Moving to Chile from Guatemala
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Guatemala to Chile — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Guatemala to Chile, you would find that Chile is 2.6% more expensive than Guatemala overall. A GTQ572,138 salary in Guatemala would need to be roughly CLF1,374 in Chile to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Guatemala to Chile.
What does your salary buy?
GTQ572,138 → CLF1,374
To maintain the same standard of living in Chile
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 27.7% more
Groceries
pay 18.5% less
Transportation
pay 39.1% more
Housing
pay 12.4% less
Childcare
pay 16.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.4% 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?
How many people actually move from Guatemala to Chile, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Guatemala to Chile.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Chile performs significantly better than Guatemala 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
Guatemala 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
Guatemala 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 Guatemala 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
Guatemala 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 performs significantly better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Data: Superintendence of the Tax Administration, 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 | Guatemala City | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) | 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Guatemala City | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) | 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) |
| Feb | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) | 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) | 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) |
| Apr | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) | 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) |
| May | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) | 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) |
| Jun | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) |
| Jul | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) | 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) |
| Aug | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) | 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) |
| Sep | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) | 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) |
| Oct | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) | 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) |
| Nov | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) | 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) |
| Dec | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) | 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH),
Dirección Meteorológica de Chile
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guatemala 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.
Guatemala passport holder visiting Chile
Visa Free
Chile passport holder visiting Guatemala
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 Guatemala?
Yes — Chile is on average about 19% cheaper than Guatemala. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Chile?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CLF344 in Chile on a GTQ572,138 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 performs significantly better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Chile is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 20.0 in Guatemala.
How is healthcare in Chile compared to Guatemala?
Guatemala 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 12.8 in Guatemala. Chile scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guatemala: 59).
What's the weather like in Chile compared to Guatemala?
The average high temperature in Santiago is 73°F, compared to 77°F in Guatemala City. Santiago receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Guatemala City gets 46.7 in.
What language do they speak in Chile?
Both Guatemala and Chile share the same official language: Spanish.
