Living in Chile
Where will I live?
VE rents three apartments in the city center where eight volunteers can live. Priority for spaces in these apartments goes to new volunteers. The apartments are in a beautiful and safe new building with a concierge 24 hours a day. The apartments are a ten-minute walk from two Metro lines and are steps from various bus stops. The rent for these apartments is $115,000 Chilean pesos per month (Just over $200 USD or $145 Euros), including all bills.
VE will find initial placements for volunteers who wish to live in shared apartments with Chileans or other foreigners. If volunteers wish to find their own housing, VE will offer them support and advice for finding housing that’s right for them. Santiago is a big city with a wide variety of housing options. Other apartments will likely cost a bit more than the VE volunteer apartments, but reasonable housing is always possible to find.
Can I choose where I will work/live?
You can specify your preferences on where you want to work and live in the application form. For a matter of availability and the specific characteristics of each institution, the Executive Director takes the final decision about the assignment of a volunteer to an institution.
If you’d like to live in the volunteer apartments, we’ll take your preference into consideration, but because there are only eight spaces, we can’t guarantee that you’ll get one. We will, however, guarantee you a reasonable, safe, comfortable housing option.
What costs should I expect?
Beside your flight to Santiago, you should take into account the cost of living in Chile in order to make a budget. Most volunteers are surprised when they arrive in Santiago at how modern the city is. This includes modern prices that are comparable to those in many major cities. The monthly costs can vary but we can give you an idea of what can be expected:
Transportation: 30,000 CLP
Housing: 115,000 CLP in the volunteer apartments, approximately 130,000 CLP elsewhere
Food: 80,000 CLP
Cell Phone: 10,000 CLP
In average, you should count on 235,000 CLP which correspond approximately to $435 USD and 300 €. These amounts can vary and depend greatly on your social life and travels.
Do I need a health insurance?
It is highly recommended to purchase travel insurance. There are many options available online, which will vary in cost depending on coverage. Some travel insurance will give you the option of combining theft and travel interruption insurance with basic health care (emergencies, medical evacuations). More inclusive travel health insurance will be more expensive. However, if you are staying for a while, it could be cheaper to take a Chilean health insurance (around 35,000 CLP monthly).
Do I need a visa?
Foreigners traveling to Chile will obtain a tourist visa at the airport when they enter the country. Some nationalities will also have to pay a “reciprocity fee” (USA $131 USD, Australia $61 USD, Mexico $23 USD and Canada $132 USD) that will last for the life of your passport. The tourist visa allows you to stay in Chile for 90 days. After 90 days, you must cross the border and return to Chile to renew your visa. If you plan on staying for more than 9 months, it may be a good idea to obtain a temporary resident visa, which is good for one year. The process for obtaining this visa is quite complicated, but is easier to begin once you begin in Chile rather than from your home country. Fees for this visa vary for each country: for example, it’s free for citizens of the United States, costs $136 USD for French citizens, and $1000 USD for citizens of the United Kingdom.
What is Santiago like?
Santiago is a sprawling city with approximately six million inhabitants. You will frequently use the public transport system, including both the Metro and buses. Being a big city has also the advantage that it hosts lots of cultural events and entertainment. You will find art theaters with good original movies, nightclubs with all kinds of music, concert halls, museums, and more!
Will I be on my own?
No! As soon as you arrive in Chile, you will be welcomed by other volunteers. VE is a unique, close-knit community full of individuals who seek to support each other. The Orientation Week is meant to help you feel comfortable within the organization as well as in the city. The committee system is also a way to share your experience with the other volunteers, as the meetings are great opportunities to connect and socialize. Frequent VE events, such as “Liga de Deportes,” our monthly sports day, and repair days (when the organization works together to re-paint, spruce up, or repair a specific institution), are a great way to spend time with other volunteers. There is also always a continuous flow of spontaneous volunteer events such as barbecues, games of Frisbee, and parties.