[nischalshetty]

We were part of the first batch of Start-Up Chile. It's a good program if you are really at the very first stage of your product. We had just a basic prototype of GrabInbox and hence it was the right decision for us. The program gave us money to survive the 6 months and we also had enough to spend on building the product.

Can you get by easily with the maximum salary you can take? As far as living by on the maximum salary is concerned, it can be a little difficult but it's possible. You might have to try and cook your own food at least a few times a week or may be eat at a cheaper place. The accommodation allowance is different from the salary and is more than enough.

Are the required events very time consuming? The process for reimbursement can be a bit time consuming but if you start saving bills for your expenses and not scamper at the last minute when its time to reimburse, it would help. As I find out now, saving receipts right from the beginning is a habit I would suggest every entrepreneur to inculcate because once you start running your business it's important to stay organized. It helps in filing your tax returns.

Is it easy to find local talents with good English skills? Local talent with good english skills is hard to find.

What's the average salary for an intermediate web developer? Won't be able to answer that as we did not hire any local developer.

[funkaster]

The average salary for a good web developer should be around $1500 - $2000. By good I mean someone with a CS degree from a good local university (U. of Chile, U. Catolica or UTFSM). If you pick a about-to-graduate or a recent grad you could get someone by a bit less, but that's about the right salary for a good developer. For less, you would get someone that knows how to write some php or something else. Not someone that will help you create something. Hopefully you will bring someone in your team with good tech skills (if your startup requires that).

[boolean]

Thanks for the information. Did you stay after the 6 months? It's probably cheaper to live there than North America, so do many companies prefer to continue working in Santiago?

[nischalshetty]

I'm from India and it made more financial sense for us to go back. But, a lot of friends from my batch are still there post the 6 months (many from the north). It's definitely cheaper than North America and if you can find the right developers, nothing like it. And unlike us (30+ hour travel back to India) it's more convenient for you to visit your country and be back in Chile.

[pedalpete]

Santiago is not cheap. Prices are comparable to many North American cities. Sure, it's cheaper than NYC or SF. I'm from Whistler, Canada, which many people say is an expensive place to live, and Santiago is probably less than 10% cheaper.