Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Puerto Montt Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Puerto Montt

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,074 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,632 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,190 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Puerto Montt, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Puerto Montt are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Puerto Montt 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$8.59 CLP 7,996

-76.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$37.14 CLP 34.6K

-49.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.58 CLP 7,056

3.69%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.89 CLP 2,694

-29.76%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.98 CLP 915

-18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.98 CLP 914

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$3.22 CLP 2,993

-33.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$4.24 CLP 3,943

-13.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.22 CLP 1,139

41.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.50 CLP 1,398

4.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.86 CLP 1,730

-35.48%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.43 CLP 3,192

-42.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.63 CLP 10.8K

39.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.53 CLP 6,073

-53.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$10.91 CLP 10.1K

-1.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.83 CLP 1,706

51.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.44 CLP 1,340

-18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.59 CLP 1,482

7.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.91 CLP 1,780

-16.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.23 CLP 1,147

13.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.35 CLP 1,252

-14.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.32 CLP 1,231

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.52 CLP 1,410

-65.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.98 CLP 4,633

-6.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$5.78 CLP 5,379

207.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.48 CLP 1,381

20.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.24 CLP 2,083

49.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.61 CLP 569

49.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.47 CLP 435

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.37 CLP 1,274

-10.22%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

8.45%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$21.6K CLP 20.1M

1.02%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$130 CLP 120.8K

-45.05%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$11.91 CLP 11.1K

17.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$21.93 CLP 20.4K

-18.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$39.08 CLP 36.4K

4.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$21.29 CLP 19.8K

-67.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.54 CLP 5,151

3.25%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$439 CLP 408.0K

-29.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$50.6 CLP 47.1K

10.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$30.76 CLP 28.6K

-15.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$62.9 CLP 58.5K

34.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$80.9 CLP 75.3K

-12.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$487 CLP 453.6K

-13.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$380 CLP 353.7K

-36.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$878 CLP 816.9K

-9.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$591 CLP 549.5K

-14.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

-3.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Puerto Montt: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $487 in Puerto Montt. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $37.00 in Puerto Montt. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $236 in Puerto Montt – so Puerto Montt wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Chiang Mai vs Puerto Montt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Montt costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,611 in Puerto Montt. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $37.00 in Puerto Montt. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Puerto Montt – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,074 in Puerto Montt, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,074 in Puerto Montt. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Puerto Montt makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.