Moving to Chile from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Chile — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Chile, you would find that Chile is 44.5% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly CLF803 in Chile to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from United States to Chile.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → CLF803
To maintain the same standard of living in Chile
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 45.0% less
Groceries
pay 39.3% less
Transportation
pay 17.9% less
Housing
pay 64.4% less
Childcare
pay 76.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 42.6% less
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 United States to Chile, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from United States to Chile · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States and Chile stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
United States 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
Chile generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States 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
United States generally does better on environment, though Chile leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Chile leads in water stress level.
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
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Chile leads in poverty rate.
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
United States performs better than Chile across all family life metrics.
Data: Internal 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 | Washington | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Dirección Meteorológica de Chile
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Chile
Visa Free
Chile passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 United States?
Generally yes: Chile runs about 54% cheaper than United States 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 $75,000 comparable salary, that's around CLF201 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 United States and Chile.
Is Chile safe for expats?
United States generally does better on safety, though Chile leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Chile is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States. About 32% of people in Chile feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Chile compared to United States?
Chile generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Chile, compared to 36.1 in United States. Chile scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Chile compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Santiago is 73°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Santiago receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Chile?
The official language in Chile is Spanish. In United States, the official language is English.
