Working in Santiago Chile
The capital and largest city in Chile, Santiago is situated in the centre of the tall country at an extremely high elevation. The city was originally founded in 1541 and has been the capital of Chile since colonial times.
Santiago has grown into a modern, cosmopolitan metropolis that has expanded along with the country’s emerging economy. Close to 5.5 million people live in Santiago, making it one of the most populated cities in South America.
- Airport
- Railway Station
- Transportation
- Cost of Living
- Accommodation
- Shopping
- Emergency
- Insurance and Healthcare
Location
Tourism Video
Airport
Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport
Located 15km north-west of central Santiago, Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport is the largest and busiest facility in Chile. The airport provides services all over the world, including direct from Sydney, and handles more than 15 million passengers annually, with slightly more of these embarking on domestic flights.
Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport is well serviced by bus and shuttle services. Local company, Centropuerto, provides buses to and from the airport to Santiago’s central train station every 10-15 minutes. Santiago’s shuttle services can connect visitors to many of the city’s major hotels and can be pre-booked online. Taxis and limousines are also available to travellers.
Railway Station
Estación Central
Santiago has just one primary railway station, Estación Central. The station serves southern Chile and is located on the Avenida Libertador General Bernardo O’Higgins, facing Matucana Avenue. The station, which opened in 1885, is also a key hub for public transport, with it hosting a metro station and having three intercity bus stops nearby. Northern Chile is no longer serviced by a railway after the closure of the Estación Mapocho.
Transportation
Santiago has a modern and efficient metro and bus service making up its public transport system. The metro has five lines with more than 90 stations around the city. The service operates between 6am and 11pm each day and has extensive signage alerting commuters of much-needed information about the network. Santiago’s bus system runs 24 hours a day to all parts of the city.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in Chile is low by western standards and the average monthly wage is typically about $1000 equivalent.
According to online cost of living database Numbeo (http://www.numbeo.com/), prices for typical items on current exchange rates (June 2013) are as follows:
| Food | |
| Cheap meal (inexpensive restaurant) | $7.50 |
| Three-course meal for two at mid-range restaurant | $42.20 |
| Domestic beer (500mL) | $1.80 |
| Coke (330mL) | $1.20 |
| Milk (1 litre) | $1.40 |
| Loaf of bread | $1.10 |
| Eggs | $2.70 |
| Transport | |
| One way ticket (local transport) | $1.30 |
| Monthly pass | $47.10 |
| Petrol (1 litre) | $1.70 |
| Rent (monthly) | |
| One bedroom apartment (central area) | $460 approx |
| Three bedroom apartment (central area) | $750 approx |
| Accommodation | |
| Hostel bed (one night) | $27 |
| Five star hotel room (one night) | $225 |
Accommodation
A large percentage of Chile’s hotels covering budgets of all levels are located in the city’s central area. A few options include:
Budget
Footsteps Backpackers
Hostal Del Barrio
Mid-range
MG Apartments
Casa Bonita Bed & Breakfast
High-end
W Santiago
Grand Hyatt Santiago
Shopping
Santiago has several shopping centres or malls catering for all types of shoppers. The main centres are Mall Plaza Vespucio, Mall Plaza Oeste, Mall Portal La Dehesa, Mall Parque Arauco, Mall Alto Las Condes, Mall Florida Center, Mall Plaza Norte and Costanera Centre. At these malls look out for Chile’s most prominent department stores, Falabella, Paris and Ripley.
Emergency
Tourist emergency telephone services:
Police 133
Fire 132
Medical emergency 131
Consular assistance in Chile can be obtained from:
Australian Embassy, Santiago de Chile
Isidora Goyenechea 3621
13th Floor, Las Condes
Santiago de Chile
Telephone: (56 2) 2550 3500
Fax: (56 2) 2550 3560
Email: consular.santiago@dfat.gov.au
Insurance and Healthcare
Chile’s government provides a public health care service in the country. To fund this income earners in Chile are required to pay 7% of their income towards the public system. Healthcare is free for people older than 60, people without income or with disabilities and for certain low income earners.
Expats in Chile can also take out private care, with an extensive range of services available for those willing to pay extra. Costs for private health treatment in Chile vary compared to those in Australia. Despite a good standard of health facilities in Chile, DFAT recommends all Australians travelling to the country take out comprehensive travel insurance to cover any overseas costs.