Moving to Chile from Argentina

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Argentina to Chile — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Argentina to Chile, you would find that Chile is 3.0% more expensive than Argentina overall. A ARS110,887,500 salary in Argentina would need to be roughly CLF1,506 in Chile to maintain the same lifestyle.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Argentina to Chile.

What does your salary buy?

ARS110,887,500 CLF1,506

To maintain the same standard of living in Chile

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 21.6% less

Groceries

pay 0.4% more

Transportation

pay 11.7% more

Housing

pay 19.8% more

Childcare

pay 40.6% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 17.8% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ARS = 0.0 CLF (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Get free moving quotes to Chile

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Argentina to Chile, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
4,295 ↓ 26% vs 2022

people moved from Argentina to Chile · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Chile?

Top countries of origin for Chile's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Argentina to Chile.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AR
4.3
CL
6.7
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

AR
48%
CL
32%

Argentina performs better than Chile across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

AR
$3,089
CL
$3,612
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

AR
40.8
CL
31.7

Argentina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AR
29.0
CL
18.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AR
4.0t
CL
3.9t

Chile performs significantly better than Argentina across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AR
24.6
CL
22.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AR
10.5%
CL
9.0%

Chile generally does better on infrastructure, though Argentina leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AR
6.2%
CL
9.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AR
$26,500
CL
$29,500

Argentina generally does better on employment & economy, though Chile leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AR
78.3 yrs
CL
79.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AR
9.3
CL
6.5

Chile generally does better on family life, though Argentina leads in literacy rate.

Data: Federal Administration of Public Revenue, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Buenos Aires Rain: 48.7 in/yr (1237 mm)
73° / 56°F

Avg. annual high / low

Santiago Rain: 13.5 in/yr (342 mm)
73° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Buenos Aires Santiago
Jan–Mar 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) 84°/55°F (29°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 67°/52°F (19°/11°C) 66°/44°F (19°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 64°/48°F (17°/9°C) 63°/41°F (17°/5°C)
Oct–Dec 78°/61°F (26°/16°C) 79°/51°F (26°/10°C)
View all months
Month Buenos Aires Santiago
Jan 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C) 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C)
Feb 84°/67°F (28.7°/19.2°C) 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C)
Mar 80°/64°F (26.8°/17.7°C) 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C)
Apr 73°/57°F (22.9°/13.8°C) 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C)
May 67°/51°F (19.3°/10.7°C) 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C)
Jun 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.1°C) 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C)
Jul 60°/45°F (15.3°/7.4°C) 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C)
Aug 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.8°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C)
Sep 67°/51°F (19.3°/10.3°C) 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C)
Oct 73°/56°F (22.7°/13.3°C) 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C)
Nov 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C) 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C)
Dec 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.4°C) 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C)

Data: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, Dirección Meteorológica de Chile Dirección Meteorológica de Chile

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Argentina and Chile. To live, work, or study long-term in Chile, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Chile's immigration authority.

Argentina passport

Argentina passport holder visiting Chile

Visa Free
Argentina passport holders can enter Chile without a visa.
Chile passport

Chile passport holder visiting Argentina

Visa Free
Chile passport holders can enter Argentina without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Chile than Argentina?

Yes — Chile is on average about 15% cheaper than Argentina. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Chile?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CLF376 in Chile on a ARS110,887,500 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Chile?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Chile has 22.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Chile safe for expats?

Argentina performs better than Chile across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Chile is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.3 in Argentina. About 32% of people in Chile feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Chile compared to Argentina?

Argentina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in health coverage index. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Chile, compared to 40.8 in Argentina. Chile scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Argentina: 79).

What's the weather like in Chile compared to Argentina?

The average high temperature in Santiago is 73°F, compared to 73°F in Buenos Aires. Santiago receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Buenos Aires gets 48.7 in.

What language do they speak in Chile?

The official language in Chile is Spanish. In Argentina, the official languages are Guaraní and Spanish.

Share this

At a Glance

AR CL
Population 46,245,668 18,430,408
Currency Argentine Peso (ARS) Chilean Unit of Account (UF) (CLF)
Languages Guaraní, Spanish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +54 +56
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 911 131