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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Santiago vs $1,074 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,031 per month in Santiago vs $1,632 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,806 per month in Santiago vs $2,190 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

Santiago costs about 17% more than Puerto Montt, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Santiago and Puerto Montt are more affordable than the global median – Santiago 6% lower, Puerto Montt 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.72 CLP 9,972

$8.59 CLP 7,996

24.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 CLP 49.3K

$37.14 CLP 34.6K

42.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.30 CLP 7,722

$7.58 CLP 7,056

9.50%

Cappuccino

$3.25 CLP 3,023

$2.89 CLP 2,694

12.46%

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

$1.69 CLP 1,573

$0.98 CLP 915

72.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 CLP 1,207

$0.98 CLP 914

32.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 CLP 3,028

$3.22 CLP 2,993

0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 CLP 4,039

$4.24 CLP 3,943

2.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,102

$1.22 CLP 1,139

-3.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 CLP 1,416

$1.50 CLP 1,398

1.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 CLP 1,968

$1.86 CLP 1,730

13.98%

Eggs

$3.99 CLP 3,716

$3.43 CLP 3,192

16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 CLP 9,555

$11.63 CLP 10.8K

-11.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 CLP 6,391

$6.53 CLP 6,073

5.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 CLP 10.1K

$10.91 CLP 10.1K

-0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 CLP 1,968

$1.83 CLP 1,706

15.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,515

$1.44 CLP 1,340

13.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 CLP 1,972

$1.59 CLP 1,482

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 CLP 1,718

$1.91 CLP 1,780

-3.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,764

$1.23 CLP 1,147

54.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 CLP 1,553

$1.35 CLP 1,252

23.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 CLP 1,240

$1.32 CLP 1,231

0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,101

$1.52 CLP 1,410

-22.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.56 CLP 5,175

$4.98 CLP 4,633

11.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 CLP 5,960

$5.78 CLP 5,379

10.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,456

$1.48 CLP 1,381

5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 CLP 2,289

$2.24 CLP 2,083

9.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 CLP 863

$0.61 CLP 569

52.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.96 CLP 40.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 442

$0.47 CLP 435

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CLP 1,313

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.65 CLP 10.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,288

$1.37 CLP 1,274

0.73%

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

$19.7K CLP 18.3M

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

-0.44%

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

$23.1K CLP 21.5M

$21.6K CLP 20.1M

6.99%

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

$130 CLP 120.6K

$130 CLP 120.8K

-0.18%

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

$13.50 CLP 12.6K

$11.91 CLP 11.1K

13.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.10 CLP 20.6K

$21.93 CLP 20.4K

0.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.69 CLP 32.3K

$39.08 CLP 36.4K

-11.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.33 CLP 19.8K

$21.29 CLP 19.8K

0.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 CLP 6,149

$5.54 CLP 5,151

19.31%

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

$439 CLP 408.8K

$439 CLP 408.0K

0.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,743 CLP 8.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 CLP 50.7K

$50.6 CLP 47.1K

7.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.47 CLP 31.1K

$30.76 CLP 28.6K

8.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 CLP 71.7K

$62.9 CLP 58.5K

22.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 CLP 79.7K

$80.9 CLP 75.3K

5.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 CLP 479.0K

$487 CLP 453.6K

5.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 CLP 434.3K

$380 CLP 353.7K

22.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 CLP 944.9K

$878 CLP 816.9K

15.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$897 CLP 835.0K

$591 CLP 549.5K

51.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,749 CLP 2.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,714 CLP 2.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$797 CLP 741.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

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

Last update for Santiago: July 27, 2026

Last update for Puerto Montt: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Santiago versus $487 in Puerto Montt. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Santiago versus $37.00 in Puerto Montt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $236 – making Puerto Montt the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Santiago vs Puerto Montt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santiago costs about 17% more than Puerto Montt, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Santiago and $1,611 in Puerto Montt. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Montt, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Santiago and $1,074 in Puerto Montt. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $439 per month in Santiago and $439 in Puerto Montt. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Montt, where all-in costs run around $1,074, than in Santiago at $1,256. In Puerto Montt it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santiago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Montt – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Puerto Montt. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santiago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.