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Iquique, Chile
Photo: eliaszafe · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Iquique

Chile · Latin America · 199,587 people · America/Santiago · CLP

Iquique scores 64.8/100 for digital nomads under balanced weights, ranking 432 of 1501 cities. Expect about $1,650 per month (country-level estimate), no dedicated nomad visa, and a measured median download speed of 48.3 Mbps.

Iquique is a port city squeezed between the Pacific and a steep desert escarpment in northern Chile, with a long beach, surf breaks, reliable paragliding winds and a duty-free trade zone. The nitrate-era houses of Baquedano street and the UNESCO-listed Humberstone works recall its boom years. It almost never rains, but the city is isolated, exposed to tsunamis, and crime and migration tensions have risen sharply.

  • Cavancha beach and surf
  • Paragliding off the coastal cliffs
  • ZOFRI duty-free zone
  • Humberstone nitrate ghost town
Cost of living: 5.5 of 65 points (scores 50/100)Safety: 6.3 of 65 points (scores 56/100)Healthcare: 9.6 of 65 points (scores 87/100)Internet: 8.0 of 65 points (scores 72/100)Visa ease: 5.1 of 65 points (scores 46/100)Getting there & around: 1.8 of 65 points (scores 16/100)Climate: 11.1 of 65 points (scores 100/100)Air quality: 9.0 of 65 points (scores 81/100)Quality of life: 8.4 of 65 points (scores 76/100)65
Balanced score
out of 100
Vibe check
  • Cost5.5
  • Safety6.3
  • Health9.6
  • Internet8.0
  • Visa5.1
  • Mobility1.8
  • Climate11.1
  • Air9.0
  • QoL8.4

Rank 432 of 1,501 · its cost is a national estimate, so Top 10 lists rank it after cities with a local price

For US nomads

  • US passport entry
    90 days visa-free
    no visa needed for a visit
  • Time vs New York
    2 hours ahead of New York
    7h of a 9–6 day overlap with Eastern time
  • Time vs Los Angeles
    5 hours ahead of Los Angeles
    4h of a 9–6 day overlap with Pacific time
  • Non-stop from the US
    0 US airports
    Wikipedia, 2026-09

Prices are in US dollars. US citizens are taxed on worldwide income; the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and state residency rules are worth a look before a long stay.

Eating out

OpenStreetMap, 2026-1116

39restaurants within 3 km

Mapped around the centre of Iquique: few restaurants mapped, which can also mean thin map coverage. A count of what is on the map, not a rating, and it does not affect the score.

How Iquique scores, factor by factor

Superscripts link to the source list at the bottom. Country-level figures apply to all of Chile.

Cost of living

Monthly cost for one person (log-scaled, cheaper is better).
50
  • Monthly cost, one person: $1,6502 · country-level, 2026-09
  • Central one-bedroom rent: no data3 · city-level, 2026-09 — no city-level rent row in the WhereToEmigrate dataset

Safety

Homicide rate and political stability (country-level).
56
  • Homicide rate: 6.11 per 100k4 · country-level, 2024
  • Political stability: 68.6/1005 · country-level, 2025

Healthcare

WHO universal-health-coverage index and life expectancy (country-level).
87
  • UHC service coverage: 84/1006 · country-level, 2023
  • Life expectancy: 81.1 years7 · country-level, 2023

Internet

Median measured download and upload speed (M-Lab, city-level; the province or country aggregate where the city has too few tests).
72
  • Median download: 48.3 Mbps8 · city-level, 2024
  • Median upload: 10.6 Mbps8 · city-level, 2024
  • Tests measured: 1,3798 · city-level, 2024
  • Starlink: Available9 · country-level, 2026-10, not scored

Visa ease

How easily your passport gets in and stays: visa-free days, eTA, visa on arrival, e-visa or consular visa, plus a nomad visa and how affordable its income threshold is. Averages US, EU and UK passports until you pick yours.
46
  • Nomad visa: none listed10
  • Entry, US passport: 90 days11 · country-level, 2026-02
  • Entry, EU passport: 90 days11 · country-level, 2026-02
  • Entry, UK passport: 90 days11 · country-level, 2026-02

