Thinking about moving to Santiago? Here's what daily life looks like for an American who works remotely: what it costs in dollars, where people live, the weather all year, and what to sort out before you land. The weather, local time and exchange rate on this page are live.
Right now in Santiago
Live weather by Open-Meteo · Rates by ExchangeRate-API. Updates each time you open the page.
At a glance
| Population | About 7 million in the metro area |
|---|---|
| Language | Spanish |
| Currency | Chilean peso (CLP) |
| Time zone | … |
| Main airport | Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL), about 30 minutes |
| Flights from the US | Nonstops from Miami, New York, Atlanta, Dallas and Houston to Santiago |
| Power plugs | Type C and L, 220 V (bring an adapter) |
| Emergency number | 133 (police), 131 (ambulance) |
| Visa route for remote workers | No remote-work visa · Chile visa guide |
What it costs
| Item | About in USD |
|---|---|
| 1-bedroom, city center | $635 |
| 1-bedroom, outside center | $426 |
| 3-bedroom, city center | $1,349 |
| 3-bedroom, outside center | $738 |
Estimated from Numbeo's 2026 cost-of-living and rent indices for Santiago, scaled from New York prices. Monthly totals add living costs to rent from outside the center (low end) to the center (high end). The couple figure assumes 1.7 times one person's costs.
Weather through the year
Loading weather history…
Monthly averages from 2016–2025, from Open-Meteo historical weather data (ERA5 reanalysis). Rain totals from weather models can run high in mountain cities, so treat them as a guide to the wet and dry seasons.
Where to live
Providencia
Central, safe and full of cafés.
Las Condes
Upscale, modern towers and offices.
Lastarria
Cultural, bohemian and walkable.
Ñuñoa
Residential, younger and good value.
Our plans match neighborhoods to how you work, your budget and who's moving with you.
Getting around
Modern metro, buses and bike lanes; the Andes are an hour away for skiing.
Language and English
Limited outside business and tourism; Chilean Spanish is fast, so lessons help.
Healthcare
Private clinics (isapres) are very good; residents can join public FONASA or private plans.
Safety
Check the US State Department's current advisory for Chile before you go. It changes, so we link to it rather than copy it. Like any big city, Santiago has areas that are safer than others, and your plan flags the ones to know about.
Your first week in Santiago
Land with people, not just a lease.
With a Complete or Household plan, you join everyone moving to Santiago the same month in a group chat before you fly, then meet in person during your first week.
See how cohorts workSources
Checked on Nov 2, 2026. Live sections update automatically.
- Numbeo: Cost of Living Index 2026 (city indices scaled from New York prices)
- US State Department: Chile travel advisory
- Open-Meteo: live weather, forecast and 10-year climate data (CC BY 4.0)
- ExchangeRate-API: live exchange rates
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