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Santiago
#93 of 124
South America

Santiago

Chile

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Santiago compare to Pattaya?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Santiago is 21% worse off vs in Pattaya

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Santiago compared to Pattaya, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$33,498
-$2K (-5%) vs Pattaya
Based on 143 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$24,588
-$5K (-18%) vs Pattaya
Tax Rate: 27%

Community Insights

New

Santiago presents a polarizing choice for software engineers. It offers a modern, developed urban experience unique in South America, with reliable infrastructure and incredible access to the Andes mountains. However, the experience is heavily dependent on income source; earning a local salary often results in a modest lifestyle due to the cost of living relative to local wages, whereas remote workers earning foreign currency enjoy high purchasing power. The city's poor air quality in winter and safety issues are significant detractors that frequently appear in resident complaints.

Resident Sentiment

Expats generally praise the lifestyle-to-cost ratio if they live in the "northeastern cone" (safe, wealthy neighborhoods) and earn foreign currency. There is a strong sentiment of appreciation for the mountain views and weekend getaways. However, long-term residents frequently express frustration with the bureaucracy, the winter pollution, and a perceived increase in insecurity over the last few years, leading some to eventually move on.

The Good

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to Pattaya.

Rankings

Comfortable Weather

Top 17%

#21

of 124 cities

85/100 weather score

Current value

Cost of Living

Top 18%

#22

of 124 cities

29/100

Current value (lower is better)

Tax Rate

Top 23%

#29

of 124 cities

27%

Current value (lower is better)

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Santiago compared to Pattaya?

Avg. Property Price
$2,792 / m²
14% more expensive than Pattaya
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Santiago to maintain the same standard of living.

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Do you have kids?

Cost of Living
4% more expensive than Pattaya
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Santiago

Microsoft logo
Microsoft
Uber logo
Uber
Perficient logo
Perficient
  • High Purchasing Power for Remote Workers: While local salaries are lower, earning USD or EUR allows for a very comfortable lifestyle in upscale neighborhoods like Las Condes or Vitacura.
  • Proximity to World-Class Nature: Unbeatable access to the Andes Mountains for skiing in winter and hiking in summer, often just an hour's drive from the city center.
  • Modern Infrastructure: often cited as the "most European" city in Latin America with reliable high-speed internet, modern metro system, and good healthcare facilities.
  • Start-Up Ecosystem: Start-Up Chile is a government-backed accelerator that attracts global tech talent, creating a vibrant, albeit transient, entrepreneurial community.
  • Time Zone Alignment: The time zone (GMT-3 or GMT-4) aligns perfectly with US East Coast working hours, making it ideal for remote contractors working with North American teams.

The Bad

  • Severe Winter Smog: The city's location in a valley traps pollution, leading to poor air quality during winter months (May-August) that many expats find unbearable.
  • Safety Concerns: Despite being safer than other regional capitals, street crime (phone snatching) and muggings are real concerns; the low safety index (#110) reflects this reality.
  • Low Local Salaries: Relying on the local job market yields significantly lower pay (median SWE salary ~$33k/year) compared to US/European standards, with a high cost of electronics and imported goods.
  • Language Barrier: Unlike some European tech hubs, Spanish fluency is practically mandatory for daily life and navigating bureaucracy; very little English is spoken outside of specific expat bubbles.
  • Class & Social Stratification: Expats often note a rigid social hierarchy and "machismo" culture that can make integration into local social circles difficult.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

Software engineers with remote US/EU jobs who want to leverage the time zone alignment and lower cost of living while enjoying outdoor activities like skiing and trekking. Entrepreneurs looking to join the Start-Up Chile ecosystem or those seeking a "soft landing" in Latin America with modern amenities and a more orderly environment than neighboring countries will also thrive here.

Skip it if...

Junior developers relying on local employment will likely struggle with low wages relative to the cost of living. Individuals with respiratory issues or asthma should avoid the city due to the severe winter smog. Those expecting a fully English-speaking tech bubble or those highly sensitive to street safety and property crime stats (ranked #110 safely) may find the daily vigilance exhausting.

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather8.5/10+467% vs Pattaya
Safety36-34%
Pollution71-19%
Events0
8.5/10TechCities weather score vs 1.5/10 in Pattaya

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
23°C(vs 31°C in Pattaya)
Average Low
8°C(vs 25°C in Pattaya)
Sunshine Hours
2,808h/yr-92h/yr
Hottest Month High
30°C(vs 32°C in Pattaya)
Coldest Month Low
3°C(vs 22°C in Pattaya)
Rainy Days
32/yr-96/yr(-75%)

Community & Quality

Santiago community pulse

Santiago has 0 Luma events listed.

Pattaya has no listed Luma events for comparison.

Home Affordability

Middle of the pack

#73

of 124 cities

≈9.1 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Purchasing Power

Bottom 26%

#93

of 124 cities

Net Income

Bottom 18%

#103

of 124 cities

$24,588/yr

Current value

Pollution Score

Bottom 16%

#105

of 124 cities

70.7/100

Current value (lower is better)

Safety Index

Bottom 12%

#110

of 124 cities

35.8/100

Current value

Community Events

Bottom 6%

#118

of 124 cities

0 events on luma

Current value

SWE Affordability
9.1 years
2.6 years longer than Pattaya
Muggy Days
0/yr-338/yr(-100%)
Cloud Cover
30%(vs 75% in Pattaya)