- Home
- Expat Guide
- Life in Chile
- Best places to live in Chile
Last updated on 19/03/2026
It is not always easy to choose where to settle for an expatriation. What are the best cities to live in Chile? Which places offer a good quality of life, an affordable cost of living or many professional opportunities? To help you decide, we list below some of the Chilean cities that we consider the most pleasant to live in Chile.
Chile is a big country with a small population (19 millions), so there is plenty of space to settle. The population is unequally distributed: Santiago hosts 6 million inhabitants, that is to say 1/3rd of the population, while the remaining 2/3rd are spread in the rest of the country. Most expatriates live in Santiago or by the sea in the fifth region, in Valparaíso or Viña del Mar. The north of the country concentrates the mining activity, while Patagonia has strong tourist and energy sectors, so that you can find work in these sectors more easily.
Santiago
Santiago is the only big city of more than one million inhabitants in Chile. The other towns and cities are more rural and therefore offer very different and much slower life styles. Most expatriates choose to settle in Santiago because this is where most professional opportunities are and the standard of living is close to the one in western cities.
The main negative points of living in Santiago are air pollution, especially in winter (from June to September), and noise nuisance. If you want more information, you can read our article about the life in the Chilean capital.
For a detailed overview of Santiago's neighborhoods, see our living in Santiago guide. For street-level detail, see our Where to Live section.
Valparaíso & Viña del Mar
Most foreigners who want to live by the sea in Chile settle in the fifth region, close enough to Santiago for weekend trips or business. Valparaíso is a UNESCO World Heritage port city, colorful and bohemian, with open-air street art and a strong cultural scene — one of Pablo Neruda's houses is here. Viña del Mar, its neighbor, is the upscale beach resort: cleaner, more modern, and popular with wealthy Chileans and expat retirees.
Together they form Chile's main coastal metropolitan area. The ocean is cool year-round (this is the Pacific, not the Caribbean), but the lifestyle is relaxed and the cost of living is lower than Santiago. You can reach the capital in about 90 minutes by car or bus.
For detailed neighborhood information, see our Valparaíso & Viña del Mar living guide.
La Serena
La Serena is a coastal city of about 250,000 inhabitants, a few hours north of Santiago. It is the perfect place if you like Mediterranean landscapes and lifestyle. Summers rarely exceed 26°C (79°F), so the heat is never overwhelming. Great beaches, ideal for long walks on the seaside.
La Serena is particularly popular with retirees — the climate is nearly perfect year-round, the cost of living is lower than Santiago, and the pace of life is slower. The Elqui Valley wine region is nearby, as are some of the world's best astronomical observatories. The mining industry also provides job opportunities in the region.
For detailed information, see our La Serena & Coquimbo living guide.
Antofagasta
Antofagasta is a port city of 350,000 inhabitants located in northern Chile. The paradox of Antofagasta is that your feet are in the Pacific Ocean but behind you stand huge hills where the world's driest desert begins.
The air of the ocean helps to reduce the desert climate: temperatures reach 16°C / 60°F in winter and 25°C / 77°F in summer, and it almost never rains.
Originally, the city was built for miners, so it offers opportunities in the mining sector. However, recent investments have led to the creation of new artificial beaches, parks, and sports infrastructure, making Antofagasta increasingly attractive. The city is built all along the beach: beautiful neighborhoods are located in the south of the city, while the poorest are north and on the hillsides.
The drawbacks of the city are the fact that it is quite dirty and one of the most dangerous cities in Chile. Another downside: if Chileans can drink tap water, European and American stomachs are less resistant. Thus, we advise you to drink only mineral water.
Iquique
Iquique is a unique city of about 200,000 inhabitants, squeezed between the Pacific Ocean and the Atacama Desert. The climate is warm and dry year-round, with almost no rain. It is famous for its duty-free shopping zone (ZOFRI), which attracts business activity, and for adventure sports — the paragliding here is world-class, and the surfing is excellent.
The city has a distinctive feel: beach life on one side, vast desert on the other. If you like warm weather, outdoor sports, and do not mind being far from Santiago (about 1,800 km), Iquique can be a great option. Historic nitrate ghost towns in the desert are worth exploring on weekends.
For more details, see our Iquique living guide.
Concepción
Concepción is a central city in southern Chile. It was rebuilt after an earthquake devastated it, so Concepción is a modern city. The climate can be cold in winter (about 4°C / 40°F) and temperatures rarely exceed 25°C / 77°F in summer. The city is located on the Pacific coast, therefore the ocean is quite cold. And do not expect white sand beaches, you will get rather isolated and atypical seaside places. In Concepción, life is quiet, without problems of insecurity.
Pucón
Southern Chile is a great region in terms of quality of life. If you are looking for a more rural lifestyle, Pucón is a city of 22,000 people located in the middle of the Araucanía District. It looks like an alpine mountain village.
The city is frequented by well-off people and tourists. It is full of agencies offering sport and adventure activities. If you work in the tourism sector, Pucón is an ideal city to settle. However, be careful with the weather, this region has one of the highest rainfalls in the whole country!
Punta Arenas & Puerto Natales
These are the gateways to Patagonia and some of the most spectacular wilderness on earth. Punta Arenas (130,000 inhabitants) is one of the world's southernmost cities. Puerto Natales, smaller and more remote, serves as the base camp for Torres del Paine National Park.
Living here is a choice of lifestyle. The climate is cool year-round with strong winds and limited daylight in winter. But if you love the outdoors, work in tourism, or want a frontier-style life surrounded by stunning nature, there is nothing quite like it. The Patagonian adventure tourism industry provides employment opportunities.
For more details, see our Punta Arenas & Puerto Natales living guide.
Valdivia
Valdivia (150,000 inhabitants) is a picturesque river city in southern Chile with a strong German colonial heritage — you can see it in the architecture, the local breweries, and the kuchen (German cake) you find in every bakery. The Universidad Austral gives the city a vibrant, youthful atmosphere.
The setting is beautiful: rivers, temperate rainforests, and lush green landscapes. The cost of living is lower than Santiago and the cultural scene is surprisingly rich for a city this size. The trade-off is the climate — it rains a lot, especially in winter. If you appreciate European charm with Chilean authenticity and do not mind wet weather, Valdivia is an excellent option.
For more details, see our Valdivia living guide.
Do you want to go more in detail?
I wrote the Chile Handbook for Foreigners for anyone and everyone looking to move permanently and enjoy life in Chile. It's a 265-page book that goes over all aspects of relocating to Chile. Here is what you get:
✅ Practical tips based on 7-year relocation experience
✅ To-do lists to help you start
✅ Last updated in 2025
