Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Antigua Guatemala?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Antigua Guatemala or Santiago?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Antigua Guatemala or Santiago, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Antigua Guatemala or Santiago?
Antigua Guatemala
Before a disastrous earthquake in 1773, Antigua was the colonial capital of Guatemala. For 200 years it had reigned as so and today shows remnants of its glorious past with Spanish colonial buildings and other architectural landmarks still standing. Due to this large amount of preserved architecture, Antigua was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is now the most touristed city of Guatemala.
Santiago
Santiago is the capital city of Chile. It is centrally located in the long and narrow country, making it a good jumping off point to explore everywhere else. It's convenient location means that you can go skiing in the Andes one day, and hang out at the beach the next.
Santiago has a cool semi-arid climate that is similar to Mediterranean climates. The summers, which are between November and March, are warm and dry. The temperatures climb to around 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The winters, between June and August, are humid with cold mornings. The daily highs are around 55 degrees Fahrenheit and the lows stay a few degrees above freezing. Rain is more common in the winter months and the dry season is between December and March.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile.
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Antigua Guatemala Prices
Guatemala PricesSantiago Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAntigua Guatemala $74Santiago $159
The average daily cost (per person) in Antigua Guatemala is $74, while the average daily cost in Santiago is $159. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Antigua Guatemala and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAntigua Guatemala $22Santiago $116
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAntigua Guatemala $44Santiago $232
Compare Hotels in Antigua Guatemala and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Antigua Guatemala or Santiago? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Antigua Guatemala Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Antigua Guatemala $13Santiago $5.72
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Antigua Guatemala
Also for Antigua Guatemala, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Antigua: One way shared transfer to Guatemala City: $24
- From Panajachel: One Way Shared Transfers to Antigua: $25
- Panajachel: One way shared transfer to Antigua: $25
- One-Way Shared Van Transfer to Panajachel: $25
- Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to Airport: $27
- Private Transfer From Antigua Guatemala to La Aurora Airport: $29
- Private Ground Transfer From Antigua To Guatemala City Airport: $30
- Guatemala City Airport: Private Transfer to Antigua: $30
- Antigua: Private Transfer to Guatemala City Airport: $30
- Shared Transfer From Antigua to Panajachel (Atitlan): $30
- From Antigua Guatemala One way shared transfer to El Paredon: $34
- transfer service Guatemala City, Lake Atitlan destination: $35
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santiago
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santiago:
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Metro Ride$1.20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Private Scenic Transfer to Mendoza.: $467
- Airport Transfer and Halfday City tour Santiago de Chile: $362
- Private Santiago Visit Haras de Pirque Winery & Transfer Hotel: $300
- Private Santiago, Visit Santa Rita Winery & Transfer to Hotel: $300
- Clos Apalta Winery - Tour with Private Transfer: $300
- Private Transfer Between Santiago and Cruise Port: $270
- Santiago de Chile: Private Transfer to San Antonio / Port: $270
- Private Transfer to Sewell UNESCO Andes Town Tour with Lunch: $269
- Private cruise transfer: Puerto San Antonio or Valparaíso ↔ Santiago: $260
- Private Transfer from Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) Airport to San Antonio: $253
- Portillo and Laguna Del Inca, Exclusive Guide and Private Transfer: $250
- Private Transfer Santiago Airport SCL to Vina Concon Valparaiso: $250
Is it cheaper to fly into Antigua Guatemala or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Antigua Guatemala change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayAntigua Guatemala $25Santiago $24
Typical Food Prices in Antigua Guatemala
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Antigua Guatemala:
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Lunch$3.28
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Lunch$7.87
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Antigua Guatemala
For Antigua Guatemala, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking and pastry class in Casa San Miguel: $38
- Antigua Guatemalan Authentic Cooking Class Chef David Farfan: $38
- Antigua: Traditional Guatemalan Cooking Classes — Casa San Miguel.: $38
- Antigua: Traditional cooking lesson with a Guatemalan family: $48
- Cooking class and market tour/Pepian Workshop: $50
- Antigua: Guatemalan Cooking Class with a Local Family: $60
- Private Street Food Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $65
- