Moving to Chile from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Chile? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Chile, you would find that Chile is 26.4% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,904,791 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly CLF1,091 in Chile to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Costa Rica and Chile.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,904,791 → CLF1,091
To maintain the same standard of living in Chile
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 24.1% less
Groceries
pay 25.3% less
Transportation
pay 28.8% less
Housing
pay 24.6% less
Childcare
pay 40.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 11.5% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Costa Rica to Chile.
people moved from Costa Rica to Chile · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Chile compared to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Chile performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.
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
Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica performs better than Chile 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
Chile generally does better on infrastructure, though Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica generally does better on family life, though Chile leads in life expectancy.
Data: Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica, 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 | San Jose | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Dirección Meteorológica de Chile
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica 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.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Chile
Visa Free
Chile passport holder visiting Costa Rica
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 Costa Rica?
On average Chile is about 36% less expensive than Costa Rica, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Chile?
Budget about CLF273 for 3 months in Chile (based on a CRC33,904,791 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Chile?
Connectivity is usually fine (Chile: 22.7 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Chile offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Chile safe for expats?
Chile performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Chile is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Chile compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica 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 26.4 in Costa Rica. Chile scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Chile compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Santiago is 73°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Santiago receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Chile?
Both Costa Rica and Chile share the same official language: Spanish.
