For a semester in Chile, the simplest option is a prepaid SIM (a chip prepago) from Entel, Movistar, Claro or WOM, registered with your passport before you activate a 30-day plan. At Entel, the chip costs 1,490 to 1,590 CLP (about €1.37 to €1.46, £1.16 to £1.23, or $1.53 to $1.63) and the plan with 10 GB and 250 minutes costs 5,000 CLP (about €4.58, £3.88 or $5.13). Two local rules are worth knowing before you land: every prepaid line must be registered in the name of the person using it, and a phone bought outside Chile has to be registered after 30 days of use. This guide applies to Santiago, Valparaíso and Viña del Mar alike; for the rest of your move, our guide to studying in Chile covers the bigger picture.
1. Entel, Movistar, Claro and WOM: the operators in Chile
Four major operators share the Chilean mobile market: Entel, Movistar, Claro and WOM, and all of them sell prepaid SIMs you can use from the day you arrive. According to the latest figures from Subtel, Chile's telecoms regulator, Entel has 34.3% of mobile subscribers and Movistar 22.8%.
On mobile internet, the split is closer: Entel 35.2%, WOM 24.3%, Claro 21% and Movistar 18.5%. Alongside them you will also come across smaller players, such as Virgin Mobile, a virtual operator, or Mundo.
5G is spreading fast: the country now has more than 10.8 million 5G connections, almost a third more than a year earlier. For a semester in the city, whether you live in Santiago, Valparaíso or Viña del Mar, the choice mostly comes down to how much data you need and the price of the plan.
2. How prepaid works in Chile
Prepaid (prepago) is the easiest option for a stay of one or two semesters: you buy a chip, top up your credit and activate a 30-day plan, with no contract. It is not a tourist product either: prepaid lines make up almost one in five mobile numbers in Chile, more than 4.4 million lines.
Chip: the SIM card itself. Prepago: prepaid. Recarga: a credit top-up. Plan: the bundle, with a set amount of data and minutes. Redes sociales ilimitadas: unlimited social media included in the plan.
There are two ways to run your line. Either you activate a 30-day plan every time you top up. Or you choose an option such as Entel's Plan Fácil, which is taken automatically from your credit on the 1st of each month: all you have to do is keep enough balance on your line.
Prepaid covers everything you need for a few months in Chile: data, calls and social media, with nothing to cancel when it is time to head home.
3. Prices for the chip and the plans
At Entel, a prepaid chip costs less than €2 in a supermarket and a 30-day plan between 5,000 and 10,000 pesos depending on the amount of data. Here are Entel's prepaid prices at the time of writing (euro, pound and dollar conversions rounded).
| Offer | What's included | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Entel chip | 1 GB and 30 minutes included, valid for 7 days | 1,490 to 1,590 CLP (≈ €1.37 to €1.46, £1.16 to £1.23, $1.53 to $1.63) |
| Entel 30-day plan | 10 GB, 250 minutes, unlimited social media | 5,000 CLP (≈ €4.58, £3.88, $5.13) |
| Entel 30-day plan | 20 GB, 500 minutes | 8,000 CLP (≈ €7.33, £6.21, $8.21) |
| Entel Plan Fácil | 40 GB, 600 minutes, 400 texts, social media | 8,000 CLP (≈ €7.33, £6.21, $8.21) |
| Entel Plan Fácil | 60 GB, 1,000 minutes, 400 texts, social media | 10,000 CLP (≈ €9.17, £7.77, $10.26) |
Movistar, Claro and WOM have their own 30-day plans, which change regularly with promotions: compare them on their websites when you buy your chip. At 5,000 to 10,000 pesos a month, your phone barely dents your budget; for everything else, our article on the cost of living in Santiago breaks down a typical month item by item.
The Entel chip already comes with 1 GB and 30 minutes valid for 7 days: enough to tell your flatmates you have landed, order a ride and find your way while you pick a plan. And if you need data urgently, operators also sell unlimited one-day passes.
Santiago, Valparaíso or Viña del Mar: browse the rooms and studios available for your semester, with clear prices and secure booking.
See rooms in Chile4. Registering your line with your passport
In Chile, every prepaid line must now be registered in the name of the person using it, and a passport is one of the identity documents the rule allows. This Subtel measure against anonymous numbers applies both when you activate a new chip and when you top up an existing line.
