Santiago: Eli's own number one — a skyscraper city with Andes MTB, skiing and rowing all in one commute radius.
Santiago is the one city on the shortlist that stacks all three of Eli's things in one commute radius: a skyscraper capital, world-class Andes mountain biking on the doorstep, lift-served skiing about an hour from the front door, and flat-water rowing at Laguna Carén, the national regatta lake.
It has a Mediterranean climate, dry sunny summers and real winter snow up the hill, well-established British IGCSE schooling, and a fast route from temporary residence to permanent residence. For a 14-year-old who wants mountains and water without leaving the city, it's close to purpose-built.
The honest counterweights are Santiago's winter smog, essential Spanish, and long, expensive flights that put the UK-based siblings a full travel day away.
Chile has no dedicated nomad visa; income-earners use a temporary-residence category and enjoy a rare perk — new residents are taxed only on Chilean-source income for their first three years. Planning-grade; confirm with SERMIG and a Chilean adviser.
The practical route for remote income, applied online via SERMIG under Migration Law 21.325.
Genuinely quick settlement by global standards.
Spouse and minor children are included; adult children aren't automatic.
A big tax perk, and three real costs.
Comfortable within income, but long-haul flights are a real line and year one adds one-off school and visa costs. Figures at ≈ US$1.32 to £1 (planning rate — verify).
| Item | USD / month | £ / month |
|---|---|---|
| Rent good 3-bed (Las Condes / Providencia) | ~$1,320 | £1,000 |
| Groceries & household | ~$594 | £450 |
| Utilities & internet | ~$185 | £140 |
| Private health insurance Isapre, family | ~$330 | £250 |
| Transport metro passes + some car | ~$158 | £120 |
| Eating out, leisure & sport | ~$396 | £300 |
| Living subtotal | ≈ $2,983 | ≈ £2,260 / mo |
Then The Grange School (IGCSE ~£8,900/yr + fees) and ~6 return UK flights (long-haul, ~£900 each) take the all-in to ~£3,490/mo. Year one adds a one-off school incorporation fee (~£6,600) — budget ~£48–50k that year.
A rare perk: new tax residents pay Chilean tax only on Chilean-source income for their first 3 years (extendable to 6) — overseas business income is outside scope in that window. After it, worldwide at 0–40%. UK–Chile treaty in force; plan before the window ends.
Private Isapre plans give access to excellent hospitals (Clínica Alemana, Clínica Las Condes); family premium ~£160–280/mo plus co-pays. International policies cost more but cover repatriation.
Hot dry summers (Dec–Feb, 28–32°C), mild winters with snow on the peaks. The coast (Valparaíso/Viña) is ~90 min. Winter smog traps in the basin May–Aug — higher barrios (Lo Barnechea) are cleaner.
The Grange School (Cambridge IGCSE + A-level, ~£8,900/yr), plus Craighouse, Redland and Nido de Águilas. A genuine British-tradition school market — ~£8,000–14,000/yr.
ISO microchip (mandatory from Jul 2026), rabies jab (≥21 days prior), core vaccines, and an APHA-endorsed health certificate within 10 days, presented to SAG on arrival. Fly as manifest cargo.
Among Latin America's safer, best-governed countries; Santiago's east/uphill barrios are low-crime and family-friendly. Petty theft has risen in the centre. Spanish is essential; the Andes is seismically active (modern housing is engineered for it).
World-class and immediate. Trail networks minutes from the city (Parque Aguas de Ramón, Cerro Manquehue), big descents at Farellones/El Colorado, and the Cajón del Maipo valley — year-round riding at altitude on the doorstep.
Laguna Carén, west of the city, is Chile's national flat-water regatta venue (used for continental championships), with Club de Remo Carén and university clubs running junior programmes. A 14-year-old can train on an international-standard course. And skiing is the bonus — Farellones and Valle Nevado are ~1–1.5h up from Las Condes (season ~June–Sept). Confirm the junior rowing intake.