Moving to Chile from Thailand
What to Expect
Considering a move from Thailand to Chile? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Thailand to Chile, you would find that Chile is 9.5% more expensive than Thailand overall. A THB2,500,000 salary in Thailand would need to be roughly CLF2,020 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Santiago averages 73°F vs 91°F in Bangkok, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Thailand and Chile.
What does your salary buy?
THB2,500,000 → CLF2,020
To maintain the same standard of living in Chile
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 90.2% more
Groceries
pay 1.9% less
Transportation
pay 14.2% less
Housing
pay 22.4% more
Childcare
pay 34.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.9% 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.
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 19% less than cities in Thailand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Thailand to Chile.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Chile compared to Thailand.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Thailand generally does better on safety, though Chile leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Thailand 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
Chile performs significantly better than Thailand 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
share of households with internet
Chile performs significantly better than Thailand 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
Thailand 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 Thailand across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2022), World Health Organization (2024), The Revenue Department, Government of Thailand (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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bangkok | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) | 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 93°/78°F (34°/26°C) | 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/73°F (32°/23°C) | 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bangkok | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/70°F (32.0°/21.0°C) | 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) |
| Feb | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.3°C) | 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) |
| Mar | 93°/77°F (33.7°/24.9°C) | 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) |
| Apr | 95°/79°F (34.9°/26.1°C) | 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) |
| May | 93°/78°F (34.0°/25.6°C) | 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) |
| Jun | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.4°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) |
| Jul | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.0°C) | 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) |
| Aug | 90°/77°F (32.5°/24.9°C) | 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) |
| Sep | 90°/76°F (32.3°/24.6°C) | 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) |
| Oct | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.3°C) | 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.1°C) | 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) |
| Dec | 88°/69°F (31.3°/20.8°C) | 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) |
Data:
Thai Meteorological Department,
Dirección Meteorológica de Chile
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Thailand 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.
Thailand passport holder visiting Chile
Visa Free
Chile passport holder visiting Thailand
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 Thailand?
On average Chile is around 10% pricier than Thailand, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Chile?
Budget about CLF505 for 3 months in Chile (based on a THB2,500,000 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?
Thailand generally does better on safety, though Chile leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Chile is 6.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.8 in Thailand. About 32% of people in Chile feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Chile compared to Thailand?
Thailand 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 5.4 in Thailand. Chile scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Thailand: 82).
What's the weather like in Chile compared to Thailand?
The average high temperature in Santiago is 73°F, compared to 91°F in Bangkok. Santiago receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Bangkok gets 59.0 in.
What language do they speak in Chile?
The official language in Chile is Spanish. In Thailand, the official language is Thai.
