29 May 2025 · Country Matchups · Global
Chile vs. Colombia: Digital Nomad Lifestyle Costs
“So, should I set my Slack status to ‘📍Santiago’ or ‘📍Medellín’ next quarter?”
That’s the message an old colleague sent me last month. He’d finally broken free of the 9-to-5, wallet still intact, but wanted the sweet spot between budget-friendliness, reliable fibre and empanadas worth writing home about.
I’ve bounced between both countries for five years—dodging rent spikes, hunting for SIM cards that actually work, and discovering that aji amarillo does not have an “off” switch. Below is the distilled, data-driven comparison I wish someone had handed me on day one.
Table of Contents
- Visa Options: Stay Longer Than a Border Run
- Cost of Living: Numbers Your Bank App Will Appreciate
- Safety Scores: Reality Beyond Reddit Threads
- Internet Speeds & Work Infrastructure
- Bottom Line & Personal Takeaways
1. Visa Options
Chile: Predictable, but Paperwork-Heavy
Chile isn’t shaking hands with a designated “digital nomad” visa yet, but two tried-and-tested paths keep laptops open legally:
| Visa Type | Duration | Key Requirements | Typical Processing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist Visa / Waiver | 90 days (most passports) • Extendable once | Proof of onward travel (sometimes) | Same day at entry / 1 week for extension |
| Temporary Residence (Work-Remote Friendly) | 1 year, renewable | Apostilled background check, bank statements ≈ USD 1,000/mo income, notarised rental contract | 2–3 months |
Pro tip from the Santiago Extranjería line: apply for the extension online before the 60-day mark. Chile loves a deadline.
Colombia: Fast-Track for Laptop Carriers
Colombia embraced remote workers in 2022 with the new V Visa – Digital Nomad sub-category.
| Visa Type | Duration | Key Requirements | Typical Processing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Nomad V | Up to 2 years | Passport valid 6+ months, monthly income ≥ 3x Colombian minimum wage (≈ USD 900 in 2025), international health policy | 4–6 weeks |
| Tourist Entry | 90 days + 90-day renewal | Proof of exit rarely checked, but keep onward bus ticket | At immigration desk |
Pull-quote: “The Colombian nomad visa is so straightforward that my application’s toughest step was finding a decent headshot where my hair wasn’t fried from Bogotá humidity.”
Bottom-line Visa Math
Chile = longer stability (1-year card) but heavier bureaucracy. Colombia = quick paper trail, generous stay, but capped at two years before you re-apply. If you hate paperwork more than you hate loud reggaeton at 2 a.m., Colombia edges ahead.
2. Cost of Living Tables
I’ve logged every peso and peso-colombiano in a Notion database since 2020. Below are 2025 averages converted to USD. (Exchange: 1 CLP = 0.0011 USD, 1 COP = 0.00025 USD.)
Monthly Core Costs (Solo Nomad, Mid-range Apartment ± 30 m²)
| Category | Santiago, Chile | Medellín, Colombia | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-bed furnished apartment (central) | $750 | $520 | Air-conditioned units high-season can spike +15 % in Medellín’s Poblado zone |
| Coworking hot desk | $150 | $100 | High supply in both; Chile slightly pricier |
| SIM card / mobile data (20 GB) | $15 | $10 | WOM (CL) vs. Claro (CO) |
| Weekly groceries | $55 | $45 | Imported cheese? Add $20 in Santiago. |
| Dining out (3 mid-range meals) | $75 | $60 | Menu del día $4 in Medellín wins |
| Metro / public transport | $35 | $28 | Santiago’s Metro is spotless but costs $1.20 per ride |
| Electricity & water | $40 | $35 | Chilean winter heating can double this |
| Gym membership | $38 | $30 | |
| Monthly subtotal | $1,158 | $828 |
Add a bit of fun money:
Lifestyle Extras
| Item | Santiago | Medellín |
|---|---|---|
| Craft beer pint | $5.50 | $3 |
| Weekend surf trip (bus + hostel) | $120 (Pichilemu) | $80 (Cartagena flight deals) |
| Spanish tutor, 1 hr | $14 | $10 |
| Salsa class group session | $9 | $6 |
In raw dollars, Colombia undercuts Chile by roughly 25-30 %. Keep in mind Chile’s inflation is lower and the peso less volatile—handy if you’re practicing currency hedging to protect those euros.
