Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Puerto Montt Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Puerto Montt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,069 in Puerto Montt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,608 in Puerto Montt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,147 in Puerto Montt.

Living in Phuket is roughly 18% more expensive than Puerto Montt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Puerto Montt 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$8.54 CLP 7,638

-44.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$37.81 CLP 33.8K

19.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$7.35 CLP 6,576

14.69%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.95 CLP 2,643

-0.68%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.99 CLP 882

-30.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.02 CLP 909

-63.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$3.20 CLP 2,860

-24.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.23 CLP 3,785

-12.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.21 CLP 1,083

84.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$1.57 CLP 1,401

16.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.94 CLP 1,739

11.86%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$3.30 CLP 2,951

-33.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.78 CLP 10.5K

67.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.59 CLP 5,894

-44.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.15 CLP 9,971

21.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.84 CLP 1,643

78.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.49 CLP 1,329

8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.58 CLP 1,411

52.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.90 CLP 1,700

9.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.25 CLP 1,116

22.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.41 CLP 1,257

4.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.37 CLP 1,224

-27.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.58 CLP 1,414

-67.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.89 CLP 4,375

-9.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$6.09 CLP 5,447

218.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.50 CLP 1,341

18.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.30 CLP 2,058

17.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.61 CLP 550

124.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$0.48 CLP 429

529.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.42 CLP 1,270

-4.23%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

46.42%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.2K CLP 19.0M

54.90%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$131 CLP 116.8K

-6.79%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$11.64 CLP 10.4K

16.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$22.35 CLP 20.0K

-18.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$38.29 CLP 34.3K

57.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$20.97 CLP 18.8K

-18.26%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.52 CLP 4,937

57.43%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$432 CLP 386.7K

60.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$51.4 CLP 46.0K

15.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$30.89 CLP 27.6K

12.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$62.4 CLP 55.8K

83.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$83.1 CLP 74.3K

0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$478 CLP 427.3K

28.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$368 CLP 329.3K

18.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$885 CLP 792.0K

136.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$589 CLP 527.0K

156.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.18

2.90%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Puerto Montt: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $478 in Puerto Montt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Puerto Montt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $240 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

Phuket vs Puerto Montt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Montt is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,604 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: $613 in Phuket versus $478 in Puerto Montt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $432 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 $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,069 in Puerto Montt versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Puerto Montt but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto Montt the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Puerto Montt is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Puerto Montt are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Puerto Montt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.