Moving to Canada from Chile
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Chile to Canada — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Chile to Canada, you would find that Canada is 83.1% more expensive than Chile overall. A CLF1,900 salary in Chile would need to be roughly CA$200,000 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ottawa averages 52°F vs 73°F in Santiago, making it significantly cooler.
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 Chile to Canada.
What does your salary buy?
CLF1,900 → CA$200,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Canada
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 71.6% more
Groceries
pay 61.6% more
Transportation
pay 34.2% more
Housing
pay 2.5 times more
Childcare
pay 96.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 44.7% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Canada cost about 84% more than cities in Chile.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Canada
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 Chile to Canada, based on official data.
Who's moving to Canada?
Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents.
- 720,083
- 699,190
- 633,547
- 537,504
- 273,226
- 254,831
- · · ·
-
52.28,757
Chile
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Chile to Canada.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Canada performs significantly better than Chile across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Chile generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Chile generally does better on environment, though Canada leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Canada generally does better on infrastructure, though Chile leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Canada generally does better on employment & economy, though Chile leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Canada generally does better on family life, though Chile leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Chilean Tax Administration (2016), Canada Revenue Agency (2016), The World Factbook (2008). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Santiago | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Santiago | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) |
| Feb | 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) |
| Mar | 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) |
| Apr | 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) |
| May | 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) |
| Jul | 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) |
| Nov | 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) |
| Dec | 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) |
Data:
Dirección Meteorológica de Chile,
Meteorological Service of Canada
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Chile and Canada. To live, work, or study long-term in Canada, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Canada's immigration authority.
Chile passport holder visiting Canada
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Canada passport holder visiting Chile
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Canada than Chile?
No — Canada is on average about 83% more expensive than Chile. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Canada?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CA$50,000 in Canada on a CLF1,900 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Canada?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Canada has 42.5 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 Canada safe for expats?
Canada performs significantly better than Chile across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.3 in Chile. About 88% of people in Canada feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Canada compared to Chile?
Chile generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 28.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 33.3 in Chile. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Chile: 82).
What's the weather like in Canada compared to Chile?
The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 73°F in Santiago. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Santiago gets 13.5 in.
What language do they speak in Canada?
The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Chile, the official language is Spanish.
