Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Varas and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Varas: $1,130 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $18,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Puerto Varas
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,130
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Puerto Varas and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Puerto Varas and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,130 in Puerto Varas versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

  • Puerto Varas $1,130
  • Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,624 in Puerto Varas versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

  • Puerto Varas $1,624
  • Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,118 in Puerto Varas versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

  • Puerto Varas $2,118
  • Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Puerto Varas costs roughly 58% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Puerto Varas is 16% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Puerto Varas
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.47 CLP 12.3K
$20.77 $20.77
-39.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.05 CLP 40.4K
$84.6 $84.6
-51.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.58 CLP 7,462
$12.32 $12.32
-38.47%
Cappuccino
$3.28 CLP 3,231
$5.63 $5.63
-41.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 CLP 977
$3.72 $3.72
-73.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 CLP 785
$2.50 $2.50
-68.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$8.05 $8.05
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$9.01 $9.01
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Puerto Varas
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 CLP 1,077
$1.12 $1.12
-2.68%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 CLP 1,830
$3.75 $3.75
-50.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 CLP 1,582
$3.26 $3.26
-50.61%
Eggs
$3.11 CLP 3,062
$4.17 $4.17
-25.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.61 CLP 8,476
$12.90 $12.90
-33.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.68 CLP 4,609
$14.16 $14.16
-66.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.50 CLP 8,372
$16.22 $16.22
-47.60%
Apples (1kg)
$1.78 CLP 1,751
$4.33 $4.33
-58.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 CLP 1,922
$1.46 $1.46
33.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.61 CLP 2,565
$4.51 $4.51
-42.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.89 CLP 1,862
$4.34 $4.34
-56.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.50 CLP 1,480
$2.58 $2.58
-41.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.25 CLP 1,230
$2.35 $2.35
-46.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 CLP 1,296
$1.78 $1.78
-25.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 CLP 1,117
$2.22 $2.22
-49.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.96 CLP 4,884
$9.88 $9.88
-49.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.63 CLP 4,557
$15.08 $15.08
-69.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.40 CLP 1,379
$2.92 $2.92
-52.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 CLP 1,226
$3.46 $3.46
-63.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Puerto Varas
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.10 CLP 1,078
$1.49 $1.49
-26.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$41.72 $41.72
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.73 $2.73
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.66 $1.66
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$35.30 $35.30
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$0.95 $0.95
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$36.0K $36.0K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$27.1K $27.1K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto Varas
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$255 CLP 251.2K
$229 $229
11.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.06 CLP 15.8K
$59.4 $59.4
-72.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$69.9 $69.9
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Puerto Varas
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.89 CLP 30.4K
$57.2 $57.2
-46.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.33 $16.33
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$14.28 $14.28
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Puerto Varas
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$488 CLP 480.6K
$1,506 $1,506
-67.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,137 CLP 6.0M
$21.5K $21.5K
-71.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Puerto Varas
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.37 CLP 20.1K
$52.8 $52.8
-61.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$15.32 CLP 15.1K
$43.82 $43.82
-65.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.1 CLP 60.1K
$84.8 $84.8
-27.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$103 $103
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Puerto Varas
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$623 CLP 612.8K
$1,907 $1,907
-67.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$402 CLP 396.0K
$1,274 $1,274
-68.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$819 CLP 805.9K
$3,664 $3,664
-77.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$619 CLP 609.7K
$2,538 $2,538
-75.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,614 $7,614
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,157 $3,157
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Puerto Varas
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$532 CLP 523.5K
$5,121 $5,121
-89.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
6.79
-

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

Last update for Puerto Varas: October 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Puerto Varas
$402
Austin, TX
$1.3K 217% $872
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto Varas
$271 *
Austin, TX
$358 32.1% $87
Groceries & Markets
Puerto Varas
$208
Austin, TX
$405 94.2% $196
Eating Out
Puerto Varas
$169 *
Austin, TX
$354 109% $185
Clothing & Footwear
Puerto Varas
$44 *
Austin, TX
$128 194% $84
Sport & Entertainment
Puerto Varas
$31 *
Austin, TX
$86 178% $55
Getting Around
Puerto Varas
$4.4 *
Austin, TX
$59 1240% $54

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $623 in Puerto Varas and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 863% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $41.00 in Puerto Varas vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $405 per month, with Puerto Varas cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇱 Puerto Varas
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
22:44 10:44 PM
20:44 8:44 PM
2 h behind Puerto Varas
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
41,255
974,447
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Puerto Varas Austin, TX 8,360 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Puerto Varas
  • Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Varas vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Puerto Varas or Austin, TX?
Puerto Varas wins on cost – living expenses run 136% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Puerto Varas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Puerto Varas or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 863% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Puerto Varas compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $623 in Puerto Varas versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Puerto Varas and in Austin, TX?
Childcare runs $488 in Puerto Varas versus $1,506 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Puerto Varas and in Austin, TX?
Dining out is cheaper in Puerto Varas – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Puerto Varas or in Austin, TX?
At $1,130 in Puerto Varas versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Puerto Varas but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto Varas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Puerto Varas or Austin, TX?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Puerto Varas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Puerto Varas vs other spots: cost of living compared

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