3. Safety Scores
When friends debate between Chile and Colombia, safety is the elephant (or capybara) in the room. Let’s move beyond anecdotes.
| Metric (2024 data) | Chile | Colombia | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Peace Index rank (lower = safer) | 51 | 144 | IEP |
| Numbeo Crime Index (Santiago / Medellín) (lower = safer) | 48 / 55 | 63 / 71 | Numbeo crowd-sourced |
| Pickpocket risk (tourist districts, 1–5 scale) | 2 | 3 | Local police reports |
| Expat community survey: “Feel safe walking at night” | 68 % yes | 54 % yes | Internations 2024 |
My Boots-on-the-Ground Take
• Santiago feels like Barcelona with fewer scooters—petty theft, yes, but violent incidents rare in central neighbourhoods (Providencia, Ñuñoa).
• Medellín’s image has improved leaps since the 1990s docu-dramas, yet phone snatching on Av. Poblado is a daily sport. Use a cheap decoy Android for ride-hail pickups.
Still, neither country demands a Kevlar keyboard sleeve. Uber (or DiDi) after midnight, register your SIM, and skip ATM vestibules at 2 a.m.—the universal remote-worker script.
4. Internet Speeds & Work Infrastructure
I once blew a product demo when Chile’s earthquake warning test hijacked the Wi-Fi router. Aside from such outliers, both nations deliver gigabit contenders.
| Measure | Santiago | Medellín | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median fixed broadband download | 240 Mbps | 140 Mbps | Ookla Q1-2025 |
| Fibre availability in nomad districts | 92 % | 76 % | Local ISPs (VTR/Fibra vs. TigoUNE) |
| Average café Wi-Fi | 45 Mbps | 35 Mbps | My Speedtest binge |
| 5G mobile downlink | 140 Mbps | 110 Mbps | Entel vs. Claro |
Chile’s telecom regulator pushed hard for fibre in 2023, so you’ll spot 600 Mbps plans for $28/month—glorious for those running analytics workloads.
Colombia is catching up, especially in Bogotá; smaller pueblos still max out at 10 Mbps ADSL. If your workflow involves video editing or, say, hosting webinars for the South Korea F-27 Nomad Visa Pilot Insight, lean toward Chile.
Coworking Culture Snapshot
• Santiago – Neighborhood Providencia offers over 15 spaces; WeWork Costanera has Andes views that justify its $200/mo price tag.
• Medellín – Selina and NOU in Laureles book out desks fast; daily drop-ins from $8. Expect more community events (crypto, UX design, you name it).
5. Bottom Line & Personal Takeaways
Cost Winner: Colombia
Pure spreadsheet speak? Medellín keeps your burn rate roughly $330 lower per month.
Stability & Infrastructure Winner: Chile
If fibre Internet and stable inflation outweigh the extra rent, Chile is a calmer long-haul base.
Quality-of-Life Tie-Breaker
• Nature Access
Chile: weekend hikes in Cajón del Maipo, snowboarding 90 minutes from downtown.
Colombia: Caribbean beaches a budget flight away, eternal spring weather.
• Cultural Vibe
Chileans are reserved until the third piscola. Colombians will invite you to an aunt’s birthday before your Airbnb confirmation finishes loading.
• Language Learning
Chile’s Spanish drops consonants like hot coal—great practice once ears adjust. Colombia serves textbook-clear accents… until the paisa slang hits.
Call-out: For an all-around starter month, I tell mentees: “Land in Medellín to stretch your dollars, test if 90 % humidity destroys your keyboard, then graduate to Santiago when you crave fibre and cooler nights.”
Ready to Map Your Route?
Factors multiply fast—tax treaties, pet relocation, even café noise tolerance. BorderPilot crunches all that in under two minutes. Build your free relocation plan now and see whether the algorithm stamps your passport for Chilean vino or Colombian arepas.
Safe travels—and may your Wi-Fi remain unmuted.