Living in Chile: the short version
Chile is one of Latin America’s most stable and developed countries, with Santiago offering a modern metro, good private healthcare and the Andes on its doorstep. Under the 2021 migration law, most residence visas must be applied for online before arriving.
Best for: Professionals, retirees with steady income, and outdoor lovers drawn to wine country and Patagonia.
Why people move here
- Stable economy and institutions
- Huge natural variety, from desert to glaciers
- Good private healthcare and infrastructure
What to watch out for
- Higher prices than most of Latin America
- Santiago smog in winter and rising crime concerns
- Fast, slang-heavy Spanish and few English speakers
How to move to Chile: main visa and residency routes
Summaries only — requirements and income thresholds change. Always check the official sources below.
- Temporary residence for work
- For people with a Chilean job offer or contract, applied for online from abroad.
- Temporary residence for retirees and rentistas
- For people with a stable pension or passive income from abroad.
- Temporary residence for highly qualified professionals
- For holders of postgraduate degrees and specialists in demand.
- Family reunification
- For spouses, partners and children of Chilean citizens and residents.
Healthcare for newcomers
Residents choose between the public FONASA system and private ISAPRE insurers, funded by a 7% salary contribution. Private clinics in Santiago are among the best in Latin America.
Cost of Living
Cost of living index: 40 (NYC = 100)
Rent (1BR)
$550
Rent (3BR)
$950
Groceries
$250
Transport
$45
Utilities
$110
Internet
$30
Dining Out
$90
Tax System
Corporate Tax
27%
VAT / Sales Tax
19%
Social Security
18%
Capital Gains
10%
Income Tax Brackets
| Income Range (USD) | Tax Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 - $11,700 | 0% |
| $11,701 - $26,000 | 4% |
| $26,001 - $43,500 | 8% |
| $43,501 - $61,000 | 13.5% |
| $61,001 - $78,000 | 23% |
| $78,001 - $104,000 | 30.4% |
| $104,001 - $270,000 | 35% |
| $270,001 - Above | 40% |
Culture
Chile stretches more than 4,000 km from the Atacama Desert to Patagonia. It is one of Latin America’s most stable and prosperous countries, with a strong family culture, a love of poetry and a famously fast, slang-heavy Spanish.
Traditions
- Fiestas Patrias (18 September) with fondas and cueca dancing
- Once (afternoon tea)
- Asados (barbecues) on weekends
- Easter Island’s Tapati festival
Cultural Values
- Family
- Formality and politeness
- Hard work
- Solidarity
Common Greeting: ¡Hola! / ¿Cómo estái? (informal)
Cultural Tips
- • Greet with a single cheek kiss in social settings
- • Chilean Spanish uses a lot of slang (“cachai?”, “po”): it takes time to tune in
- • Dinner is late, and “once” is a light evening meal of bread and tea
- • Earthquakes are common; buildings are built for them, so learn the drill
🍽 Food & Cuisine
Chilean cuisine draws on Spanish and Mapuche traditions and a long Pacific coastline, with excellent seafood, corn dishes and internationally known wines.
Empanadas de pino
Baked pastries filled with beef, onion, olive and hard-boiled egg
Pastel de choclo
Beef and chicken baked under a sweet corn crust
Completo
Chilean hot dog loaded with avocado, tomato and mayonnaise
Curanto
Seafood, meat and potatoes cooked in an earth pit, from the island of Chiloé
Sources and methodology
Figures on this page are estimates in US dollars, compiled from the international datasets below and converted at recent exchange rates. The cost of living index uses New York City as 100. Guidance was last reviewed on . Found something out of date? Tell us.
Official Chile sources
Data sources
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries — individual income tax
- Numbeo — cost of living (crowdsourced prices)
- World Bank Open Data — economic and population indicators
- OECD Tax Database — tax rates and social contributions
- ILOSTAT — employment and unemployment
- UNDP Human Development Reports — health and education
- UN World Population Prospects — population
Quality of Life
Job Market
Average Annual Salary
$15,000
Job Difficulty
Moderate
Unemployment Rate
8.7%
Work Permit Required
Yes
Top Industries
Languages
Official Languages