Moving to Chile from Russia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Russia to Chile, you would find that Chile is 2.4% more expensive than Russia overall. A RUB6,400,000 salary in Russia would need to be roughly CLF1,910 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 48°F in Moscow, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

RUB6,400,000 → CLF1,910

To maintain the same standard of living in Chile

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 1.3% less

Groceries

pay 20.9% more

Transportation

pay 14.7% more

Housing

pay 1.2% more

Childcare

pay 19.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 22.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RUB = 0.0003 CLF (October 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.

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 24% less than cities in Russia.

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
231 ↑ 45% vs 2022

people moved from Russia 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 Russia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

RU
6.8
CL
6.3
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

RU
90%
CL
32%

Chile generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in feel safe walking at night.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

RU
$3,204
CL
$3,612
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

RU
51.1
CL
33.3

Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RU
39.0
CL
18.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RU
14.0t
CL
3.9t

Chile performs significantly better than Russia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

RU
27.1
CL
23.7
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RU
4.1%
CL
9.0%

Russia generally does better on infrastructure, though Chile leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

RU
2.1%
CL
9.0%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

RU
$17,547
CL
$17,995

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

RU
73.4 yrs
CL
81.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RU
4.1
CL
5.8

Russia generally does better on family life, though Chile leads in life expectancy.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Federal Tax Service of Russia (2016), Chilean Tax Administration (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Moscow Rain: 27.2 in/yr (691 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Moscow Santiago
Jan–Mar 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) 84°/55°F (29°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 66°/44°F (19°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) 63°/41°F (17°/5°C)
Oct–Dec 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) 79°/51°F (26°/10°C)
View all months
Month Moscow Santiago
Jan 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C)
Feb 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C)
Mar 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C)
Apr 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C)
May 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C)
Jun 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C)
Jul 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C)
Aug 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C)
Sep 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C)
Oct 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C)
Nov 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C)
Dec 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C)

Data: Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, Dirección Meteorológica de Chile Dirección Meteorológica de Chile

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia 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.

Russia passport

Russia passport holder visiting Chile

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

Chile passport holder visiting Russia

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

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 Russia?

Chile and Russia are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.

How much money do I need to move to Chile?

Budget about CLF478 for 3 months in Chile (based on a RUB6,400,000 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 Russia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Chile is 6.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia. About 32% of people in Chile feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Chile compared to Russia?

Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in health coverage index. There are 33.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Chile, compared to 51.1 in Russia. Chile scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).

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

The average high temperature in Santiago is 73°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Santiago receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.

What language do they speak in Chile?

The official language in Chile is Spanish. In Russia, the official language is Russian.

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At a Glance

RU CL
Population 143,513,328 19,859,921
Currency Russian Ruble (RUB) Chilean Unit of Account (UF) (CLF)
Languages Russian Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +7 +56
Time zones 9 2
Emergency number 112 131