Moving to Chile from Colombia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Colombia to Chile — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Colombia to Chile, you would find that Chile is 28.2% more expensive than Colombia overall. A COP272,547,271 salary in Colombia would need to be roughly CLF1,971 in Chile to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Santiago averages 73°F vs 61°F in Bogota, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Colombia to Chile.
What does your salary buy?
COP272,547,271 → CLF1,971
To maintain the same standard of living in Chile
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 56.5% more
Groceries
pay 30.3% more
Transportation
pay 0.5% more
Housing
pay 26.4% more
Childcare
pay 16.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 90.7% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Colombia to Chile, based on official data.
people moved from Colombia to Chile · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Colombia 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
Chile generally does better on safety, though Colombia 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Colombia generally does better on environment, though Chile 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
Chile generally does better on infrastructure, though Colombia 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
Chile generally does better on employment & economy, though Colombia leads in top income tax 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 significantly better than Colombia across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate of National Taxes and Customs (DIAN), 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 | Bogota | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) | 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/47°F (16°/9°C) | 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 60°/45°F (15°/7°C) | 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bogota | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C) | 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) |
| Feb | 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C) | 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) |
| Mar | 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C) | 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) |
| Apr | 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C) | 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) |
| May | 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C) | 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) |
| Jun | 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) |
| Jul | 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C) | 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) |
| Aug | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C) | 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) |
| Sep | 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C) | 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) |
| Oct | 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C) | 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) |
| Nov | 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C) | 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) |
| Dec | 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C) | 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) |
Data:
Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies,
Dirección Meteorológica de Chile
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Colombia 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.
Colombia passport holder visiting Chile
Visa Free
Chile passport holder visiting Colombia
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 Colombia?
No — Chile is on average about 16% more expensive than Colombia. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Chile?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CLF493 in Chile on a COP272,547,271 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Chile?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Chile has 22.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Chile safe for expats?
Chile generally does better on safety, though Colombia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Chile is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 25.4 in Colombia. About 32% of people in Chile feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Chile compared to Colombia?
Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Chile, compared to 24.5 in Colombia. Chile scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Colombia: 80).
What's the weather like in Chile compared to Colombia?
The average high temperature in Santiago is 73°F, compared to 61°F in Bogota. Santiago receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Bogota gets 31.5 in.
What language do they speak in Chile?
Both Colombia and Chile share the same official language: Spanish.
