Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Puerto Montt Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Puerto Montt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,110 in Puerto Montt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,648 in Puerto Montt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,186 in Puerto Montt.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 30% more expensive than Puerto Montt, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Puerto Montt is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$8.72 CLP 7,834

48.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$38.31 CLP 34.4K

37.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.38 CLP 6,629

27.78%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.99 CLP 2,689

19.40%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.94 CLP 845

71.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.93 CLP 833

23.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$3.15 CLP 2,835

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$4.09 CLP 3,678

18.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.21 CLP 1,085

40.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.56 CLP 1,404

69.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.92 CLP 1,723

-1.04%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.45 CLP 3,099

-26.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$11.97 CLP 10.8K

-15.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$6.82 CLP 6,127

21.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$11.01 CLP 9,893

5.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.90 CLP 1,712

59.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.48 CLP 1,334

15.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.54 CLP 1,385

33.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.94 CLP 1,745

6.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.29 CLP 1,158

59.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.41 CLP 1,271

53.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.33 CLP 1,197

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.52 CLP 1,369

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.89 CLP 4,391

-12.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$5.98 CLP 5,377

157.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.45 CLP 1,302

15.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.30 CLP 2,067

60.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.58 CLP 519

-34.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.48 CLP 429

187.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.37 CLP 1,235

-6.57%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

-1.60%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$21.7K CLP 19.5M

8.25%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$132 CLP 119.1K

-69.04%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$11.74 CLP 10.6K

129.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$22.29 CLP 20.0K

33.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$39.31 CLP 35.3K

33.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$21.05 CLP 18.9K

24.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$5.54 CLP 4,983

11.55%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$441 CLP 396.4K

-3.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$50.4 CLP 45.3K

12.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$30.82 CLP 27.7K

45.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$62.5 CLP 56.2K

67.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$81.7 CLP 73.5K

29.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$482 CLP 432.7K

106.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$369 CLP 331.5K

68.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$869 CLP 781.2K

144.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$599 CLP 538.1K

109.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.18

118.92%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Puerto Montt: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $482 in Puerto Montt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $38.00 in Puerto Montt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $241 per month, with Puerto Montt 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

Mexico City vs Puerto Montt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Puerto Montt differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,110 including rent). Puerto Montt is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,664 in Puerto Montt to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $482 in Puerto Montt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $441 in Puerto Montt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Puerto Montt – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,110 in Puerto Montt versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Puerto Montt but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto Montt 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 Puerto Montt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.