Moving to Germany from Chile

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Chile to Germany? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Chile to Germany, you would find that Germany is 77.7% more expensive than Chile overall. A CLF1,900 salary in Chile would need to be roughly €122,000 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Berlin averages 56°F vs 73°F in Santiago, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Chile and Germany.

What does your salary buy?

CLF1,900 → €122,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Germany

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 99.3% more

Groceries

pay 37.4% more

Transportation

pay 84.0% more

Housing

pay 2.0 times more

Childcare

pay 86.1% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 47.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 CLF = 36.07 EUR (October 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.

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 Germany cost about 85% more than cities in Chile.

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Chile to Germany.

Moved in 2023
2,176 ↑ 24% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Germany?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Germany compared to Chile.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

CL
6.3
DE
0.9
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

CL
32%
DE
72%

Germany performs significantly better than Chile across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

CL
$3,612
DE
$8,826
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

CL
33.3
DE
45.3

Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CL
18.0
DE
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CL
3.9t
DE
6.9t

Chile generally does better on environment, though Germany leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CL
23.7
DE
45.6
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CL
9.0%
DE
35.4%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CL
9.0%
DE
3.7%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

CL
$17,995
DE
$60,496

Chile generally does better on employment & economy, though Germany leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

CL
81.4 yrs
DE
80.8 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CL
5.8
DE
3.1

Germany generally does better on family life, though Chile leads in life expectancy.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Chilean Tax Administration (2016), Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Berlin Rain: 22.5 in/yr (571 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Santiago Berlin
Jan–Mar 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) 64°/47°F (18°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) 72°/55°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) 47°/37°F (8°/3°C)
View all months
Month Santiago Berlin
Jan 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C)
Feb 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C)
Mar 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C)
Apr 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C)
May 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C)
Jun 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C)
Jul 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C)
Aug 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C)
Sep 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C)
Oct 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C)
Nov 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C)
Dec 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C)

Data: Dirección Meteorológica de Chile Dirección Meteorológica de Chile, Deutscher Wetterdienst Deutscher Wetterdienst

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Chile passport

Chile passport holder visiting Germany

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

Germany passport holder visiting Chile

Visa Free
Germany passport holders can enter Chile 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 Germany than Chile?

On average Germany is around 78% pricier than Chile, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Germany?

Budget about €30,500 for 3 months in Germany (based on a CLF1,900 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Germany?

Connectivity is usually fine (Germany: 45.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Germany offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Germany safe for expats?

Germany performs significantly better than Chile across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.3 in Chile. About 72% of people in Germany feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Germany compared to Chile?

Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 33.3 in Chile. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Chile: 82).

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

The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 73°F in Santiago. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Santiago gets 13.5 in.

What language do they speak in Germany?

The official language in Germany is German. In Chile, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

CL DE
Population 19,859,921 83,491,249
Currency Chilean Unit of Account (UF) (CLF) Euro (€)
Languages Spanish German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +56 +49
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 131 112