Moving to Puerto Rico from Chile

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Chile to Puerto Rico — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Chile to Puerto Rico, you would find that Puerto Rico is 55.7% more expensive than Chile overall. A CLF1,775 salary in Chile would need to be roughly $122,557 in Puerto Rico to maintain the same lifestyle.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Chile to Puerto Rico.

What does your salary buy?

CLF1,775 $122,557

To maintain the same standard of living in Puerto Rico

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 37.9% more

Groceries

pay 86.9% more

Transportation

pay 13.3% more

Housing

pay 2.2 times more

Childcare

pay 59.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 33.9% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 CLF = 42.25 USD (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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Chile to Puerto Rico, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
452 ↓ 43% vs 2015

people born in Chile live in Puerto Rico · UN DESA

Who's moving to Puerto Rico?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Chile and Puerto Rico stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

CL
6.7
PR
14.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CL
10.3
PR
12.5

Chile performs better than Puerto Rico across all safety metrics.

What about the environment?

CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CL
3.9t
PR
4.8t

Chile performs better than Puerto Rico 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

CL
22.7
PR
21.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CL
9.0%
PR
19.5%

Chile performs better than Puerto Rico across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CL
9.0%
PR
6.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CL
$29,500
PR
$43,000

Puerto Rico performs significantly better than Chile across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CL
79.8 yrs
PR
81.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CL
6.5
PR
6.0

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

Data: Chilean Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Chile passport

Chile passport holder visiting Puerto Rico

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Chile passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Puerto Rico.

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 Puerto Rico than Chile?

Day-to-day costs in Puerto Rico run about 63% higher than Chile on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Puerto Rico?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CLF1,775 comparable salary, that's around $30,639 in Puerto Rico for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Puerto Rico?

With 21.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico.

Is Puerto Rico safe for expats?

Chile performs better than Puerto Rico across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Puerto Rico is 14.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.7 in Chile.

What language do they speak in Puerto Rico?

The official languages in Puerto Rico are English and Spanish. In Chile, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

CL PR
Population 18,430,408 3,098,423
Currency Chilean Unit of Account (UF) (CLF) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Spanish English, Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +56 +1
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 131