Moving to Chile from Germany

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Germany to Chile, you would find that Chile is 43.3% cheaper than Germany overall. A €65,700 salary in Germany would need to be roughly CLF984 in Chile to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Santiago averages 73°F vs 56°F in Berlin, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 CLF984

To maintain the same standard of living in Chile

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 51.6% less

Groceries

pay 26.8% less

Transportation

pay 44.5% less

Housing

pay 53.7% less

Childcare

pay 50.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 33.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 0.0268 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 Germany to Chile, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
299 ↓ 33% vs 2022

people moved from Germany 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 Germany 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

DE
0.8
CL
6.7
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

DE
72%
CL
32%

Germany performs better than Chile across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

DE
$8,826
CL
$3,612
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

DE
45.2
CL
31.7

Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

DE
15.0
CL
18.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

DE
6.9t
CL
3.9t

Germany generally does better on environment, though Chile leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

DE
45.0
CL
22.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

DE
35.4%
CL
9.0%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

DE
3.0%
CL
9.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

DE
$61,900
CL
$29,500

Germany generally does better on employment & economy, though Chile leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

DE
81.5 yrs
CL
79.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

DE
3.2
CL
6.5

Germany generally does better on family life, though Chile leads in education spending.

Data: Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Berlin Rain: 22.5 in/yr (571 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Berlin Santiago
Jan–Mar 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) 84°/55°F (29°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) 66°/44°F (19°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) 63°/41°F (17°/5°C)
Oct–Dec 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) 79°/51°F (26°/10°C)
View all months
Month Berlin Santiago
Jan 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C)
Mar 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C)
Apr 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C)
May 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C)
Jun 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C)
Jul 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C)
Oct 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C)
Nov 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C)
Dec 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C)

Data: Deutscher Wetterdienst Deutscher Wetterdienst, Dirección Meteorológica de Chile Dirección Meteorológica de Chile

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Germany 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.

Germany passport

Germany passport holder visiting Chile

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

Chile passport holder visiting Germany

Visa Free
Chile passport holders can enter Germany 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 Germany?

Generally yes: Chile runs about 44% cheaper than Germany on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

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 €65,700 comparable salary, that's around CLF246 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 Germany and Chile.

Is Chile safe for expats?

Germany performs better than Chile across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Chile is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Germany. About 32% of people in Chile feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Chile compared to Germany?

Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Chile, compared to 45.2 in Germany. Chile scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Germany: 88).

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

The average high temperature in Santiago is 73°F, compared to 56°F in Berlin. Santiago receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Berlin gets 22.5 in.

What language do they speak in Chile?

The official language in Chile is Spanish. In Germany, the official language is German.

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At a Glance

DE CL
Population 84,316,622 18,430,408
Currency Euro (€) Chilean Unit of Account (UF) (CLF)
Languages German Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +49 +56
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112 131