Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Montt and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Montt and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,074 per month in Puerto Montt vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,632 per month in Puerto Montt vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,190 per month in Puerto Montt vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Puerto Montt costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Puerto Montt and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Montt 19% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 CLP 7,996

$2.04 ฿68.2

321.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.14 CLP 34.6K

$18.71 ฿624

98.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 CLP 7,056

$7.86 ฿262

-3.56%

Cappuccino

$2.89 CLP 2,694

$2.03 ฿67.7

42.36%

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

$0.98 CLP 915

$0.80 ฿26.64

22.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 CLP 914

$0.35 ฿11.68

180.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 CLP 2,993

$2.14 ฿71.5

50.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 CLP 3,943

$3.67 ฿122

15.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 CLP 1,139

$1.73 ฿57.6

-29.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 CLP 1,398

$1.57 ฿52.4

-4.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,730

$1.20 ฿39.99

55.00%

Eggs

$3.43 CLP 3,192

$1.97 ฿65.8

74.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.63 CLP 10.8K

$16.23 ฿541

-28.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 CLP 6,073

$3.06 ฿102

113.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 CLP 10.1K

$10.80 ฿360

1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 CLP 1,706

$2.77 ฿92.3

-33.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CLP 1,340

$1.17 ฿38.94

23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,482

$1.71 ฿57.0

-7.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 CLP 1,780

$1.59 ฿53.2

20.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 CLP 1,147

$1.39 ฿46.51

-11.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,252

$1.16 ฿38.56

16.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 CLP 1,231

$0.66 ฿22.05

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CLP 1,410

$0.52 ฿17.31

192.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.98 CLP 4,633

$4.65 ฿155

7.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 CLP 5,379

$17.78 ฿593

-67.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 CLP 1,381

$1.79 ฿59.6

-17.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 CLP 2,083

$3.34 ฿111

-32.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 CLP 569

$0.91 ฿30.27

-32.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 435

$1.41 ฿47.04

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,274

$1.23 ฿41.16

11.38%

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

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

-7.79%

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

$21.6K CLP 20.1M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

-1.01%

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

$130 CLP 120.8K

$71.3 ฿2,379

81.99%

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

$11.91 CLP 11.1K

$14.01 ฿467

-14.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.93 CLP 20.4K

$17.93 ฿598

22.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.08 CLP 36.4K

$40.82 ฿1,362

-4.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 CLP 19.8K

$6.88 ฿230

209.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 CLP 5,151

$5.72 ฿191

-3.15%

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

$439 CLP 408.0K

$308 ฿10.3K

42.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 CLP 47.1K

$55.8 ฿1,860

-9.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.76 CLP 28.6K

$26.04 ฿869

18.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.9 CLP 58.5K

$84.8 ฿2,829

-25.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 CLP 75.3K

$71.0 ฿2,368

13.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 CLP 453.6K

$423 ฿14.1K

15.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 CLP 353.7K

$242 ฿8,088

56.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 CLP 816.9K

$797 ฿26.6K

10.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 CLP 549.5K

$507 ฿16.9K

16.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

3.60%

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

Last update for Puerto Montt: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Puerto Montt versus $423 in Chiang Mai. 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 $37.00 in Puerto Montt versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Puerto Montt vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Puerto Montt wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Puerto Montt vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Montt costs about 26% 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 $1,611 per month in Puerto Montt and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. 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 $37.00 in Puerto Montt and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Puerto Montt – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,074 in Puerto Montt and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,074 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.