068
  • Iquique $2,184

Monthly costs are close between Valdivia and Iquique; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Valdivia 26% lower, Iquique 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Valdivia
Iquique
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.34 CLP 6,217
$7.87 CLP 7,715
-19.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.26 CLP 45.3K
$41.43 CLP 40.6K
11.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.85 CLP 6,712
$7.11 CLP 6,969
-3.66%
Cappuccino
$2.15 CLP 2,105
$3.34 CLP 3,274
-35.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 CLP 1,920
$1.23 CLP 1,205
59.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 CLP 1,215
$1.03 CLP 1,011
20.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.63 CLP 3,555
$3.24 CLP 3,179
12.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51 CLP 3,445
$3.65 CLP 3,576
-3.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Valdivia
Iquique
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 CLP 1,153
$1.13 CLP 1,107
4.42%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 CLP 1,331
$1.13 CLP 1,112
20.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 CLP 1,526
$1.35 CLP 1,326
15.56%
Eggs
$3.04 CLP 2,982
$3.00 CLP 2,937
1.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.92 CLP 8,745
$10.06 CLP 9,864
-11.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.34 CLP 6,209
$10.32 CLP 10.1K
-38.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.43 CLP 12.2K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 CLP 2,125
$2.23 CLP 2,184
-2.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.84 CLP 1,804
$2.22 CLP 2,173
-17.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.74 CLP 1,709
$1.52 CLP 1,488
14.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.86 CLP 1,818
$1.05 CLP 1,034
77.14%
Potato (1kg)
$2.38 CLP 2,329
$0.78 CLP 763
205.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.55 CLP 1,522
$0.59 CLP 580
162.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 CLP 1,389
$1.05 CLP 1,026
35.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 CLP 1,074
$1.36 CLP 1,332
-19.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.98 CLP 4,878
$7.26 CLP 7,112
-31.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.67 CLP 4,576
$7.69 CLP 7,536
-39.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 CLP 1,458
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 CLP 1,972
$0.79 CLP 776
154.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Valdivia
Iquique
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.56 CLP 553
$0.67 CLP 659
-16.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.00 CLP 977
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 CLP 1,390
$1.41 CLP 1,386
0.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14.9K CLP 14.6M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.0K CLP 16.7M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Valdivia
Iquique
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.9 CLP 89.1K
$86.5 CLP 84.8K
5.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.43 CLP 13.2K
$15.25 CLP 15.0K
-11.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.85 CLP 30.2K
$23.65 CLP 23.2K
30.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Valdivia
Iquique
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.93 CLP 40.1K
$50.3 CLP 49.3K
-18.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.44 CLP 23.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.56 CLP 4,471
$6.95 CLP 6,816
-34.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Valdivia
Iquique
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$248 CLP 243.0K
$260 CLP 254.6K
-4.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,000 CLP 2.9M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Valdivia
Iquique
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.9 CLP 50.9K
$30.02 CLP 29.4K
72.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.69 CLP 17.3K
$22.90 CLP 22.4K
-22.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$49.00 CLP 48.0K
$45.32 CLP 44.4K
8.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.5 CLP 74.0K
$57.6 CLP 56.5K
30.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Valdivia
Iquique
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$585 CLP 573.2K
$415 CLP 406.8K
40.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$368 CLP 360.7K
$387 CLP 379.8K
-5.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,001 CLP 980.9K
$682 CLP 668.8K
46.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$566 CLP 555.0K
$775 CLP 760.1K
-26.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,427 CLP 4.3M
$1,731 CLP 1.7M
155.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,945 CLP 1.9M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Valdivia
Iquique
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$621 CLP 609.1K
$938 CLP 919.3K
-33.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.5
7.5
-40.00%

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

Last update for Valdivia: October 31, 2026

Last update for Iquique: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Valdivia
$368
Iquique
$387 5.3% $20
Groceries & Markets
Valdivia
$227
Iquique
$199 * 12.7% $29
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Valdivia
$135
Iquique
$125 7.2% $9.8
Eating Out
Valdivia
$135
Iquique
$157 16.2% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Valdivia
$87
Iquique
$70 19.7% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Valdivia
$50
Iquique
$64 28.3% $14
Getting Around
Valdivia
$3.3 *
Iquique
$2.7 * 17.2% $0.6

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $585 in Valdivia and $415 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 51% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $46 in Valdivia vs $41 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $199 per month, with Iquique cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇱 Valdivia
🇨🇱 Iquique
🕒 Local time
13:48 1:48 PM
13:48 1:48 PM
Same time as Valdivia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
150,048
188,003
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 980 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,097 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Valdivia Iquique 2,200 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Valdivia
  • Iquique

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 Iquique: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 34% lower in Valdivia. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Valdivia and in Iquique?
Rent for a central apartment: $585 in Valdivia versus $415 in Iquique. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Valdivia and Iquique?
Childcare runs $248 in Valdivia versus $260 in Iquique. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Valdivia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $2,000 go in Valdivia compared to Iquique?
Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Iquique gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Valdivia vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?