Puerto Varas vs San Martín de los Andes
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Puerto Varas edges it, 53 to 52, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Puerto Varas is stronger on internet, air quality, getting there & around; San Martín de los Andes on visa ease, cost of living. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
German-settled lake town with volcano views, gateway to Chilean Patagonia
Full Puerto Varas profile →Where to stay in Puerto Varas →Alpine-style lake town on Lago Lácar, quieter and pricier than Bariloche
Full San Martín de los Andes profile →Where to stay in San Martín de los Andes →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Puerto Varas | San Martín de los Andes |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 41 | 55 ✓ |
| Safety | 56 | 61 ✓ |
| Healthcare | 82 ✓ | 73 |
| Internet | 66 ✓ | 49 |
| Visa ease | 46 | 71 ✓ |
| Getting there & around | 38 ✓ | 26 |
| Climate | 8 ✓ | 0 |
| Air quality | 66 ✓ | 52 |
| Quality of life | 74 | 79 ✓ |
Cost
| Metric | Puerto Varas | San Martín de los Andes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,650 | $1,150 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Puerto Varas | San Martín de los Andes |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 6.11 | 3.94 ✓ |
| Political stability (0–100) | 68.6 ✓ | 68.4 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 84 ✓ | 80 |
| Life expectancy | 79 yrs ✓ | 74.6 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Puerto Varas | San Martín de los Andes |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 27.2 Mbps ✓ | 11.7 Mbps |
| Upload | 18.7 Mbps ✓ | 7 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Puerto Varas | San Martín de los Andes |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | Digital nomad transitory residence ✓ |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Puerto Varas | San Martín de los Andes |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 6 ✓ | 3 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 | 4 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 ✓ | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Puerto Varas | San Martín de los Andes |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 1 ✓ | 0 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 20.1 µg/m³ ✓ | 26.4 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Puerto Varas or San Martín de los Andes?
- San Martín de los Andes is cheaper: about $1,150 per month versus $1,650 for one person.
- Is Puerto Varas or San Martín de los Andes safer?
- San Martín de los Andes scores higher on safety (61 vs 56), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Puerto Varas or San Martín de los Andes?
- Puerto Varas: a measured median of 27.2 Mbps versus 11.7 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- Puerto Varas vs Pucón
- Puerto Varas vs Valdivia
- San Martín de los Andes vs El Calafate
- San Martín de los Andes vs Bariloche
- All comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.