Punta Arenas,Chile life there for expats are they readily accepted & do they enjoy life there?

Question

I am considering a 1-2yr stay in the Punta Arenas area.I am American,retired,compared to other areas of Chile is it more or less costly ,ie:rents,food,entertainment,has any other Americans stayed /lived in So.Chile what were their times like?

Answer 1

I lived in Chile for two years and it is a wonderful place to live.  People are extremely friendly and warm.  Now as for living in Punta Arenas, although I do think it is a marvelous place (ambiance speaking) it is more expensive than other areas in Chile due to the distance it has with the rest of the "civilization".  I would recommend moving more to the north Coyhaique or even the lake region which is also amazing.

Answer 2

yoshita is right on that punta arenas is more expensive than other areas as its the southernmost city in the country. however, dont expect much difference. i havent noticed any difference at all and im a chilean!

costlier or not, this shouldnt be much of a problem for an american as the average per capita income in the us is about seven times that of chile, meaning an average american can afford a better standard of living there than in the us.

as for foreigners acceptance, punta arenas is full of them year long --its unbelievable the number of american/european tourists there, so locals have a culture of dealing with them.

an interesting feauture is this place is full of croatians, mainly from brac and its surroundingsv --beautiful blondes all over the place! most are second generation croatian. they even celebrate xmas and new years differently.

Answer 3

Chile is a wonderful country.  Check this website of Americans living abroad, there's a section on Chile.  I don't know if there's something specifically for Punta Arenas, but I'm sure you'll find somebody there that knows.

Hope this helps..

Answer 4

Things in Punta Arenas and Arica are more expensive compared to the rest of the country beacuse they are in the extreme parts. The weather is cold, but not as cold as NYC. If you like nature you will enjoy it. Punta Arenas has a lot of beautiful landscapes. Good luck!!