Moving to Chile from China
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to Chile — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from China to Chile, you would find that Chile is 33.5% more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly CLF2,490 in Chile to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Chile cheaper than China?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 22.9% more
Transportation
pay 23.0% more
Housing
pay 57.0% more
Childcare
pay 47.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 29.5% 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 Chile?
What does your salary buy?
CN¥500,000 → CLF2,490
To maintain the same standard of living in Chile
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 Chile cost about 2% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from China to Chile, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How China and Chile 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
China generally does better on safety, though Chile leads in road traffic deaths.
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 China 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 performs significantly better than China across all environment metrics.
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
China generally does better on infrastructure, though Chile leads in water stress level.
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
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Chile leads in gdp per capita.
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 generally does better on family life, though China leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), State Administration of Taxation (2016), Chilean Tax Administration (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Weather in Chile vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Dirección Meteorológica de Chile
Can you move from China to Chile?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China and Chile. To live, work, or study long-term in Chile, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Chile's immigration authority.
China passport holder visiting Chile
Visa Required
Chile passport holder visiting China
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 Chile than China?
Day-to-day costs in Chile run about 34% higher than China on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Chile?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CN¥500,000 comparable salary, that's around CLF622 in Chile for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Chile?
With 23.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Chile can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in China and Chile.
Is Chile safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Chile leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Chile is 6.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China. About 32% of people in Chile feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Chile compared to China?
Chile generally does better on health & wellbeing, though China leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 33.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Chile, compared to 31.1 in China. Chile scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Chile compared to China?
The average high temperature in Santiago is 73°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. Santiago receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Chile?
The official language in Chile is Spanish. In China, the official language is Chinese.
