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 $1,110 per month in Puerto Montt vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,648 per month in Puerto Montt vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,186 per month in Puerto Montt vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Puerto Montt costs about 28% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Puerto Montt and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Montt 17% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.72 CLP 7,834

$1.98 ฿64.3

340.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.31 CLP 34.4K

$18.80 ฿612

103.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 CLP 6,629

$7.75 ฿252

-4.77%

Cappuccino

$2.99 CLP 2,689

$1.92 ฿62.5

55.73%

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

$0.94 CLP 845

$0.79 ฿25.79

18.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 CLP 833

$0.36 ฿11.62

158.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 CLP 2,835

$2.21 ฿72.1

42.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 CLP 3,678

$3.66 ฿119

11.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 CLP 1,085

$1.65 ฿53.8

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 CLP 1,404

$1.63 ฿53.2

-4.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 CLP 1,723

$1.19 ฿38.86

61.34%

Eggs

$3.45 CLP 3,099

$2.00 ฿65.1

72.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.97 CLP 10.8K

$15.98 ฿520

-25.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 CLP 6,127

$3.03 ฿98.5

125.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.01 CLP 9,893

$10.86 ฿354

1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,712

$2.76 ฿90.0

-31.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 CLP 1,334

$1.18 ฿38.42

25.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,385

$1.64 ฿53.5

-6.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 CLP 1,745

$1.52 ฿49.51

27.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 CLP 1,158

$1.38 ฿45.10

-6.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 CLP 1,271

$1.19 ฿38.84

18.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 CLP 1,197

$0.70 ฿22.86

90.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CLP 1,369

$0.56 ฿18.13

171.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 CLP 4,391

$4.58 ฿149

6.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.98 CLP 5,377

$16.56 ฿539

-63.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CLP 1,302

$1.83 ฿59.5

-20.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,067

$3.20 ฿104

-28.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 519

$0.88 ฿28.56

-34.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 429

$1.36 ฿44.16

-64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,235

$1.23 ฿39.92

11.38%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-10.80%

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

$21.7K CLP 19.5M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-3.87%

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

$132 CLP 119.1K

$70.5 ฿2,298

87.82%

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

$11.74 CLP 10.6K

$13.68 ฿445

-14.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.29 CLP 20.0K

$17.45 ฿568

27.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.31 CLP 35.3K

$41.33 ฿1,346

-4.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.05 CLP 18.9K

$6.96 ฿227

202.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 CLP 4,983

$5.77 ฿188

-3.99%

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

$441 CLP 396.4K

$307 ฿10.0K

43.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 CLP 45.3K

$55.8 ฿1,817

-9.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.82 CLP 27.7K

$26.21 ฿854

17.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 CLP 56.2K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-27.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.7 CLP 73.5K

$72.2 ฿2,353

13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 CLP 432.7K

$430 ฿14.0K

12.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 331.5K

$239 ฿7,774

54.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 CLP 781.2K

$817 ฿26.6K

6.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 CLP 538.1K

$511 ฿16.6K

17.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Puerto Montt versus $430 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 $38.00 in Puerto Montt versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Puerto Montt vs $241 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 28% 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 $1,664 per month in Puerto Montt and $1,303 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 $38.00 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 0% cheaper in Puerto Montt – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Puerto Montt at $1,110. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Puerto Montt it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,110 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.