Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Temuco and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,069 in Temuco, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

52

Cost of Living Index in Temuco
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Temuco Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Temuco

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,069

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Temuco and in Chiang Mai

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

A single person spends $1,069 per month in Temuco vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Temuco $1,069
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $1,598 per month in Temuco vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Temuco $1,598
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $2,128 per month in Temuco vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Temuco $2,128
Chiang Mai $1,914

Temuco costs about 14% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Temuco and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Temuco 21% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.21 CLP 7,096

$2.26 ฿75.4

219.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 CLP 29.7K

$19.18 ฿641

57.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 CLP 7,172

$5.59 ฿187

30.41%

Cappuccino

$3.75 CLP 3,695

$1.72 ฿57.6

118.02%

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

$2.19 CLP 2,153

$0.64 ฿21.54

242.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 CLP 1,067

$0.33 ฿11.18

227.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 CLP 3,571

$2.36 ฿78.7

53.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 CLP 3,358

$3.90 ฿130

-12.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 CLP 1,154

$2.05 ฿68.6

-42.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 CLP 1,600

$1.40 ฿46.70

16.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 CLP 1,201

$1.28 ฿42.89

-4.69%

Eggs

$3.42 CLP 3,371

$2.25 ฿75.3

52.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 CLP 8,495

$16.94 ฿566

-49.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 CLP 4,988

$2.74 ฿91.6

85.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.40 CLP 9,249

$9.36 ฿313

0.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 2,078

$2.40 ฿80.3

-12.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 CLP 2,027

$1.01 ฿33.92

103.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 2,053

$1.61 ฿53.9

29.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 CLP 2,023

$1.52 ฿50.7

34.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 CLP 2,364

$1.28 ฿42.90

87.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 CLP 2,091

$1.11 ฿37.22

90.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 CLP 1,455

$0.72 ฿24.09

105.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,162

$0.52 ฿17.54

126.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 CLP 4,559

$4.33 ฿145

6.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.90 CLP 4,823

$17.73 ฿593

-72.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CLP 1,450

$1.63 ฿54.4

-9.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 CLP 2,033

$2.85 ฿95.3

-27.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 CLP 859

$0.85 ฿28.31

2.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.57 CLP 33.0K

$53.9 ฿1,801

-37.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 CLP 835

$1.17 ฿39.18

-27.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CLP 1,550

$0.57 ฿19.00

175.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 CLP 8,897

$2.37 ฿79.2

281.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,356

$1.45 ฿48.32

-4.83%

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

$12.3K CLP 12.1M

$20.5K ฿684.3K

-39.96%

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

$17.3K CLP 17.0M

$26.5K ฿886.1K

-34.89%

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

$136 CLP 134.2K

$62.3 ฿2,083

118.77%

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

$11.17 CLP 11.0K

$12.27 ฿410

-8.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.85 CLP 22.5K

$19.97 ฿668

14.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.34 CLP 47.6K

$37.91 ฿1,267

27.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.20 CLP 44.5K

$3.76 ฿126

1102.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 CLP 4,508

$6.71 ฿224

-31.74%

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

$214 CLP 210.7K

$797 ฿26.6K

-73.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,706 CLP 2.7M

$14.8K ฿495.7K

-81.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.80 CLP 43.1K

$53.3 ฿1,780

-17.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.62 CLP 17.3K

$25.05 ฿837

-29.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 CLP 64.7K

$91.6 ฿3,062

-28.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.4 CLP 82.1K

$73.5 ฿2,455

13.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 CLP 389.1K

$464 ฿15.5K

-14.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 CLP 312.7K

$305 ฿10.2K

4.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$708 CLP 697.2K

$915 ฿30.6K

-22.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 CLP 488.6K

$552 ฿18.5K

-10.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,952 CLP 1.9M

$1,912 ฿63.9K

2.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,668 CLP 1.6M

$1,438 ฿48.1K

15.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 CLP 515.8K

$595 ฿19.9K

-11.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

5.57

-13.82%

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

Last update for Temuco: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Temuco

$318 29.7%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 4.1% $13

Groceries & Markets

Temuco

$220 20.6%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 8% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Temuco

$170 15.9%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 44.5% $76

Eating Out

Temuco

$163 15.2%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 51.4% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Temuco

$95 8.9%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 15.6% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Temuco

$58 5.4%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 10.7% $6.2

Getting Around

Temuco

$46 4.3%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 33.9% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $395 in Temuco versus $464 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 14% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Temuco versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Temuco vs $238 in Chiang Mai – so Temuco wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Temuco

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

20:25 8:25 PM

06:25 6:25 AM

10 h ahead of Temuco

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

235,509

127,240

💱 Currency

Chilean Peso CLP $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇱 Chilean Peso ($)

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).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to CLP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Temuco Chiang Mai 17,650 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Temuco
Chiang Mai

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

Temuco vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Temuco costs about 14% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,603 per month in Temuco and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $214 per month in Temuco and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Temuco – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Temuco at $1,069. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Temuco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,069 in Temuco. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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