Houses for rent in Santiago

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Overview of best neighborhoods for houses in Santiago

In this section, we give you an overview of the different neighborhoods. For more details, you can read our pages dedicated to each commune.

Rent a house in Vitacura

Vitacura is one of the most expensive communes in Santiago for houses, largely because many private colleges are located in this area. For apartments, the El Golf area of Las Condes is still the most expensive.

The infrastructure quality is better overall than in other communes. The most expensive area in Vitacura is located between the polo club and the French sport club — called "Jardín del Este." Plots are around 800 sqm. This area attracts many French families because the French Alliance (the only French college that follows the French education program) is located in Vitacura.

In Vitacura, houses rent between CLP 1,500,000 and 3,000,000 (USD 1,700-3,400) per month. North of the Río Mapocho, two areas called Santa María de Manquehue and Lo Curro, located at the beginning of the Manquehue mountain, offer a different living experience. Lo Curro features properties with huge gardens (plots of 2,000 to 5,000 sqm), often well maintained but not cheap. Santa María offers similar characteristics at a lower price due to smaller lots. Keep in mind that most properties in both areas face south, which means limited sun.

Rent a house in Las Condes

If you don't need to be close to metro lines and main streets, you can find many houses in Las Condes. Since the commune is large and quite varied (both in neighborhoods and construction quality), it's difficult to summarize the rental offer. On average, construction quality is slightly lower than in Vitacura or Colina.

Most of our clients looking for a house end up living in Vitacura, Colina, or La Dehesa. Las Condes is more interesting for couples or families looking for an apartment — it offers many options, often in private condos with swimming pools and services.

If you do rent a house here, know that there are more thefts in the southern part of Las Condes. The municipal police cannot follow thieves outside commune boundaries. Houses in the south of Las Condes are close to La Reina, which makes escape easier for thieves.

Rent a house in Lo Barnechea / La Dehesa

If you need more space and a bigger garden, La Dehesa can be an option. It's a high-end neighborhood in the commune of Lo Barnechea, which also includes top private schools and international colleges, attracting a broad expat community. The best option is a house with a view of the golf of La Dehesa.

Lo Barnechea has the highest number of international colleges, including most English-speaking ones. The best gated community in the area is Valle Escondido, organized around a golf course — apartments start at USD 4,000, houses at USD 6,000 per month. It's not cheap, but if it's in your price range, it's worth visiting.

If you have teenagers, the area near Portal La Dehesa mall is practical — this is where they'll likely meet their friends.

Houses for rent in Colina (Chamisero/Chicureo)

The commune of Colina currently concentrates most of the residential developments of premium houses. You can find houses that are brand new or more recent than in the other communes we've mentioned. This area didn't exist 15 years ago and has grown rapidly since the motorway was built and most international schools opened second locations here.

Houses are mostly in condominiums — private gated residential developments. Two types exist:

• Condominiums where all houses are identical. The property developer sold turnkey homes. This is the case in much of Chamisero, notably near the French Alliance.
• Condominiums where each house is different. The developer bought the land, built the infrastructure (fences, roads, water, electricity), and sold each plot to individual builders.

The size of plots varies a lot depending on the area:

• In Chamisero, many small houses between 150 and 200 sqm (1,600-2,000 sq ft), with a garden for a total of 500-700 sqm.
• The Piedra Roja area attracts upper-class families. Plots are bigger (around 1,000 sqm) and houses are nicer.
• Northwest Chicureo is more "country style" — traditional houses on much larger plots, between 5,000 and 6,000 sqm.
• For golfers, there are houses near the golf of Chicureo.

Chamisero has a specific aesthetic: either you don't mind the "I live in a box similar to a hundred others" feeling, or you do. There is no in-between. If you're fine with it, the benefits are real — location, safety, and air quality.

A few things about Chamisero and Chicureo:

• While administratively part of Colina, they are distinct developments. The historic town of Colina has a different character — focus your search on Chamisero and Chicureo specifically.
• Houses west of Camino Los Ingleses are often older, and the gated communities usually don't offer the same security.
• If you work in Santiago all week or your children attend a school there, the 30-40 minute commute twice a day can get tiring.

300 sqm house with swimming pool in Colina

English-style house in Chicureo

Rent a house in Ñuñoa

Ñuñoa is attracting more tenants as new metro lines have opened. You can find houses for rent at a more affordable rate than in Vitacura. But the infrastructure quality and safety are not at the same level.

Many landlords in Ñuñoa try to convert their houses into commercial space to capitalize on the booming area, which means they tend to overvalue residential properties. If you want to rent a house here, you'll have to negotiate.

As described in our article on apartments for rent in Santiago, the avenida Irarrázaval divides the commune in two. On the north, next to Providencia, the area is well-developed around Barrio Italia and Plaza Ñuñoa, with a neighborhood life, restaurants, and shops. The south part is more working-class and less safe at night, with property quality generally below expat standards.

Providencia: Is there any house for rent there?

Providencia attracts many young people: students, young professionals, couples with or without children. This has led the municipality to authorize building construction, notably near the new metro line 3 — which has contributed to the demolition of many houses. You can still find some, but since 2015 the municipality has authorized converting residential houses into commercial premises. Most remaining houses are either occupied by their owner or rented to businesses.

And what about Santiago Centro?

A few areas of Santiago Centro are classified as historical heritage, with many typical houses — for example, north of metro Cumming. But they don't meet the quality standards that an expat would expect: limited insulation, no garden, street-facing facades.

Most are townhouses with metal grids on all windows to prevent intrusions, which doesn't make them pleasant to live in. We don't recommend houses in this area for our expat clients.

Furnished or unfurnished?

Furnished house rental is subject to 19% VAT according to Chilean tax law. This does not apply to unfurnished properties and leads to a significant price difference. The difference between furnished and unfurnished is typically 25 to 50%, with 30% being the average. For more details, see our analysis in the article Apartments for rent in Santiago.

What about security?

Due to social inequalities, the concentration of wealth attracts thieves, notably in affluent neighborhoods such as Vitacura, Las Condes, and Lo Barnechea.

If you rent a house in one of these areas, check that it has adequate security systems. All these communes have municipal security services that patrol 24/7 to deter theft.

Most residents also subscribe to a contract with a private security agency that checks houses more regularly. Ask your landlord if the house already has such a contract. If not, look at the signs on other houses on your street — that will tell you which agency is most active in the area and likely the most competitive option for you, since they already patrol your street.

In the condominiums of Chamisero and Chicureo, security is managed at the community level. The costs are included in the condominium fees.

Do not hesitate to contact us for any questions or specific searches, even a few weeks or months before your move — the earlier we know what type of property you like, the better. We'll have a better selection of properties when you arrive.

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