🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,100 in Puerto Montt versus $1,448 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,651 in Puerto Montt versus $2,354 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,202 in Puerto Montt versus $3,260 in Mexico City.
🙂Living in Puerto Montt costs roughly 24% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Puerto Montt is 17% below, Mexico City is 9% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Puerto Montt
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.59CLP 7,607
$12.96MX$223
-33.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.98CLP 33.6K
$52.3MX$900
-27.42%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.33CLP 6,494
$9.69MX$167
-24.36%
Cappuccino
$2.87CLP 2,542
$3.75MX$64.6
-23.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01CLP 892
$1.56MX$26.91
-35.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95CLP 842
$1.16MX$19.93
-18.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.16CLP 2,798
$3.24MX$55.8
-2.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.14CLP 3,670
$4.90MX$84.3
-15.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Puerto Montt
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.21CLP 1,074
$1.70MX$29.29
-28.82%
White Bread(500g)
$1.55CLP 1,373
$2.67MX$45.90
-41.95%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.94CLP 1,716
$1.89MX$32.49
2.65%
Eggs
$3.43CLP 3,038
$2.52MX$43.37
36.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.66CLP 10.3K
$10.02MX$172
16.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.48CLP 5,740
$8.53MX$147
-24.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.09CLP 9,826
$11.94MX$205
-7.12%
Apples(1kg)
$1.82CLP 1,612
$2.97MX$51.1
-38.72%
Banana(1kg)
$1.47CLP 1,304
$1.79MX$30.88
-17.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53CLP 1,356
$2.00MX$34.40
-23.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.93CLP 1,714
$1.96MX$33.74
-1.53%
Potato(1kg)
$1.24CLP 1,099
$2.16MX$37.21
-42.59%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42CLP 1,254
$2.27MX$39.04
-37.44%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.36CLP 1,207
$1.40MX$24.14
-2.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55CLP 1,372
$1.11MX$19.18
39.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.89CLP 4,335
$4.20MX$72.2
16.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.30CLP 5,583
$16.54MX$285
-61.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.42CLP 1,259
$1.68MX$28.94
-15.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24CLP 1,985
$3.59MX$61.8
-37.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Puerto Montt
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.59CLP 522
$0.39MX$6.65
51.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$19.19MX$330
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.48CLP 424
$1.38MX$23.77
-65.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$0.30MX$5.19
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$5.39MX$92.7
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.41CLP 1,247
$1.29MX$22.13
9.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.6KCLP 17.4M
$18.9KMX$325.1K
3.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.4KCLP 18.9M
$23.8KMX$409.5K
-10.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto Montt
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$130CLP 114.9K
$39.86MX$686
225.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.90CLP 10.5K
$27.83MX$479
-57.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.30CLP 19.8K
$29.77MX$512
-25.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Puerto Montt
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.46CLP 34.1K
$52.0MX$894
-25.98%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.24CLP 18.8K
$26.22MX$451
-18.99%
Cinema Ticket
$5.57CLP 4,933
$6.27MX$108
-11.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Puerto Montt
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$433CLP 383.2K
$433MX$7,443
0.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$10.5KMX$181.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Puerto Montt
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.2CLP 45.4K
$57.0MX$981
-10.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.08CLP 26.6K
$45.33MX$780
-33.64%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$60.7CLP 53.8K
$102MX$1,753
-40.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.0CLP 71.8K
$109MX$1,867
-25.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Puerto Montt
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$483CLP 428.3K
$994MX$17.1K
-51.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$367CLP 325.3K
$617MX$10.6K
-40.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$889CLP 787.2K
$2,086MX$35.9K
-57.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$592CLP 524.0K
$1,256MX$21.6K
-52.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,936MX$67.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,089MX$35.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Puerto Montt
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,131MX$19.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.18
11.34
-54.32%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Puerto Montt: June 14, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $483 in Puerto Montt and $994 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $38.00 in Puerto Montt vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $292 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
Puerto Montt vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Puerto Montt and Mexico City?
Puerto Montt and Mexico City differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,100 vs $1,448 including rent). Puerto Montt is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Puerto Montt compared to Mexico City?
You'd need roughly $1,650 in Puerto Montt and $2,173 in Mexico City 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Puerto Montt and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $483 in Puerto Montt versus $994 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Puerto Montt and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $433 in Puerto Montt versus $433 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Puerto Montt – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,100 in Puerto Montt versus $1,448 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Puerto Montt but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto Montt the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Puerto Montt and Mexico City?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Puerto Montt or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Puerto Montt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Puerto Montt vs other spots: cost of living compared