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: $1,253 in Phuket versus $473 in Puerto Montt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $794 in Puerto Montt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $1,115 in Puerto Montt.

Living in Phuket is roughly 165% more expensive than in Puerto Montt, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Puerto Montt 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$8.47 CLP 7,907

-46.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$37.30 CLP 34.8K

-12.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$7.45 CLP 6,958

19.46%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.86 CLP 2,670

-2.10%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$0.94 CLP 882

-6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$1.01 CLP 940

-51.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.21 CLP 1,128

47.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$2.67 CLP 2,491

-46.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.47 CLP 1,370

7.48%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$3.34 CLP 3,121

-36.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$11.82 CLP 11.0K

68.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$6.03 CLP 5,629

-43.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$7.55 CLP 7,048

50.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$1.06 CLP 989

178.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.45 CLP 1,357

18.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$2.70 CLP 2,525

-14.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.85 CLP 1,729

12.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.57 CLP 1,468

-13.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$1.38 CLP 1,285

-20.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$1.58 CLP 1,477

-63.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$4.87 CLP 4,545

-12.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$5.77 CLP 5,385

219.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.42 CLP 1,322

31.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$1.56 CLP 1,460

87.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$0.97 CLP 907

128.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.35 CLP 1,262

10.37%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

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

$103 ฿3,379

$65.3 CLP 60.9K

57.52%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$11.59 CLP 10.8K

-5.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$32.73 CLP 30.6K

-46.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$148 CLP 138.1K

276.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$529 CLP 494.0K

38.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Puerto Montt: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $529 in Puerto Montt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Puerto Montt. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $230, with Puerto Montt cheaper for home cooking.

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 165% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,880 in Phuket and $709 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: $730 in Phuket versus $529 in Puerto Montt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $148 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 $37.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $473 in Puerto Montt versus $1,253 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 165% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.