Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Villarrica and La Serena

For one person, living is cheaper in Villarrica: $406 a month against $1,099 in La Serena, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

51

Cost of Living Index in Villarrica
Learn more

Villarrica Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in La Serena
Learn more

La Serena Living Index

Jump to prices

Villarrica

🇨🇱 Chile

$406

/mo nomad

La Serena

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,099

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Villarrica and in La Serena

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

A single person spends $406 per month in Villarrica vs $1,099 in La Serena, rent included.

Villarrica $406
La Serena $1,099

A couple spends around $608 per month in Villarrica vs $1,829 in La Serena, rent included.

Villarrica $608
La Serena $1,829

A family of three spends $811 per month in Villarrica vs $2,559 in La Serena, rent included.

Villarrica $811
La Serena $2,559

Villarrica is about 63% cheaper than La Serena, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Villarrica and La Serena are more affordable than the global median – Villarrica 70% lower, La Serena 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.80 CLP 7,678

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.89 CLP 47.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 CLP 8,255

Cappuccino

$2.34 CLP 2,303

$2.78 CLP 2,733

-15.83%

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

$1.55 CLP 1,528

$1.05 CLP 1,037

47.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CLP 990

$0.65 CLP 638

55.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 CLP 2,465

$2.08 CLP 2,047

20.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 CLP 4,431

$3.91 CLP 3,844

15.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CLP 1,223

$1.22 CLP 1,197

1.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 CLP 2,535

$2.36 CLP 2,326

9.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 CLP 2,374

$1.47 CLP 1,448

63.95%

Eggs

$3.03 CLP 2,986

$3.85 CLP 3,793

-21.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 CLP 8,134

$12.15 CLP 12.0K

-32.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.72 CLP 10.5K

$5.89 CLP 5,801

82.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 CLP 12.2K

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 CLP 2,525

$1.89 CLP 1,861

35.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,775

$1.76 CLP 1,733

2.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 CLP 2,648

$1.28 CLP 1,257

110.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 CLP 1,363

$1.45 CLP 1,431

-4.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 CLP 1,448

$1.15 CLP 1,128

27.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 CLP 1,189

$1.20 CLP 1,177

0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 CLP 1,538

$1.03 CLP 1,010

51.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CLP 1,924

$0.88 CLP 863

121.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 CLP 5,138

Wine (Bottle)

$5.50 CLP 5,417

$5.18 CLP 5,100

6.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 929

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 CLP 3,469

$2.02 CLP 1,992

74.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 CLP 1,777

$1.04 CLP 1,028

74.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.03 CLP 35.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 CLP 1,984

$0.71 CLP 697

184.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 CLP 1,989

$2.07 CLP 2,041

-2.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.19 CLP 12.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,394

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

$20.1K CLP 19.7M

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

$12.3K CLP 12.1M

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

$62.1 CLP 61.1K

$85.8 CLP 84.5K

-27.63%

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

$10.93 CLP 10.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.68 CLP 20.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.23 CLP 29.8K

$83.9 CLP 82.6K

-63.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.71 CLP 20.4K

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 CLP 7,912

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.49 CLP 42.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 CLP 60.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 CLP 90.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CLP 103.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 CLP 417.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 CLP 311.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 CLP 884.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 CLP 711.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,068 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,319 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 CLP 501.0K

$698 CLP 687.3K

-27.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

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

Last update for Villarrica: October 19, 2026

Last update for La Serena: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Villarrica

$234 * 57.7%

La Serena

$232 21.1% 0.8% $2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Villarrica

$62 * 15.3%

La Serena

$117 10.7% 89.1% $55

Eating Out

Villarrica

$60 * 14.8%

La Serena

$146 13.3% 144% $86

Sport & Entertainment

Villarrica

$30 * 7.5%

La Serena

$100 9.1% 231% $70

Getting Around

Villarrica

$19 * 4.8%

La Serena

$51 4.7% 165% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Villarrica

- * 0%

La Serena

$136 12.4%

Accommodation & Living

Villarrica

- * 0%

La Serena

$316 28.8%

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 37% higher in La Serena, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Villarrica

🇨🇱 La Serena

🕒 Local time

07:53 7:53 AM

Same time as Villarrica

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

31,780

195,382

💱 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

Villarrica La Serena 1,050 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Villarrica
La Serena

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

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

Yes – La Serena is pricier by about 171%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $609 per month in Villarrica and $1,648 in La Serena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $406 in Villarrica and $1,099 in La Serena. That's a gap of about 171%.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in La Serena – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Villarrica, where all-in costs run around $406, than in La Serena at $1,099. In Villarrica it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Serena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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