Getting there & around

Non-stop airport destinations (hub size) plus editorial walkability and transit ratings.
16
  • Non-stop destinations from IQQ: 612 · city-level, 2026-09
  • Walkability: 3/513 · editorial, 2026-09
  • Public transit: 2/513 · editorial, 2026-09

Climate

Share of months that are comfortable: 59–82°F (15–28 °C) mean, at most 5.9 in (150 mm) rain, at most 85% humidity.
100
  • Comfortable months: 12 of 1214 · city-level, 2001–2020 normals

Air quality

Annual mean PM2.5 on a fixed scale: 5 µg/m³ (WHO guideline) scores 100, 50 µg/m³ or worse scores 0.
81
  • Annual mean PM2.5: 13.6 µg/m³15 · city-level, 2023

Quality of life

Human Development Index and English proficiency (country-level).
76
  • Human Development Index: 0.87817 · country-level, 2023
  • English proficiency: moderate18 · country-level, 2024

What does Iquique cost per month?

Total, one person$1,650country estimate
One-bedroom rent, centreno datacity-level rent unavailable
Country cost index (US = 100)45country

Can you stay legally?

Nomad visanone listed
Minimum income—
US passport90 days
EU passport90 days
UK passport90 days

Visa rules change often. Verify with the issuing government before you book.

Do you pay tax here on income from abroad?

Tax status · Chile

New foreign residents pay 0%–40% only on Chilean-source income for 3 years, and work done in Chile counts

Worldwide income

Chile taxes residents on worldwide income at 0% to 40%, but a foreigner who settles there is taxed only on Chilean-source income for the first 3 years after arrival. Foreign dividends, interest, gains, rent and pensions are therefore untaxed at first. Remote work is not: pay for work physically done in Chile is Chilean-source even when the employer or client is abroad. There is no wealth tax; inheritance tax runs from 1% to 25%.

  • Remote work income

    Salary from a foreign employer or fees from foreign clients

    Taxed

    0%–40% progressive (monthly scale for salary, annual scale for freelance fees)

  • Investments and pensions

    Dividends, interest, gains, rent and pensions from abroad

    Not taxed

    None on foreign-source income for the first 3 years; afterwards 0%–40% progressive

  • Wealth

    Net wealth and inheritance

    No wealth tax

    Inheritance tax applies

Tax resident after
183 days a year
Top income tax rate
40%

On the nomad visa

Chile has no digital nomad visa: neither the 2021 migration law (Ley 21.325) nor the decree listing temporary-residence subcategories has a remote-work route. Many nationalities enter visa-free on permanencia transitoria for 90 days, extendable once by 90 days, and the migration service says holders may not carry out paid activities. Tax follows the ordinary tests: past 183 days in 12 months, or with domicile, you are resident, and work done in Chile is taxed. People living on pensions or investment income can apply for the jubilados y rentistas temporary residence, which also leaves foreign-source income untaxed for the first 3 years.

Not yet reviewed by a person · compiled from official pages read on 2026-10-27

General information, not tax advice. Tax treaties, your citizenship and your home country's exit rules can change the answer. US citizens are taxed by the US wherever they live.

Airports and nonstop flights

Iquique is served by one airport.

AirportNonstop destinationsInternationalFrom US airports
IQQDiego Aracena International Airport610

Wikipedia airport pages as of 2026-09: seasonal routes included, charters and announced-but-not-started routes excluded.

What is the weather like through the year?

Comfortable months by our rule: all year. Rank cities for Dec–Feb →

MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean °F707169666360596061626467
Rain in0000000.100.1000
Humidity %676868696868676565656566

Green temperatures mark months that meet the comfort rule (59–82°F, ≤5.9 in rain, ≤85% humidity). NASA POWER 2001–2020 climatology at the city coordinates.

Where can you stay in Iquique?

