Moving to Washington from Chile

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Chile to Washington, you would find that Washington is 2.4 times more expensive than Chile overall. A CLF1,773 salary in Chile would need to be roughly $146,733 in Washington to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Olympia averages 60°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 Washington.

What does your salary buy?

CLF1,773 $146,733

To maintain the same standard of living in Washington

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 94.3% more

Groceries

pay 92.8% more

Transportation

pay 56.2% more

Housing

pay 3.2 times more

Childcare

pay 4.9 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 95.3% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 CLF = 42.3 USD (August 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?

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

Moved in 2023
2,190 ↑ 23% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Washington compared to Chile.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

CL
28.0%
WA
31.1%

Chile performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

CL
90.0%
WA
93.1%

Washington performs significantly better than Chile across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CL
9.0%
WA
5.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

CL
$29,500
WA
$87,768

Washington 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
WA
79.2 yrs

Chile performs better than Washington across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

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

Olympia Rain: 50.0 in/yr (1270 mm)
60° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Santiago Olympia
Jan–Mar 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) 50°/34°F (10°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) 65°/43°F (18°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) 76°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) 51°/36°F (11°/2°C)
View all months
Month Santiago Olympia
Jan 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C)
Feb 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C)
Mar 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C)
Apr 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C)
May 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C)
Jun 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C)
Jul 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C)
Aug 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C)
Sep 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C)
Oct 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C)
Nov 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C)
Dec 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C)

Data: Dirección Meteorológica de Chile Dirección Meteorológica de Chile, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Chile passport

Chile passport holder visiting United States

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

United States passport holder visiting Chile

Visa Free
United States 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 Washington than Chile?

On average Washington is around 96% pricier than Chile, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Washington?

Budget about $36,683 for 3 months in Washington (based on a CLF1,773 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Washington?

From major Washington cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Chile and Washington are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Washington compared to Chile?

Chile performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Olympia is 60°F, compared to 73°F in Santiago. Olympia receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Santiago gets 13.5 in.

What language do they speak in Washington?

The official language in Washington is English. In Chile, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

CL
Population 18,430,408 6,724,540
Currency Chilean Unit of Account (UF) (CLF) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Spanish English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +56 +1
Time zones 2 11
Emergency number 131 911