Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Montt and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Montt and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $473 in Puerto Montt versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $794 in Puerto Montt versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,115 in Puerto Montt versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Puerto Montt costs roughly 62% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Puerto Montt 66% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 CLP 7,907

$4.56 ฿150

85.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.30 CLP 34.8K

$32.62 ฿1,072

14.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.45 CLP 6,958

$8.90 ฿293

-16.29%

Cappuccino

$2.86 CLP 2,670

$2.80 ฿92.2

2.14%

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

$0.94 CLP 882

$0.88 ฿28.93

6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CLP 940

$0.49 ฿16.08

106.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 CLP 1,128

$1.79 ฿58.7

-32.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CLP 2,491

$1.44 ฿47.38

85.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 CLP 1,370

$1.58 ฿52.1

-6.96%

Eggs

$3.34 CLP 3,121

$2.13 ฿69.9

56.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.82 CLP 11.0K

$19.92 ฿655

-40.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 CLP 5,629

$3.43 ฿113

75.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 CLP 7,048

$11.33 ฿372

-33.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 CLP 989

$2.95 ฿96.9

-64.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CLP 1,357

$1.72 ฿56.6

-15.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 CLP 2,525

$2.32 ฿76.4

16.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 CLP 1,729

$2.08 ฿68.4

-11.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 CLP 1,468

$1.36 ฿44.64

15.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 CLP 1,285

$1.10 ฿36.12

25.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CLP 1,477

$0.57 ฿18.89

177.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 CLP 4,545

$4.27 ฿140

14.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 CLP 5,385

$18.42 ฿605

-68.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 CLP 1,322

$1.87 ฿61.5

-24.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,460

$2.92 ฿96.0

-46.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 CLP 907

$2.22 ฿72.9

-56.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CLP 1,262

$1.49 ฿49.04

-9.40%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

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

$65.3 CLP 60.9K

$103 ฿3,379

-36.52%

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

$11.59 CLP 10.8K

$10.99 ฿361

5.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.73 CLP 30.6K

$17.51 ฿576

86.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$148 CLP 138.1K

$557 ฿18.3K

-73.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 CLP 494.0K

$730 ฿24.0K

-27.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Puerto Montt: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $529 in Puerto Montt and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Puerto Montt vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $273, with Puerto Montt cheaper for home cooking.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Montt is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 165% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $709 in Puerto Montt and $1,880 in Phuket 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 $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $148 in Puerto Montt versus $557 in Phuket. 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 $37.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $473 in Puerto Montt versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Puerto Montt but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto Montt the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Puerto Montt is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Puerto Montt and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Puerto Montt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 165% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.