Moving to Chile from Kenya

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Kenya to Chile? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Kenya to Chile, you would find that Chile is 74.6% more expensive than Kenya overall. A KES9,690,000 salary in Kenya would need to be roughly CLF2,505 in Chile to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Kenya and Chile.

What does your salary buy?

KES9,690,000 CLF2,505

To maintain the same standard of living in Chile

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.1 times more

Groceries

pay 74.6% more

Transportation

pay 1.1% more

Housing

pay 2.3 times more

Childcare

pay 31.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 41.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KES = 0.0002 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?

What the data shows about people moving from Kenya to Chile.

Moved in 2023
2 ↓ 33% vs 2022

people moved from Kenya 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

The numbers behind daily life in Chile compared to Kenya.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

KE
4.9
CL
6.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KE
28.2
CL
10.3

Kenya generally does better on safety, though Chile leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

KE
$274
CL
$3,612
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

KE
1.0
CL
31.7

Kenya 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

KE
33.0
CL
18.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KE
0.4t
CL
3.9t

Kenya 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

KE
1.9
CL
22.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KE
33.2%
CL
9.0%

Chile performs significantly better than Kenya across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

KE
5.7%
CL
9.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KE
$5,700
CL
$29,500

Kenya 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

KE
69.7 yrs
CL
79.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KE
27.9
CL
6.5

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

Data: Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Nairobi Rain: 40.3 in/yr (1024 mm)
74° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Nairobi Santiago
Jan–Mar 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) 84°/55°F (29°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) 66°/44°F (19°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) 63°/41°F (17°/5°C)
Oct–Dec 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) 79°/51°F (26°/10°C)
View all months
Month Nairobi Santiago
Jan 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C)
Feb 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C)
Mar 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C)
Apr 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C)
May 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C)
Jun 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C)
Jul 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C)
Aug 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C)
Sep 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C)
Oct 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C)
Nov 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C)
Dec 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C)

Data: Kenya Meteorological Department Kenya Meteorological Department, Dirección Meteorológica de Chile Dirección Meteorológica de Chile

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kenya 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.

Kenya passport

Kenya passport holder visiting Chile

Visa Required
Kenya passport holders need a visa to enter Chile.
Chile passport

Chile passport holder visiting Kenya

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Chile passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Kenya.

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 Kenya?

On average Chile is around 42% pricier than Kenya, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Chile?

Budget about CLF626 for 3 months in Chile (based on a KES9,690,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and 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?

Kenya generally does better on safety, though Chile leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Chile is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.9 in Kenya.

How is healthcare in Chile compared to Kenya?

Kenya 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 1.0 in Kenya. Chile scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kenya: 53).

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

The average high temperature in Santiago is 73°F, compared to 74°F in Nairobi. Santiago receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Nairobi gets 40.3 in.

What language do they speak in Chile?

The official language in Chile is Spanish. In Kenya, the official languages are English and Swahili.

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At a Glance

KE CL
Population 55,864,655 18,430,408
Currency Kenyan Shilling (KES) Chilean Unit of Account (UF) (CLF)
Languages English, Swahili Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +254 +56
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 999 131