Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Varas and Valdivia Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Varas and Valdivia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,112 in Puerto Varas versus $1,077 in Valdivia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,698 in Puerto Varas versus $1,602 in Valdivia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,285 in Puerto Varas versus $2,126 in Valdivia.

Living in Puerto Varas is roughly 3% more expensive than Valdivia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Puerto Varas 17% lower, Valdivia 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.75 CLP 11.5K

$6.56 CLP 5,896

94.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.45 CLP 38.2K

$42.36 CLP 38.1K

0.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 CLP 7,443

$7.18 CLP 6,457

15.32%

Cappuccino

$3.04 CLP 2,729

$2.49 CLP 2,241

22.09%

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

$1.04 CLP 937

$2.38 CLP 2,142

-56.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 CLP 741

$1.55 CLP 1,395

-47.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 CLP 2,864

$3.72 CLP 3,345

-14.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 CLP 3,668

$4.02 CLP 3,614

1.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 CLP 1,047

$1.23 CLP 1,110

-5.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 CLP 1,343

$1.44 CLP 1,290

3.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,754

$1.62 CLP 1,454

20.37%

Eggs

$3.43 CLP 3,081

$3.21 CLP 2,887

6.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.50 CLP 9,438

$9.18 CLP 8,251

14.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 CLP 5,882

$6.63 CLP 5,958

-1.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 CLP 10.0K

$13.21 CLP 11.9K

-15.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,711

$2.32 CLP 2,088

-18.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,354

$2.00 CLP 1,799

-24.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,361

$1.91 CLP 1,717

-20.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,355

$1.88 CLP 1,691

-19.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 CLP 1,105

$2.46 CLP 2,208

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,214

$1.65 CLP 1,481

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 CLP 1,104

$1.52 CLP 1,368

-19.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 CLP 1,047

$1.16 CLP 1,045

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.26 CLP 4,726

$5.47 CLP 4,920

-3.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.93 CLP 5,327

$4.92 CLP 4,421

20.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,395

$1.54 CLP 1,382

0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,070

$2.17 CLP 1,950

5.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 554

$0.60 CLP 539

3.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 420

$1.60 CLP 1,439

-70.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,275

$1.43 CLP 1,282

-0.70%

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

$19.5K CLP 17.5M

$15.6K CLP 14.0M

24.93%

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

$21.1K CLP 19.0M

$18.4K CLP 16.5M

15.02%

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

$133 CLP 119.6K

$96.4 CLP 86.6K

38.01%

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

$13.57 CLP 12.2K

$19.02 CLP 17.1K

-28.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.00 CLP 19.8K

$28.78 CLP 25.9K

-23.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.87 CLP 34.0K

$42.40 CLP 38.1K

-10.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.41 CLP 19.2K

$25.19 CLP 22.6K

-15.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.70 CLP 5,124

$4.82 CLP 4,331

18.26%

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

$436 CLP 391.5K

$271 CLP 243.8K

60.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 CLP 45.1K

$54.8 CLP 49.2K

-8.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.84 CLP 27.7K

$18.66 CLP 16.8K

65.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 CLP 54.4K

$53.0 CLP 47.6K

14.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 CLP 74.2K

$79.9 CLP 71.8K

3.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 CLP 436.2K

$599 CLP 538.5K

-19.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 331.5K

$387 CLP 348.2K

-4.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 CLP 787.7K

$1,052 CLP 945.7K

-16.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 CLP 541.5K

$599 CLP 537.9K

0.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,910 CLP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$575 CLP 516.5K

$675 CLP 606.7K

-14.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

4.5

15.11%

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

Last update for Puerto Varas: June 7, 2026

Last update for Valdivia: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Puerto Varas and $599 in Valdivia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Valdivia pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Puerto Varas vs $42.00 in Valdivia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $240 per month, with Puerto Varas 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 Varas vs Valdivia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Valdivia wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Puerto Varas. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Valdivia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Valdivia earns 17% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $485 in Puerto Varas versus $599 in Valdivia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Puerto Varas pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,112 per month in Puerto Varas versus $1,077 in Valdivia – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,077 in Valdivia versus $1,112 in Puerto Varas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Valdivia but tight or insufficient in Puerto Varas. The gap between the two cities makes Valdivia 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 Valdivia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Puerto Varas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.