From 2023 to 2024, the overall cost of Chile’s imported products flatlined by -1% starting from $80.5 billion.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2024, the Chilean peso depreciated by -12.4% against the US dollar from 2023 to 2024. Chile’s weaker local currency makes its imports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively more expensive when converted starting from Chilean pesos.
Domestically, Chile’s inflation rate averaged 3.898% in 2024 in terms of consumer prices down from an average 7.583% for 2023.
Best International Suppliers for Chile’s Imports
The latest available country-specific data shows that 80.1% of products imported into Chile was furnished by exporters in: mainland China (24.3% of the Chilean total), United States of America (19.1%), Brazil (9.5%), Argentina (8.7%), Germany (3.4%), Mexico (2.53%), Peru (also 2.53%), Spain (2.38%), Japan (2.3%), Italy (1.94%), South Korea (1.87%) and India (1.6%).
Applying a continental lens, over one-third (35.3%) of Chile’s total imports by value in 2024 was purchased from Asian countries. Trade partners based in Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean supplied 26.4% of import purchases made by Chile while 22.6% worth of goods originated from North America.
At 14.9%, a smaller percentage came from exporters located in Europe.
Tinier percentages were shipped from Oceania (0.4%) led by Australia and New Zealand, and Africa (0.3%).
Given Chile’s population of 20.1 million people, its total $79.7 billion in 2024 imports translates to roughly $3,950 in yearly product demand from every person in the South American country. That per-capita metric lags the average $4,050 for 2023.
Chile’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Chile’s import purchases during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Chile.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$14.5 billion (18.1% of total imports)
- Machinery including computers: $10.3 billion (12.9%)
- Vehicles: $7.8 billion (9.8%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $7.5 billion (9.5%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $2.7 billion (3.3%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $2.4 billion (3%)
- Meat: $2.1 billion (2.6%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $1.8 billion (2.2%)
- Articles of iron or steel: $1.6 billion (1.9%)
- Iron, steel: $1.5 billion (1.9%)
Chile’s top 10 imports generated nearly two-thirds (65.3%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
Imports of items made from iron or steel posted the sole growth in value among the top 10 import categories, up by 10.9% from 2023 to 2024.
In second place were plastics, both in the form of materials and items made from plastic, via an 8.3% advance.
Chilean imports of meat posted an 8.1% gain.
There were 3 decliners among the listed product categories: mineral fuels including oil (down -12% from 2023), electrical machinery and equipment (down -3.3%) and vehicles (down -1.2%).
Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level.
A at the more detailed 4-digit HTS code level, Chile’s costliest imported products are processed petroleum oils (7.9% of the South American country’s total import spending), crude oil (6.4%), cars (3.8%), trucks (3.5%), phone devices including smartphones (2.9%), petroleum gases (2.7%), medication mixes in dosage (1.9%), computers including optical readers (also 1.9%), fresh or chilled beef (1.6%), then heavy machinery including bulldozers and excavators (1.1%).
Chile’s Top Mineral Fuels Imports Including Oil
In 2024, Chilean importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$6.3 billion (down -12.7% from 2023)
- Crude oil: $5.1 billion (down -2.2%)
- Petroleum gases: $2.2 billion (down -18.7%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $743 million (down -37.7%)
- Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $83.4 million (up 30.8%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $16.4 million (up 31.5%)
- Peat: $9.1 million (down -16.8%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $7.1 million (up 34.2%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $581,000 (down -47.2%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $415,000 (down -64.4%)
Among these import subcategories, Chilean purchases of high-temperature distilled coal tar oils (up 34.2%), petroleum jelly and mineral waxes (up 31.5%) then asphalt or petroleum bitumen mixes (up 30.8%) grew from 2023 to 2024.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of mineral fuels-related imports among Chilean businesses and consumers.
Chile’s Top Machinery Imports Including Computers
In 2024, Chilean importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$1.5 billion (up 27.9% from 2023)
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $886.9 million (down -7.7%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $698.5 million (up 22%)
- Machinery parts: $678.8 million (down -13.5%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $457.6 million (down -8.7%)
- Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $451.6 million (down -8.4%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $423 million (down -4.6%)
- Sort/screen/washing machinery: $375.8 million (down -1.4%)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $286.1 million (up 0.7%)
- Harvest/threshing machinery: $263 million (up 27.2%)
Among these import subcategories, Chilean purchases of computers including optical readers (up 27.9%), harvesting or threshing machinery (up 27.2%) then centrifuges, filters and purifiers (up 22%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of machinery-related imports among Chilean businesses and consumers.
Chile’s Top Vehicles Imports
In 2024, Chilean importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.
- Cars: US$3 billion (down -2.4% from 2023)
- Trucks: $2.8 billion (down -0.5%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $653 million (up 8.1%)
- Tractors: $446.7 million (up 16.8%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $431.3 million (down -28%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $168.4 million (up 69.7%)
- Trailers: $126 million (up 0.6%)
- Motorcycles: $81.6 million (down -3.4%)
- Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $37.9 million (down -5%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $20.2 million (down -2.1%)
Among these import subcategories, Chilean purchases of special purpose vehicles (up 69.7%), tractors (up 16.8%) then automobile parts or accessories (up 8.1%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of vehicles-related imports among Chilean businesses and consumers.
Chile’s Top Electronics Imports
In 2024, Chilean importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electrical goods including consumer electronics.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$2.3 billion (up 3% from 2023)
- Electric storage batteries: $715.5 million (up 48%)
- Electric motors, generators: $593.8 million (down -37.1%)
- Electric generating sets, converters: $493.9 million (down -32.6%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $458.5 million (down -7.4%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $450.1 million (up 4.8%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $381.7 million (down -0.1%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $245 million (up 28.1%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $212.4 million (down -6.5%)
- Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $206.3 million (up 15.5%)
Among these import subcategories, Chilean purchases of electric storage batteries (up 48%), electrical and optical circuit boards or panels (up 28.1%) then electric water heaters and hair dryers (up 15.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of electronics-related imports among Chilean businesses and consumers.
See also Chile’s Top Trading Partners, Chile’s Top 10 Exports, Brazil’s Top 10 Exports and Top South American Export Countries
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on October 19, 2025
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (Domestic Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on October 19, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on October 19, 2025