Moving to Chile from Mexico
What to Expect
Considering a move from Mexico to Chile? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Mexico to Chile, you would find that Chile is 13.0% cheaper than Mexico overall. A MX$1,400,000 salary in Mexico would need to be roughly CLF1,650 in Chile to maintain the same lifestyle.
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How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 17.8% less
Groceries
pay 18.4% less
Transportation
pay 12.8% less
Housing
pay 15.2% less
Childcare
pay 36.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 8.0% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Chile?
What does your salary buy?
MX$1,400,000 → CLF1,650
To maintain the same standard of living in Chile
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Chile cost about 22% less than cities in Mexico.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Mexico to Chile.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Chile compared to Mexico.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Chile generally does better on safety, though Mexico leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Mexico 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
Mexico 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
share of households with internet
Chile performs significantly better than Mexico across all infrastructure metrics.
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
share of people below the poverty line
Mexico 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 Mexico across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Servicio de Administración Tributaria, SHCP (2016), Chilean Tax Administration (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Weather in Chile vs Mexico
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Mexico City | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) | 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) | 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Mexico City | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) | 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) |
| Feb | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) | 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) |
| Mar | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) | 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) |
| Apr | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) | 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) |
| May | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) | 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) |
| Jun | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) |
| Jul | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) | 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) |
| Aug | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) | 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) |
| Sep | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) | 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) |
| Oct | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) | 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) |
| Nov | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) | 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) |
| Dec | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) | 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) |
Data:
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional,
Dirección Meteorológica de Chile
Can you move from Mexico to Chile?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Mexico 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.
Mexico passport holder visiting Chile
Visa Free
Chile passport holder visiting Mexico
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 Mexico?
On average Chile is about 13% less expensive than Mexico, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Chile?
Budget about CLF412 for 3 months in Chile (based on a MX$1,400,000 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: 23.7 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 generally does better on safety, though Mexico leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Chile is 6.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 24.9 in Mexico. About 32% of people in Chile feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Chile compared to Mexico?
Mexico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Chile, compared to 25.9 in Mexico. Chile scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Mexico: 75).
What's the weather like in Chile compared to Mexico?
The average high temperature in Santiago is 73°F, compared to 74°F in Mexico City. Santiago receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Mexico City gets 32.1 in.
What language do they speak in Chile?
Both Mexico and Chile share the same official language: Spanish.
