Paramaribo vs Puerto Varas

The 2024 census counted 52,942 people in the commune of Puerto Varas. Next door is Puerto Montt with 277,040 people, the airport and a large hospital.

OfficialINE: first results of the 2024 census for the Los Lagos region · checked 6 Oct 2026

We found no reliable rent figures. MPs say landlords increasingly demand payment in dollars or euros, and families spend hundreds of euros a month on housing.

SpecialistWaterkant: Cambiel expects no solution to the housing problem, 18 May 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

A two-bedroom apartment is 650–750 thousand pesos a month (about 720 dollars). A three-bedroom house is mostly 620 thousand to 1.3 million, median 900 thousand.

SpecialistChilepropiedades: apartments for long-term rent in Puerto Varas, all 55 listings · checked 6 Oct 2026

A 5,000 m² plot (parcela de agrado) in listings costs 41–136 million pesos, median about 76 million (78 thousand dollars). In gated communities 100–300 million.

SpecialistChilepropiedades: plots (parcelas) for sale in the commune of Puerto Varas, first five pages (50 listings out of 260) · checked 6 Oct 2026

A three-bedroom house in listings costs 243–370 million pesos, median about 327 million (336 thousand dollars). There are few offers under 200 million.

SpecialistChilepropiedades: houses for sale in the commune of Puerto Varas, first five pages (50 listings out of 305) · checked 6 Oct 2026

The minimum food basket costs 92,327 pesos per person a month, about 369 thousand for four (380 dollars). The figure is national.

OfficialChile's Ministry of Social Development: cost of the basic food basket and poverty lines, August 2026 report · checked 6 Oct 2026

The poverty line for a family of four without rent is 671,031 pesos a month. With rent, food, electricity and internet it comes to about 1.1–1.4 million, without heating.

OfficialChile's Ministry of Social Development: cost of the basic food basket and poverty lines, August 2026 report · checked 6 Oct 2026

The town has the German School and Colegio Puerto Varas. They do not publish tuition openly; only the application fee is visible: 1.5–2 UF.

OfficialColegio Alemán de Puerto Varas: letter to applicant families, admission for 2027 · checked 6 Oct 2026

The town has the accredited private high-complexity Clínica Puerto Varas. A large public hospital is in neighbouring Puerto Montt.

OfficialSuperintendencia de Salud: register of accredited healthcare providers in the Los Lagos region · checked 6 Oct 2026

Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport is in Zanderij, 45 km south of the city. Flights to Amsterdam (KLM, SLM), Miami, Panama, Curaçao and Belém.

OfficialJohan Adolf Pengel Airport: about the airport · checked 6 Oct 2026

Nearest airport: El Tepual near Puerto Montt, flights to Santiago by LATAM, Sky and JetSMART. By bus Santiago is 899 km, from 11 h 20 min, from 16 thousand pesos.

SpecialistCheckMyBus: buses Santiago – Puerto Varas, timetable and prices · checked 6 Oct 2026

About 2150 mm a year. Wettest in May-June (275-330 mm a month, 22 rainy days each), driest in September-October (76-95 mm).

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Paramaribo · checked 6 Oct 2026

There is no winter: in January it is about 22 degrees at night and 32 by day. Hottest are September to November, 34-35 degrees by day.

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Paramaribo · checked 6 Oct 2026

The mean temperature in July 2026 near Puerto Montt was 6.2 °C: about 11 by day, about 2–3 at night. Frosts are common; the coldest night was minus 4.5 °C.

OfficialChilean Meteorological Office: July 2026 temperature, El Tepual Puerto Montt Ap. station, code 410005 · checked 6 Oct 2026

The 1991–2020 normal is about 1,566 mm a year, with rain in every month: from 69 mm in February to 213 mm in June. 2025 had 160 days with at least 1 mm.

OfficialChilean Meteorological Office: 2025 rainfall and the 1991–2020 normal, El Tepual Puerto Montt Ap. station, code 410005 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Paramaribo has burglaries and armed robberies, and pickpocketing is growing in shopping areas. Quiet secluded places, including Palmentuin, are risky.

OfficialUK Foreign Office: Suriname travel advice, Safety and security (updated 10 December 2025) · checked 6 Oct 2026

In 2025 the commune of Puerto Varas had two homicides, neighbouring Puerto Montt 16. The Los Lagos region had 4.5 per 100 thousand residents against 5.4 nationally.

OfficialReport on homicide victims in Chile for 2025, with figures by region and commune (published on the Fiscalía website) · checked 6 Oct 2026

The Calbuco and Osorno volcanoes are nearby. SENAPRED has a separate evacuation plan for Puerto Varas in case of a Calbuco eruption and a plan for the Osorno volcano.

OfficialSENAPRED: evacuation plans for the Los Lagos region, including for volcanic eruptions · checked 6 Oct 2026

Median fixed internet in Suriname is 183 Mbit/s (Speedtest, August 2026). Telesur Fiber 400 Mbit/s costs 1124.96 SRD (about 30 dollars) excluding VAT, 2-year contract.

SpecialistSpeedtest Global Index: Suriname, median speeds, August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Fibre from 12,990 pesos a month on promotion; the median price after the promotion is 26,990 (about 28 dollars). Tariffs are national; availability is checked by address.

SpecialistRedify: catalogue of home fibre internet plans in Chile, October 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

SWM water: 41.81 SRD per m³ since January 2026 plus a 40 SRD meter rent and 5% VAT. 15 m³ a month is about 700 SRD, roughly 18.5 dollars.

OfficialSWM: water tariffs July 2025 - January 2026 and a sample bill · checked 6 Oct 2026

EBS electricity: 1.971 SRD per kWh up to 400 kWh plus 211.78 SRD a month. 300 kWh is about 803 SRD (21 dollars) before the subsidy in the tariff table.

OfficialEBS: electricity tariffs in force since December 2024 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Bottled gas at Ministry of Economic Affairs prices: a 20 lb (about 9 kg) refill in Paramaribo costs 35.75 SRD, 28 lb 48.50, 100 lb 186 SRD.

OfficialEBS: gas cylinder refill prices set by the Ministry of Economic Affairs · checked 6 Oct 2026

SAESA electricity from 1 October 2026: 264.8 pesos per kWh with IVA plus 1,242 a month. 300 kWh is about 80.7 thousand pesos (83 dollars), cheaper than Valparaíso.

OfficialSAESA: electricity tariffs for regulated customers from 1 October 2026, table by commune · checked 6 Oct 2026