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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,110 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,648 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,186 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 22% cheaper than Puerto Montt, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Puerto Montt are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Puerto Montt 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$8.72 CLP 7,834

-77.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$38.31 CLP 34.4K

-50.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.38 CLP 6,629

5.01%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.99 CLP 2,689

-35.79%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.94 CLP 845

-15.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.93 CLP 833

-61.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.15 CLP 2,835

-29.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.09 CLP 3,678

-10.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.21 CLP 1,085

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.56 CLP 1,404

4.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.92 CLP 1,723

-38.02%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.45 CLP 3,099

-42.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.97 CLP 10.8K

33.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.82 CLP 6,127

-55.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$11.01 CLP 9,893

-1.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.90 CLP 1,712

45.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.48 CLP 1,334

-20.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.54 CLP 1,385

6.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.94 CLP 1,745

-21.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.29 CLP 1,158

6.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.41 CLP 1,271

-15.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.33 CLP 1,197

-47.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.52 CLP 1,369

-63.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.89 CLP 4,391

-6.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.98 CLP 5,377

176.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.45 CLP 1,302

26.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.30 CLP 2,067

39.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.58 CLP 519

51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.48 CLP 429

183.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.37 CLP 1,235

-10.22%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

12.10%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$21.7K CLP 19.5M

4.03%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$132 CLP 119.1K

-46.76%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$11.74 CLP 10.6K

16.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$22.29 CLP 20.0K

-21.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$39.31 CLP 35.3K

5.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$21.05 CLP 18.9K

-66.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.54 CLP 4,983

4.15%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$441 CLP 396.4K

-30.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$50.4 CLP 45.3K

10.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$30.82 CLP 27.7K

-14.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$62.5 CLP 56.2K

37.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$81.7 CLP 73.5K

-11.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$482 CLP 432.7K

-10.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$369 CLP 331.5K

-35.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$869 CLP 781.2K

-5.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$599 CLP 538.1K

-14.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Puerto Montt: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $482 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 $38.00 in Puerto Montt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $241 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 28% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,664 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 $38.00 in Puerto Montt. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Puerto Montt – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Puerto Montt at $1,110. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Puerto Montt it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,110 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.