to yomper -- The cost of living in Chile is much the same as in the US. I would compare Santiago to Seattle in costs. The farther away form Santiago you are, the less expensive it becomes. Not sure about what you would need to do to retire here. We are here on a work contract and in order to get our ID cards (which you need in order to do any business here, renting an apt, buying a car), you have to show proof of employment or I imagine ability to care for yourself financially. Probably the best thing to do is contact a chilean embassy in the US. You can find most of the info online, but sorry, I can't remember the website.