Three ways to live here, and what each does to the monthly budget. Rents are the one-bedroom figures from the cost table; hotels and short lets are priced per night and cost more, most of all in high season.

OptionRent per monthMonthly totalNotes
One-bedroom outside the centre——No city-level cost here; the total is a national estimate.
One-bedroom in the centre——No city-level rent figure for this city.
Hotel or short let——For the first weeks or a stay under a month. Compare hotels on Navoy →

Monthly rents assume an unfurnished lease of six months or more; furnished monthly lets usually cost 20 to 50 percent more.

Cities with a similar profile

Also in Latin America: Acapulco, Aguascalientes, Americana, Antigua Guatemala, Antofagasta, Arequipa

Ready to see Iquique for yourself?

Nostos tells you where. Navoy, the AI travel planner behind it, builds the trip: itineraries, places to stay and what to book before you land.

Opens on navoy.io.

The vibe

What people post about living in Iquique, read for its mood. It is a reading of opinions, not a fact, and it is not part of the score.

Mixed · 58Commenters are warm about Iquique's beaches, desert setting, and friendly people, but robbery and cold Pacific water temper the enthusiasm; mixed but leaning positive.

People praise
  • beaches
  • friendly people
  • desert scenery
  • local food
  • history and culture
People warn about
  • insecurity and theft
  • cold ocean water
  • neglect by central government
  • Visitors feel welcomed, especially foreigners from neighboring countries
  • Beaches and surroundings are considered stunning despite cold water
  • Crime, especially petty theft, is a real concern
  • Limited depth in the content; mostly older or sparse videos

Read from 7 videos, 21 comments and 0 posts on 2026-11-08; the summary is written by a language model and can misread sarcasm.

Frequently asked

How much does it cost to live in Iquique as a digital nomad?
A single person typically spends about $1,650 per month in Iquique (a country-level estimate for Chile). That is a 50/100 cost score, where 100 is the cheapest city in the dataset.
Is Iquique safe for digital nomads?
Iquique scores 56/100 on safety. Chile records 6.11 homicides per 100,000 people per year (WHO, 2024) and a political-stability score of 68.6/100 (World Bank WGI). Both figures are national, so neighbourhood-level risk can differ.
Does Chile have a digital nomad visa?
No dedicated digital nomad visa was listed for Chile as of 2026-07. Visitors from the US can stay 90 days visa-free.
How fast is the internet in Iquique?
Measured median download speed in Iquique was 48.3 Mbps (upload 10.6 Mbps) across 1,379 M-Lab tests in 2024. Measured speeds run below advertised plan speeds everywhere, so compare cities rather than reading the number as a plan.
Is Starlink available in Iquique?
Yes. Starlink's availability map lists residential service as available in Chile (checked 2026-10), so a dish can serve as a backup line in Iquique. Check the exact address on starlink.com before ordering, since capacity varies by area.
Which airports serve Iquique and how many nonstop flights are there?
Iquique is served by Diego Aracena International Airport (IQQ) with 6 nonstop destinations, of which 1 are international. 0 US airports have a nonstop link. Source: Wikipedia, 2026-09.
When is the best time of year to be in Iquique?
The most comfortable months are Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec. Mean temperatures range from 59°F (15°C) in Jul to 71°F (22°C) in Feb (NASA POWER 2001–2020 climatology).
Iquique or Antofagasta: which is better for digital nomads?
Antofagasta is the city with the closest factor profile to Iquique in this dataset. Which one wins depends on your weights; the comparison page puts every factor side by side with the numbers behind them.

Sources

Dataset 2026.11.2, published 2026-11-09. Download the full dataset or read the methodology.