To register your line, the operator will ask you for, among other things:
- your name and your address;
- your passport number;
- a contact number and, if you wish, an email address.
It also records technical details of your line and your phone, such as the IMEI. You can register in two ways: online, where the operator redirects you to its registration page as soon as you insert the chip or top up; or in a shop, where staff can register the line for you when you buy the chip. Your new line is only activated once registration is complete.
To confirm your identity, the operator can use a fingerprint, facial recognition, security questions, two-factor authentication or an advanced electronic signature. If you are asked to register a line that is already active, you have 10 calendar days; after that, it can no longer be topped up.
If you are still looking for your room, the whole booking process is explained on how it works, and the team behind the platform introduces itself on our about page.
5. Your phone bought outside Chile
A phone bought outside Chile works for 30 consecutive days with a Chilean SIM; after that, it has to be registered with Subtel to keep connecting to Chilean mobile networks. The rule, known as Multibanda, applies to any device brought from abroad and is used in particular for the emergency alerts sent to phones. Over a five-month semester with your usual phone and a Chilean chip, it applies to you.
Registration is done online, on Subtel's Multibanda website, with your RUT if you already have one or with your foreign passport: no need to wait for your RUT. You will also be asked for the purchase receipt and proof of your entry into the country. Entel explains the procedure step by step in its help centre.
Put the purchase receipt for your phone in your documents, or at least take a photo of it: it is one of the documents requested for registration. Also make sure your phone is unlocked, meaning it accepts a SIM card from an operator other than your own.
6. Where to buy your chip when you arrive
You can buy a prepaid chip in a supermarket such as Líder, through delivery on Rappi, or in the operators' own shops, where staff can also register your line on the spot. In a supermarket, the Entel chip costs 1,490 CLP at Líder, and you then register online when you insert the chip.
What your Chilean number unlocks
Once your line is active, the semester really gets going. The flat WhatsApp group, weekend plans, Moovit to time your Merval rides between Viña del Mar and Valparaíso, Uber, DiDi or Cabify to get home from Bellavista or Lastarria in Santiago. On Wednesday nights in Santiago, there is Miércoles Po', the exchange students' favourite night out, where Flatmaters students get in free all semester: with data, finding your group in the crowd becomes easy.
To plan your everyday journeys, have a look at our guides to getting around Santiago and getting around Viña del Mar.
7. Frequently asked questions
Which operator should I choose for a semester in Chile?
Entel, Movistar, Claro and WOM all offer prepaid SIMs with no contract. Entel has the most mobile internet connections (35.2%). For a semester in the city, the choice mostly comes down to how much data you need and the price of the plan when you buy it.
How much does a SIM card cost in Chile?
At Entel, the chip costs 1,490 to 1,590 CLP in shops (about €1.37 to €1.46, £1.16 to £1.23, or $1.53 to $1.63), with 1 GB and 30 minutes included for 7 days. A 30-day plan starts at 5,000 CLP (about €4.58, £3.88 or $5.13) for 10 GB and 250 minutes, and the Plan Fácil gives you 60 GB for 10,000 CLP (about €9.17, £7.77 or $10.26).
Can I get a Chilean SIM with a foreign passport?
The rule lists the passport among the accepted identity documents. How each shop applies it could not be confirmed: if a shop does not register your line, try another branch of the operator or online registration. Every prepaid line must be registered in the name of the person using it. You register online when you insert the chip, or in a shop, where staff can do it for you on the spot. The line is activated once registration is complete.
Will my phone bought in Europe work in Chile?
Yes, if it is unlocked. With a Chilean SIM, it works for 30 consecutive days, then it has to be registered online on Subtel's Multibanda website, with your RUT or your foreign passport, to stay connected to mobile networks. Keep the purchase receipt for your phone, as it is one of the documents requested.
How do I get data during my first few days?
The Entel chip includes 1 GB and 30 minutes valid for 7 days, enough to get by while you choose a plan. Operators also sell unlimited one-day passes; check each operator's site.
Do I need to top up my line every month?
Prepaid plans last 30 days, so yes, you renew them every month. With an option such as Entel's Plan Fácil, the plan is taken automatically from your credit on the 1st of each month: you just need to keep enough balance on your line.