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 $1,103 per month in Puerto Montt vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,660 per month in Puerto Montt vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,217 per month in Puerto Montt vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Puerto Montt costs about 29% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Puerto Montt and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Montt 18% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.45 CLP 7,515

$1.96 ฿64.0

331.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.39 CLP 34.1K

$18.81 ฿615

104.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 CLP 6,838

$7.92 ฿259

-2.90%

Cappuccino

$2.94 CLP 2,611

$1.91 ฿62.6

53.93%

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

$0.94 CLP 833

$0.84 ฿27.41

11.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 CLP 886

$0.35 ฿11.51

185.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 CLP 2,914

$2.21 ฿72.1

48.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 CLP 3,677

$3.80 ฿124

8.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 CLP 1,035

$1.64 ฿53.5

-29.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 CLP 1,334

$1.62 ฿53.1

-7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 CLP 1,710

$1.18 ฿38.62

62.71%

Eggs

$3.25 CLP 2,893

$2.01 ฿65.8

61.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 CLP 10.6K

$15.89 ฿520

-24.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 CLP 5,760

$3.01 ฿98.5

115.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 CLP 9,646

$10.77 ฿352

0.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,677

$2.61 ฿85.5

-27.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,328

$1.22 ฿39.88

22.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,421

$1.70 ฿55.7

-5.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 CLP 1,699

$1.58 ฿51.5

20.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,141

$1.32 ฿43.14

-3.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 CLP 1,245

$1.17 ฿38.23

19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 CLP 1,230

$0.67 ฿21.98

105.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CLP 1,348

$0.56 ฿18.32

171.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.86 CLP 4,324

$4.53 ฿148

7.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.32 CLP 5,618

$18.20 ฿595

-65.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CLP 1,310

$1.83 ฿60.0

-19.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CLP 1,974

$3.23 ฿106

-31.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 554

$0.89 ฿29.00

-30.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 455

$1.35 ฿44.20

-62.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,270

$1.27 ฿41.64

12.60%

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

$19.2K CLP 17.1M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-9.17%

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

$21.2K CLP 18.8M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

-5.85%

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

$133 CLP 118.2K

$70.2 ฿2,294

89.51%

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

$11.62 CLP 10.3K

$13.77 ฿450

-15.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.25 CLP 19.8K

$17.60 ฿575

26.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.09 CLP 33.9K

$41.57 ฿1,360

-8.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.45 CLP 19.1K

$6.60 ฿216

225.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 CLP 4,994

$5.78 ฿189

-2.77%

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

$433 CLP 385.2K

$306 ฿10.0K

41.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 CLP 45.8K

$54.4 ฿1,778

-5.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.65 CLP 27.3K

$26.14 ฿855

17.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 CLP 55.3K

$84.5 ฿2,764

-26.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 CLP 72.2K

$69.4 ฿2,270

16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$472 CLP 419.6K

$424 ฿13.9K

11.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 CLP 332.8K

$238 ฿7,788

57.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 CLP 787.4K

$825 ฿27.0K

7.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 CLP 528.8K

$515 ฿16.8K

15.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $472 in Puerto Montt versus $424 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 – $237 in Puerto Montt vs $243 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 29% 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 $1,655 per month in Puerto Montt and $1,278 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 3% 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 $852, than in Puerto Montt at $1,103. 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 $852 versus $1,103 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.