Chile

Chile has no digital nomad visa. None of the temporary residence subcategories SERMIG lists covers remote work for employers or clients abroad, so websites describing a Chilean remote-worker visa with a monthly income test have no official support (SERMIG).

Short stays: most remote workers stay on Permanencia Transitoria, Chile's visitor status. It allows up to 90 days, and it can be extended by up to 90 more days, granted once. A fee applies to the extension. Nationals of visa-exempt countries get this status on arrival, while others need a consular visa first. Visitors must be able to show enough money for the stay, and paid work in Chile needs a separate work authorization (SERMIG).

Longer stays without local work: retirees and people with steady income from property or investments can apply for the rentista temporary residence permit. It runs for up to 2 years and can be renewed, it has no fixed income figure, and it is filed online from outside Chile. It gives no right to work locally.

Other routes: people earning from Chilean employers or clients need the temporary residence permit for lawful paid activities, and investors have their own subcategory (SERMIG). The fee for any temporary residence permit depends on nationality (SERMIG fees).

Santiago is the most expensive place to live in Chile, with the highest rents in its eastern districts.

Numbeo's Concepción page, last updated in March 2026, puts monthly costs for a single person at about CLP 587,000 before rent, or about USD 600 at the Oct. 2, 2026 exchange rate (Numbeo, ExchangeRate-API). Rent comes on top, and a furnished apartment in a central district is the largest cost in most budgets.

No current figures could be checked for Santiago, Valparaíso or Viña del Mar, so a remote worker planning a base there should expect a higher total than in Concepción and compare current listings before signing a lease.

Santiago: the capital has the most coworking spaces, the main international airport and the largest professional community. It suits remote workers who want city services and easy travel, at the highest cost in the country.

Valparaíso: a hilly port city on the coast west of Santiago with a strong arts scene. It suits creative workers who want character over polish.

Viña del Mar: Valparaíso's neighbor is calmer and more residential, with beaches and newer apartments.

Concepción: a university city in the south-central region with lower costs than the capital and a younger crowd.

Puerto Varas: a small lake town in the south for those who put outdoor life first and can live with a quieter scene.

Home internet in Chile is fast. Speedtest's Global Index for August 2026 puts the national median at 364.48 Mbps on fixed broadband and 79.51 Mbps on mobile (Speedtest Global Index).

Fiber is common in Santiago and the larger cities. Speeds drop in rural areas and in the far south, where mobile data is often the backup.

Santiago has the widest choice of coworking spaces, mostly in Providencia, Las Condes and the city center. Valparaíso, Viña del Mar and Concepción have smaller selections, and cafés fill the gap in smaller towns.

Chile taxes residents on worldwide income, with a break for newcomers.

• Residence test: a stay of more than 183 days in Chile within any 12-month period makes a person tax resident.
• Newcomers: A foreigner who becomes resident or domiciled in Chile is taxed only on Chilean-source income for the first three years after entry, then on worldwide income.

Chile has no tax regime for remote workers. Anyone staying past the residence threshold or earning from Chilean clients should check their position with the Servicio de Impuestos Internos (SII) and with the tax authority at home, including any tax treaty between the two countries (SII Circular 63).

• Arrival: visitors may need to show enough money for the stay, and a visitor stay cannot run past the passport's expiry date (SERMIG).
• Banking: Chilean banks usually ask for residence and a tax number (RUT), so short-stay visitors tend to rely on foreign cards and money transfer services.
• Phone: prepaid SIM cards from the main carriers are sold in their shops and at many kiosks, and eSIMs are a simple option for data.
• Health: private clinics in the large cities give the best care. Visitors should carry travel or international health insurance.
• Safety: petty theft is the most common problem in busy parts of Santiago and Valparaíso. Check current government travel advice before trips to the northern border regions.
• Earthquakes: Chile is highly seismic. Learn the building's evacuation route and follow official alerts.