From 2024 to 2025, the overall cost of Chile’s imported products increased by 9.6% starting from $79.7 billion.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2025, the Chilean peso appreciated by 0.8% against the US dollar from 2024 to 2025. Chile’s stronger local currency makes its imports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively less expensive when converted starting from Chilean pesos.
Domestically, Chile’s inflation rate averaged 4.363% in 2025 in terms of consumer prices up from an average 3.927% for 2024.
Best International Suppliers for Chile’s Imports
The latest available country-specific data shows that 80.4% of products imported into Chile was furnished by exporters in: mainland China (27.3% of the Chilean total), United States of America (18.2%), Brazil (9%), Argentina (7.8%), Germany (3.5%), Spain (2.44%), Peru (also 2.44%), Japan (2.1%), Vietnam (2%), Mexico (1.95%), Italy (1.87%) and South Korea (also 1.87%).
Applying a continental lens, over one-third (39.1%) of Chile’s total imports by value in 2025 was purchased from Asian countries. Trade partners based in Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean supplied 24.3% of import purchases made by Chile while 21.1% 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 (0.2%).
Given Chile’s population of 20.2 million people, its total US$87.4 billion in 2025 imports translates to roughly $4,300 in yearly product demand from every person in the South American country. That per-capita metric exceeds the average $3,950 for 2024.
Chile’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Chile’s import purchases during 2025. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Chile.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$13.2 billion (15.1% of total imports)
- Machinery including computers: $11.8 billion (13.5%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $9.8 billion (11.2%)
- Vehicles: $9.4 billion (10.7%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $2.8 billion (3.2%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $2.5 billion (2.8%)
- Meat: $2.4 billion (2.7%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $2 billion (2.3%)
- Articles of iron or steel: $1.74 billion (2%)
- Iron, steel: $1.73 billion (2%)
Chile’s top 10 imports generated nearly two-thirds (65.5%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
Imports of items made from electrical machinery and equipment posted the greatest growth in value among the top 10 import categories, up by 29.7% from 2024 to 2025.
In second place were vehicles via a 20.2% advance.
Chilean imports of the metals iron and steel posted a 17% gain ahead of machinery including computers (up 14.7% from 2024).
There was one decliner among the listed product categories, namely mineral fuels including oil (down -8.8% from 2024).
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 (6.7% of the South American country’s total import spending), crude oil (5.1%), trucks (3.9%), cars (3.7%), phone devices including smartphones (2.7%), petroleum gases (2.6%), medication mixes in dosage (1.9%), electric motors and generators (also 1.9%), computers including optical readers (1.7%), then electric storage batteries (also 1.7%).
Chile’s Top Mineral Fuels Imports Including Oil
In 2025, Chilean importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$5.8 billion (down -7.8% from 2024)
- Crude oil: $4.4 billion (down -13.7%)
- Petroleum gases: $2.3 billion (up 3.8%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $595.2 million (down -19.9%)
- Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $43.3 million (down -48.1%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $20.6 million (up 4,860%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $12.6 million (down -22.9%)
- Peat: $9.9 million (up 9%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $9.7 million (up 37.1%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $1.9 million (up 232.2%)
Among these import subcategories, Chilean purchases of petroleum oil residues (up 4,860%), coke and semi-coke (up 232.2%) then high-temperature distilled coal tar oils (up 37.1%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.
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 2025, Chilean importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$1.5 billion (up 0.6% from 2024)
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $1.1 billion (up 28.3%)
- Machinery parts: $826.1 million (up 21.7%)
- Sort/screen/washing machinery: $776 million (up 106.5%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $617.8 million (down -11.5%)
- Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $589.8 million (up 30.6%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $520.1 million (up 13.7%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $465.7 million (up 10.1%)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $307.3 million (up 7.4%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $302.8 million (up 15.2%)
Among these import subcategories, Chilean purchases of sorting, screening or washing machinery (up 106.5%), transmission shafts, gears and clutches (up 30.6%) then heavy machinery such as bulldozers, excavators and road rollers (up 28.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.
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 Electronics Imports
In 2025, Chilean importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electrical goods including consumer electronics.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$2.4 billion (up 4% from 2024)
- Electric motors, generators: $1.6 billion (up 174.9%)
- Electric storage batteries: $1.4 billion (up 101.7%)
- Electric generating sets, converters: $537.5 million (up 8.8%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $534.2 million (up 16.5%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $446.4 million (up 17%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $392.4 million (down -12.8%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $284.2 million (up 16%)
- Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $248.1 million (up 20.3%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $241.8 million (up 13.9%)
Among these import subcategories, Chilean purchases of electric motors and generators (up 174.9%), electric storage batteries (up 101.7%) then electric water heaters or hair dryers (up 20.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.
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.
Chile’s Top Vehicles Imports
In 2025, Chilean importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.
- Trucks: US$3.4 billion (up 23.7% from 2024)
- Cars: $3.2 billion (up 4.7%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $875.9 million (up 103.1%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $737.6 million (up 13%)
- Tractors: $550.7 million (up 23.3%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $220.2 million (up 30.8%)
- Trailers: $172.3 million (up 36.7%)
- Motorcycles: $110.5 million (up 35.3%)
- Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $49.6 million (up 30.6%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $24.4 million (up 20.7%)
Among these import subcategories, Chilean purchases of public-transport vehicles (up 103.1%), trailers (up 36.7%) then motorcycles (up 35.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.
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.
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 September 7, 2026
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (Domestic Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on September 7, 2026
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 7, 2026