  1. 1.City population (latest census or official estimate), Wikipedia (citing national statistics offices). CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-22. City-proper figures; the per-city source URL is stored with the seed row.
  2. 2.2026 Cost of Living Index (country level), WhereNext. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-22. Country-level monthly estimate used only where no city-level figure exists; cost_index kept for every city.
  3. 3.Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows), WhereToEmigrate. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-22. monthly_cost_single_eur and rent_1br_center_eur, converted to USD at the ECB reference rate on the retrieval date (see ecb-frankfurter).
  4. 4.Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, dataUNODC. UNODC data, free to reuse with attribution. Retrieved 2026-10-12. Police- or statistics-office-recorded rates reported to UNODC's crime-trends survey, latest year per country (2024 for most), both sexes, all ages; the United Kingdom uses England and Wales. Replaces the WHO modelled estimate wherever UNODC has a figure from 2018 or later; WHO's 2021 estimates ran several times above recorded figures for El Salvador and Honduras. Workbook data_cts_intentional_homicide.xlsx (July 2026) reduced by scripts/build-dataset/inputs/convert-unodc-homicide.py.
  5. 5.Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100), World Bank. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-22.
  6. 6.UHC service coverage index, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). Retrieved 2026-09-22.
  7. 7.Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). Retrieved 2026-09-22.
  8. 8.M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024), Measurement Lab. CC0 1.0. Retrieved 2026-09-22. Median of daily median download/upload throughput over 2024 for the city aggregate; sample count is the number of tests. Speeds reflect user-initiated tests, not advertised plans.
  9. 9.Starlink availability map, SpaceX (Starlink). Factual status cited from starlink.com. Retrieved 2026-10-07. Residential service status per country from the file Starlink's map loads. Grouped as on the map: launched or available = available; coming soon, pending regulatory approval or test = coming soon; blacklisted = not offered; unknown or excluded = unknown. Shown on city pages and as a ranker filter; not part of any score. Roaming and maritime plans can work in more places.
  10. 10.Digital Nomad Visas 2026, WhereToEmigrate. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-22. Programme name, minimum monthly income (EUR, converted to USD) and whether it leads to permanent residence. Values are directional; verify with the issuing government.
  11. 11.Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), Ilya Ilyankou (compiled from passportindex.org). MIT. Retrieved 2026-09-22. Days per visit where stated; 'visa free' without a limit is credited as unlimited; eTA, visa on arrival, e-visa and visa required are credited 0 days for scoring but shown by kind. The default US/EU/UK figures use the US, German and British passports.
  12. 12.Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables), Wikipedia contributors; countries via Wikidata. CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-24. Distinct destination airports listed in each airport article's passenger table, resolved through Wikidata. Seasonal routes count; charters and routes announced but not yet flying are excluded. The as-of date is the newest article revision among the city's airports. Falls back to the OpenFlights snapshot when an airport has no article or table.
  13. 13.Walkability and transit ratings (editorial), Navoy. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-22. Judgment ratings, not measurements. Explained on /methodology.
  14. 14.NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means), NASA Langley Research Center. Public domain (US Government). Retrieved 2026-09-22. T2M, PRECTOTCORR and RH2M at the city coordinates (0.5° grid). Monthly precipitation = mm/day × days in month.
  15. 15.SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04), Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-10-07. Annual 2023 PM2.5 for the 0.1° grid cell at the city centre, from satellite aerosol retrievals combined with a chemical transport model and ground monitors. Used only for cities with no WHO database row. Where the same country has WHO-measured cities, values are scaled by the median measured/satellite ratio there (corrects desert-dust overestimates in the Gulf). Across 811 cities with both, log-correlation with WHO values is 0.89 and the median difference 2 µg/m³.
  16. 16.OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API), OpenStreetMap contributors. ODbL 1.0. Retrieved 2026-10-02. Count of OpenStreetMap elements tagged amenity=restaurant within 3 km of the city centre coordinate. Measures how many restaurants are mapped, which tracks real density well where OpenStreetMap is well maintained (Europe, the Americas, East and Southeast Asia) and under-counts where it is not (parts of Africa and Central Asia).
  17. 17.Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023), United Nations Development Programme. CC BY 3.0 IGO. Retrieved 2026-09-22.
  18. 18.EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band), EF Education First. Proprietary; band cited as a fact with attribution. Retrieved 2026-09-22. Only the proficiency band is stored, transcribed by hand from the public ranking.