Moving to Mexico from Chile
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Chile to Mexico — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Chile to Mexico, you would find that Mexico is 9.8% more expensive than Chile overall. A CLF1,775 salary in Chile would need to be roughly MX$1,569,849 in Mexico 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?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Chile to Mexico.
What does your salary buy?
CLF1,775 → MX$1,569,849
To maintain the same standard of living in Mexico
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 6.8% more
Groceries
pay 22.3% more
Transportation
pay 19.2% more
Housing
pay 8.7% more
Childcare
pay 12.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.5% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Chile to Mexico, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Chile and Mexico stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Chile generally does better on safety, though Mexico leads in feel safe walking at night.
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 Mexico leads in healthcare spending per person.
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 Mexico leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 performs better than Mexico across all infrastructure metrics.
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 Mexico 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Chile performs better than Mexico across all family life metrics.
Data: Chilean Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Santiago | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Santiago | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) |
| Feb | 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) |
| May | 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) |
| Jun | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) |
| Jul | 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) |
| Aug | 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) |
| Oct | 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) |
| Nov | 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) |
Data:
Dirección Meteorológica de Chile,
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Chile and Mexico. To live, work, or study long-term in Mexico, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Mexico's immigration authority.
Chile passport holder visiting Mexico
Visa Free
Mexico 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 Mexico than Chile?
Day-to-day costs in Mexico run about 19% higher than Chile on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Mexico?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CLF1,775 comparable salary, that's around MX$392,462 in Mexico for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Mexico?
With 20.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Mexico can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Chile and Mexico.
Is Mexico safe for expats?
Chile generally does better on safety, though Mexico leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Mexico is 26.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.7 in Chile. About 38% of people in Mexico feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Mexico compared to Chile?
Chile generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mexico leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Mexico, compared to 31.7 in Chile. Mexico scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Chile: 82).
What's the weather like in Mexico compared to Chile?
The average high temperature in Mexico City is 74°F, compared to 73°F in Santiago. Mexico City receives around 32.1 in of rainfall per year, while Santiago gets 13.5 in.
What language do they speak in Mexico?
Both Chile and Mexico share the same official language: Spanish.
