Chile Forum

Hi Everybody,

I hope I am posting in the correct forum, please correct me if this post belongs in another forum. The reason for posting here is that I am thinking of moving on to Santiago for at least 6 months (depending on the outcome).

Currently I am based in Lima, Peru - and getting by for around $800-$1000 per month.

Now my "big" questions before taking the decision and jumping on a plane to Santiago as soon as possible:
- What should I expect of costs of living? Is it possible to find a small 1BR apartment for around max. $300 per month?
- How is the availability of these apartments? Is it possible to find a small apartment like this in relatively short time?

I would be staying minimum 6 months in Santiago; regarding VISA, I expect I can "border-jump" every 3 months? Do they look bad upon "border-hopping", or can you pretty much just keep doing it like here in Peru?
Another point would be if it is very difficult to get some kind of work VISA, in order to do business in Chile? (For example open a Chilean company)

I hope some of you are willing to share your experiences. Thank you all in advance.

Best Regards
Christian Jessen

You would be pushing the limit, but possible.

You would also likly need to be looking in some fairly bad neighborhoods. There will not be any starbucks on the corner.

Christian B. Jessen wrote:Hi Everybody,

I hope I am posting in the correct forum, please correct me if this post belongs in another forum. The reason for posting here is that I am thinking of moving on to Santiago for at least 6 months (depending on the outcome).

Currently I am based in Lima, Peru - and getting by for around $800-$1000 per month.

Now my "big" questions before taking the decision and jumping on a plane to Santiago as soon as possible:
- What should I expect of costs of living? Is it possible to find a small 1BR apartment for around max. $300 per month?
- How is the availability of these apartments? Is it possible to find a small apartment like this in relatively short time?

I would be staying minimum 6 months in Santiago; regarding VISA, I expect I can "border-jump" every 3 months? Do they look bad upon "border-hopping", or can you pretty much just keep doing it like here in Peru?
Another point would be if it is very difficult to get some kind of work VISA, in order to do business in Chile? (For example open a Chilean company)

I hope some of you are willing to share your experiences. Thank you all in advance.

Best Regards
Christian Jessen

You will find an apartment close to bellas artes for around $US 300 a month, + $50 building fees,
it could however take you 3 months to find one that will let you have the lease

Bellas artes is a nice part of town,

for the rest of the info, search the forum, we cover this like every month when someone asks the same questions,

Many people live on less in Santiago.

However, if you are currently spending that in Lima, then, as admin stated, you will be tight.

You should search some of your questions on previous threads.
Why not look for a smaller, simpler town.

Depends on your style of living. When I first arrived here, I lived downtown, in a 1br that cost around $250/month + $35 building fees (included hot water). But if you must have a starbucks on the corner, you'll have to move more uptown. Oh, and at that time I made it by on $700/month. Do a search, you'll find more info.

Hi everyone, thanks alot for your anwers!

I had looked around at a lot of other threads, but just didnt seem to find anything that exactly asked my questions. Still looking around and searching in a lot of older threads, so please dont be mad for repeated questions; I am sorry about that.

Regarding a smaller city: I want to be in Santiago, to get contacts especially to the tech startup scene. I have heard alot about it, and compared to Lima it can only get better. I have been travelling in Chile before (6 weeks roundtrip of southering Chile & easter island) a few years ago, and last year I spend 4 days in Santiago meeting up with some friends and business contacts.

I would not mind living in a "cheaper" area - a thing about Santiago that I loved visiting it, was that the public transport system actually seems to work - although ofcourse more expensive than here in Lima. However it is unbearable to take public transportation in Lima every day, which also makes it very much more limited on where you can find a place to live. Most of the "middle-class" / "lower-class" places here in Lima are terrible (sorry to Peruvians) and extremely difficult to find affordable places for 1 person only (most people I know not living with a family, lives with at least 1 or 2 other roomates, because the only decent / nice apartments at the right price is 2 or 3 bedrooms).

