Moving to Chile from Sweden

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Sweden to Chile — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Sweden to Chile, you would find that Chile is 24.9% cheaper than Sweden overall. A SEK728,567 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly CLF1,032 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 52°F in Stockholm, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Sweden to Chile.

What does your salary buy?

SEK728,567 CLF1,032

To maintain the same standard of living in Chile

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 42.7% less

Groceries

pay 34.5% less

Transportation

pay 45.7% less

Housing

pay 38.3% less

Childcare

pay 70.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 39.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 SEK = 0.0024 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?

Real numbers on people moving from Sweden to Chile, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
18 ↓ 42% vs 2022

people moved from Sweden 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

How Sweden and Chile stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SE
1.1
CL
6.7
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

SE
73%
CL
32%

Sweden performs better than Chile across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

SE
$7,770
CL
$3,612
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SE
71.5
CL
31.7

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SE
8.0
CL
18.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SE
3.6t
CL
3.9t

Sweden performs better than Chile across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SE
40.4
CL
22.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SE
3.6%
CL
9.0%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SE
7.6%
CL
9.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SE
$64,200
CL
$29,500

Sweden generally does better on employment & economy, though Chile leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SE
82.7 yrs
CL
79.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SE
2.3
CL
6.5

Sweden performs better than Chile across all family life metrics.

Data: Skatteverket, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Stockholm Rain: 21.5 in/yr (546 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Stockholm Santiago
Jan–Mar 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) 84°/55°F (29°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 66°/44°F (19°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) 63°/41°F (17°/5°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) 79°/51°F (26°/10°C)
View all months
Month Stockholm Santiago
Jan 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C)
Feb 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C)
Mar 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C)
Apr 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C)
May 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C)
Jun 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C)
Jul 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C)
Aug 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C)
Sep 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C)
Oct 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C)
Nov 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C)
Dec 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C)

Data: Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Dirección Meteorológica de Chile Dirección Meteorológica de Chile

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden 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.

Sweden passport

Sweden passport holder visiting Chile

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

Chile passport holder visiting Sweden

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

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 Sweden?

Generally yes: Chile runs about 41% cheaper than Sweden on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Chile?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a SEK728,567 comparable salary, that's around CLF258 in Chile for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Chile?

With 22.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Chile can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Sweden and Chile.

Is Chile safe for expats?

Sweden performs better than Chile across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Chile is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden. About 32% of people in Chile feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Chile compared to Sweden?

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Chile, compared to 71.5 in Sweden. Chile scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Santiago is 73°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Santiago receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.

What language do they speak in Chile?

The official language in Chile is Spanish. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.

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At a Glance

SE CL
Population 10,483,647 18,430,408
Currency Swedish Krona (SEK) Chilean Unit of Account (UF) (CLF)
Languages Swedish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +46 +56
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112 131