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 $1,290 per month in Santiago vs $1,103 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,039 per month in Santiago vs $1,660 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,788 per month in Santiago vs $2,217 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 4% lower, Puerto Montt 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 CLP 9,603

$8.45 CLP 7,515

27.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 CLP 48.2K

$38.39 CLP 34.1K

41.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 CLP 7,405

$7.69 CLP 6,838

8.32%

Cappuccino

$3.11 CLP 2,764

$2.94 CLP 2,611

5.78%

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

$1.76 CLP 1,569

$0.94 CLP 833

87.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 CLP 1,139

$1.00 CLP 886

28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 CLP 2,919

$3.28 CLP 2,914

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 CLP 3,924

$4.13 CLP 3,677

6.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,048

$1.16 CLP 1,035

1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,398

$1.50 CLP 1,334

4.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 CLP 1,932

$1.92 CLP 1,710

13.02%

Eggs

$4.16 CLP 3,695

$3.25 CLP 2,893

28.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 CLP 9,377

$11.95 CLP 10.6K

-11.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 CLP 5,918

$6.48 CLP 5,760

2.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 CLP 9,626

$10.85 CLP 9,646

-0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 CLP 1,849

$1.89 CLP 1,677

10.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,452

$1.49 CLP 1,328

9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,861

$1.60 CLP 1,421

30.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,640

$1.91 CLP 1,699

-3.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,650

$1.28 CLP 1,141

45.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 CLP 1,511

$1.40 CLP 1,245

21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 CLP 1,186

$1.38 CLP 1,230

-3.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,051

$1.52 CLP 1,348

-22.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.73 CLP 5,099

$4.86 CLP 4,324

17.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.53 CLP 5,806

$6.32 CLP 5,618

3.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CLP 1,363

$1.47 CLP 1,310

4.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 CLP 2,231

$2.22 CLP 1,974

13.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 CLP 813

$0.62 CLP 554

46.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.61 CLP 37.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 457

$0.51 CLP 455

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CLP 1,314

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.35 CLP 10.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,268

$1.43 CLP 1,270

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

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

$19.2K CLP 17.1M

0.44%

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

$22.6K CLP 20.1M

$21.2K CLP 18.8M

6.61%

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

$130 CLP 116.0K

$133 CLP 118.2K

-1.87%

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

$13.74 CLP 12.2K

$11.62 CLP 10.3K

18.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.91 CLP 19.5K

$22.25 CLP 19.8K

-1.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.54 CLP 29.8K

$38.09 CLP 33.9K

-11.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.03 CLP 18.7K

$21.45 CLP 19.1K

-1.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 CLP 5,813

$5.62 CLP 4,994

16.37%

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

$437 CLP 388.9K

$433 CLP 385.2K

0.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,711 CLP 7.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 CLP 48.3K

$51.5 CLP 45.8K

5.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.57 CLP 29.0K

$30.65 CLP 27.3K

6.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 CLP 69.5K

$62.2 CLP 55.3K

25.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 CLP 74.4K

$81.2 CLP 72.2K

2.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 CLP 455.3K

$472 CLP 419.6K

8.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 CLP 415.6K

$374 CLP 332.8K

24.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 CLP 901.6K

$886 CLP 787.4K

14.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$919 CLP 817.1K

$595 CLP 528.8K

54.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,857 CLP 2.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,999 CLP 2.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$858 CLP 762.9K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Puerto Montt: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $512 in Santiago versus $472 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 $54.0 in Santiago versus $38.00 in Puerto Montt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $237 – 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 $1,934 per month in Santiago and $1,655 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 $1,290 in Santiago and $1,103 in Puerto Montt. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $437 per month in Santiago and $433 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 $1,103, than in Santiago at $1,290. 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.