Moving to Chile from Ecuador

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ecuador to Chile, you would find that Chile is 26.8% more expensive than Ecuador overall. A $75,000 salary in Ecuador would need to be roughly CLF1,898 in Chile to maintain the same lifestyle.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 CLF1,898

To maintain the same standard of living in Chile

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 68.3% more

Groceries

pay 31.4% more

Transportation

pay 31.0% more

Housing

pay 39.3% more

Childcare

pay 23.1% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 16.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.0235 CLF (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 Ecuador to Chile, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
3,385 ↓ 58% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Chile?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

EC
27.0
CL
6.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

EC
23.4
CL
10.3

Chile performs significantly better than Ecuador across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

EC
$1,238
CL
$3,612
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

EC
23.1
CL
31.7

Ecuador generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

EC
23.0
CL
18.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

EC
2.6t
CL
3.9t

Ecuador generally does better on environment, though Chile leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

EC
15.0
CL
22.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

EC
6.8%
CL
9.0%

Chile generally does better on infrastructure, though Ecuador leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

EC
3.4%
CL
9.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

EC
$14,300
CL
$29,500

Ecuador generally does better on employment & economy, though Chile leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

EC
77.5 yrs
CL
79.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

EC
18.1
CL
6.5

Chile performs significantly better than Ecuador across all family life metrics.

Data: Servicio de Rentas Internas del Ecuador, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Quito Rain: 43.2 in/yr (1098 mm)
71° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Santiago Rain: 13.5 in/yr (342 mm)
73° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Quito Santiago
Jan–Mar 70°/50°F (21°/10°C) 84°/55°F (29°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 70°/50°F (21°/10°C) 66°/44°F (19°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/49°F (22°/9°C) 63°/41°F (17°/5°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/49°F (21°/10°C) 79°/51°F (26°/10°C)
View all months
Month Quito Santiago
Jan 70°/50°F (21.2°/9.8°C) 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C)
Feb 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C) 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C)
Mar 69°/50°F (20.8°/10.1°C) 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C)
Apr 70°/50°F (20.9°/10.2°C) 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C)
May 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C) 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C)
Jun 70°/50°F (21.1°/9.8°C) 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C)
Jul 71°/49°F (21.5°/9.4°C) 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C)
Aug 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.6°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C)
Sep 72°/49°F (22.3°/9.4°C) 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C)
Oct 71°/49°F (21.8°/9.5°C) 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C)
Nov 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.6°C) 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C)
Dec 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.7°C) 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C)

Data: Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI, Dirección Meteorológica de Chile Dirección Meteorológica de Chile

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ecuador 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.

Ecuador passport

Ecuador passport holder visiting Chile

Visa Free
Ecuador passport holders can enter Chile without a visa.
Chile passport

Chile passport holder visiting Ecuador

Visa Free
Chile passport holders can enter Ecuador 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 Chile than Ecuador?

Day-to-day costs in Chile run about 8% higher than Ecuador 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 $75,000 comparable salary, that's around CLF474 in Chile for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Chile?

With 22.7 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 Ecuador and Chile.

Is Chile safe for expats?

Chile performs significantly better than Ecuador across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Chile is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 27.0 in Ecuador.

How is healthcare in Chile compared to Ecuador?

Ecuador 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 23.1 in Ecuador. Chile scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ecuador: 77).

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

The average high temperature in Santiago is 73°F, compared to 71°F in Quito. Santiago receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Quito gets 43.2 in.

What language do they speak in Chile?

Both Ecuador and Chile share the same official language: Spanish.

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At a Glance

EC CL
Population 17,289,554 18,430,408
Currency United States Dollar ($) Chilean Unit of Account (UF) (CLF)
Languages Spanish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +593 +56
Time zones 2 2
Emergency number 911 131