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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $455 in Puerto Montt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $769 in Puerto Montt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,083 in Puerto Montt.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 265% more expensive than in Puerto Montt, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Puerto Montt is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$8.42 CLP 8,036

41.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$36.27 CLP 34.6K

42.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.51 CLP 7,165

51.93%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.78 CLP 2,650

43.53%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.90 CLP 861

84.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.96 CLP 916

38.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.17 CLP 1,120

60.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.59 CLP 2,467

25.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.45 CLP 1,381

48.97%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$3.21 CLP 3,060

-9.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$11.34 CLP 10.8K

13.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.81 CLP 5,546

72.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$7.24 CLP 6,907

119.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.06 CLP 1,011

210.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.44 CLP 1,370

39.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.65 CLP 2,527

-16.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.87 CLP 1,784

26.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.59 CLP 1,514

19.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.30 CLP 1,238

23.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.56 CLP 1,490

-10.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.84 CLP 4,618

12.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$5.89 CLP 5,622

199.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.44 CLP 1,371

43.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.56 CLP 1,488

200.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.90 CLP 863

-62.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.32 CLP 1,262

21.97%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$63.9 CLP 61.0K

1.96%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$11.40 CLP 10.9K

163.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$31.60 CLP 30.2K

17.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

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

$465 MX$8,012

$147 CLP 139.9K

216.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$529 CLP 505.0K

108.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Puerto Montt: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $529 in Puerto Montt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $36.00 in Puerto Montt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $224 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 265% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $455 including rent). Puerto Montt is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $682 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $529 in Puerto Montt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $147 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 $36.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $455 in Puerto Montt versus $1,660 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 265% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.