Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Montt and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Montt and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $455 in Puerto Montt versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $769 in Puerto Montt versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,083 in Puerto Montt versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Puerto Montt costs roughly 73% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Puerto Montt is 67% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.42 CLP 8,036

$11.92 MX$206

-29.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.27 CLP 34.6K

$51.6 MX$890

-29.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 CLP 7,165

$11.41 MX$197

-34.18%

Cappuccino

$2.78 CLP 2,650

$3.99 MX$68.9

-30.33%

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

$0.90 CLP 861

$1.66 MX$28.61

-45.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 CLP 916

$1.33 MX$22.87

-27.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 CLP 1,120

$1.88 MX$32.36

-37.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 CLP 2,467

$3.25 MX$56.1

-20.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 CLP 1,381

$2.16 MX$37.26

-32.87%

Eggs

$3.21 CLP 3,060

$2.90 MX$49.94

10.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 CLP 10.8K

$12.86 MX$222

-11.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 CLP 5,546

$10.05 MX$173

-42.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 CLP 6,907

$15.86 MX$273

-54.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 CLP 1,011

$3.29 MX$56.8

-67.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CLP 1,370

$2.01 MX$34.60

-28.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 CLP 2,527

$2.20 MX$37.93

20.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 CLP 1,784

$2.36 MX$40.63

-20.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,514

$1.90 MX$32.79

-16.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,238

$1.61 MX$27.68

-19.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,490

$1.40 MX$24.09

11.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 CLP 4,618

$5.46 MX$94.2

-11.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 CLP 5,622

$17.65 MX$304

-66.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CLP 1,371

$2.06 MX$35.44

-30.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,488

$4.68 MX$80.8

-66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 CLP 863

$0.34 MX$5.84

164.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 CLP 1,262

$1.61 MX$27.68

-18.01%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

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

$63.9 CLP 61.0K

$65.2 MX$1,124

-1.92%

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

$11.40 CLP 10.9K

$30.09 MX$519

-62.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.60 CLP 30.2K

$37.18 MX$641

-15.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

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

$147 CLP 139.9K

$465 MX$8,012

-68.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 CLP 505.0K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-52.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Puerto Montt: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $529 in Puerto Montt and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Puerto Montt vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $345 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

Puerto Montt and Mexico City differ by about 265% in total monthly costs ($455 vs $1,660 including rent). Puerto Montt is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $682 in Puerto Montt and $2,489 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $529 in Puerto Montt versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $147 in Puerto Montt versus $465 in Mexico City. 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 $36.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $455 in Puerto Montt versus $1,660 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.

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.

Expats usually find Puerto Montt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 265% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.