Enough about Lima - I believe it will be a challenge to live on a budget that tight in Santiago, but it seems like (from several of comments from here and other people I have been in contact with from Santiago) that it is indeed possible. So I will hopefully jump on a plane within the next 3-4 weeks and take my chances in Santiago. I am already in contact with several possible apartments.

One of the problems I read about, is renting as a foreigner (without working visa etc). How much of a problem with this give me?
It seems like the best apartment options ask me to provide RUT (DNI for Chile right?), statements from employer etc.? Is there some way around this, when I just show up with my passport? Another problem is that I am self-funded for the moment, and therefore I cannot show papers from an employer (the main work I do is through my Danish company at the moment).. Anyone has experience in just coming to Santiago on a Tourist visa, and facing these problems?

Thank you all for your time.

well i know some apartments in santiago centro, very nice place if you compare that with any lima district besides la molina surquillo or san isidro (i have been in lima in some weddings and vacations). also safe and clean, decent neighbours. etc. if you want more info send me a PM. the only bad thing here is that the dollar is going down in chile so 300 dollar 5 years ago was enough to have a very good place, now you just can have a good or decent place (to 1 person). but i have some apartments in the border of this number. as i said i cant give you more info here cause its against the rules of the forum. but most of the people will want to sign a 1 year contract.

Hej Christian,

Have you considered the working holiday visa? http://www.ambsantiago.um.dk/da/menu/Bo ... ngHoliday/
Visit the embassy here in Santiago when you arrive - they should be able to help you.

PM me if you need further info.

A fellow dane

Hi to both of you,

I have sent a PM to both of your for some more information. @Real State: I think you mean La Molina, San Isidro & Miraflores. Surquillo is still a very bad district, but sorrounded by better-parts districts (Surco, San Borja, Miraflores & San Isidro). My feeling of Santiago as a whole city, from the times I have visited, is a lot more structured and modern city. Lima has a few good zones (which is very expensive) and then a lot of bad ("middleclass") zones - and then ofcourse the shady-town parts, where you basically just dont want to go.

@scandinavian: Sounds great to hear, I imagine there is a lot more danes in Santiago than in Lima! I never heard about the working-holiday VISA before, but it sounds perfect. I will try to go to the embassy when I arrive, and see if it is possible to get that for a year. I sent you a PM for some more information, always nice to hear from a fellow dane.

Christian B. Jessen wrote:Hi to both of you,

I have sent a PM to both of your for some more information. @Real State: I think you mean La Molina, San Isidro & Miraflores. Surquillo is still a very bad district, but sorrounded by better-parts districts (Surco, San Borja, Miraflores & San Isidro). My feeling of Santiago as a whole city, from the times I have visited, is a lot more structured and modern city. Lima has a few good zones (which is very expensive) and then a lot of bad ("middleclass") zones - and then ofcourse the shady-town parts, where you basically just dont want to go.
.

yep, i made a mistake cause i wrote surquillo thinking in surco. i have been 5 times in lima and i love it. but sometimes a good city four tourism isnt that good to live in.

Hi everybody,

Just wanted to come with a small update, as I am now in Santiago. I found a small 1-bedroom flat for 115.000 pesos per month (~$240 USD) in central Santiago, with all of the gastos comunes hopefully going to be around 25-30.000 pesos monthly. I paid 6 months in advance in order to avoid showing work contract, having an AVAL and just avoid the general trouble all of the agents / owners seemed to ask for. (95% of them wanted to see work contract, 3 or 6 months of paychecks, have an aval (co-signer of the lease), and sometimes an even longer list of things)
The owners of the newer apartments here in the centro seems to be very paranoia about who they rent to, but offering them paying 6 months forward in cash even lets you change the contract from 12 months to 6 months.

So far I really enjoy Santiago, and while it will probably a be a challenge living inside the budget (I've never been good at living within my budget) it seems to be possible. (I have just, however, invested a bit in advance, as I rent my apartment unfurnished & had to invest in furnitues, kitchen stuff etc)

Best of luck to everybody, and thanks for all of the comments.