Moving to Chile from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Chile? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Chile, you would find that Chile is 17.1% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,218,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly CLF1,756 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.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Africa and Chile.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,218,000 → CLF1,756
To maintain the same standard of living in Chile
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 27.4% more
Groceries
pay 21.9% more
Transportation
pay 4.6% less
Housing
pay 7.7% less
Childcare
pay 62.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 36.5% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Africa to Chile.
people moved from South Africa to Chile · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Chile compared to South Africa.
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 South Africa 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Chile generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Chile performs significantly better than South Africa across all environment metrics.
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 performs significantly better than South Africa 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
Chile performs significantly better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
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 generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Data: South African Revenue Service, 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 | Pretoria | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Dirección Meteorológica de Chile
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Chile
Visa Free
Chile passport holder visiting South Africa
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 South Africa?
On average Chile is around 4% pricier than South Africa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Chile?
Budget about CLF439 for 3 months in Chile (based on a ZAR1,218,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, 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?
Chile generally does better on safety, though South Africa leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Chile is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa. About 32% of people in Chile feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Chile compared to South Africa?
Chile generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Chile, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Chile scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Chile compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Santiago is 73°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Santiago receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Chile?
The official language in Chile is Spanish. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Chile
At a Glance
ZA
|
CL
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 18,430,408 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Chilean Unit of Account (UF) (CLF) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Spanish |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +56 |
| Time zones | 1 | 2 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 131 |