Moving to Japan from Chile
What to Expect
Considering a move from Chile to Japan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Chile to Japan, you would find that Japan is 17.9% more expensive than Chile overall. A CLF1,900 salary in Chile would need to be roughly ¥14,200,000 in Japan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Japanese. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Japan cheaper than Chile?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 22.6% less
Groceries
pay 43.3% more
Transportation
pay 25.6% more
Housing
pay 16.7% more
Childcare
pay 35.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 15.3% 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.
What salary do you need in Japan?
What does your salary buy?
CLF1,900 → ¥14,200,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Japan
Calculate with your salary →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 Japan cost about 23% 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 Japan.
Who's moving to Japan?
Top countries of origin for Japan's foreign-born residents.
- 775,893
- 456,203
- 335,668
- 275,252
- 204,814
- 58,340
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Japan compared to Chile.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan 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 Japan 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 Japan 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
Chile generally does better on infrastructure, though Japan leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Chile generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan leads in unemployment 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
Japan 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), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this
Weather in Japan vs Chile
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Santiago | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Santiago | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) |
| Feb | 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) |
| Mar | 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) |
| Apr | 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) |
| May | 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) |
| Jun | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) |
| Jul | 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| Sep | 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) |
| Oct | 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) |
| Nov | 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) |
| Dec | 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) |
Data:
Dirección Meteorológica de Chile,
Japan Meteorological Agency
Can you move from Chile to Japan?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Chile and Japan. To live, work, or study long-term in Japan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Japan's immigration authority.
Chile passport holder visiting Japan
Visa Free
Japan 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 Japan than Chile?
On average Japan is around 18% pricier than Chile, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Japan?
Budget about ¥3,550,000 for 3 months in Japan (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 Japan?
Connectivity is usually fine (Japan: 38.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Japan offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Japan safe for expats?
Japan performs significantly better than Chile across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.3 in Chile. About 83% of people in Japan feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Japan compared to Chile?
Chile generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index. There are 26.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Japan, compared to 33.3 in Chile. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Chile: 82).
What's the weather like in Japan compared to Chile?
The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 73°F in Santiago. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Santiago gets 13.5 in.
What language do they speak in Japan?
The official language in Japan is Japanese. In Chile, the official language is Spanish.
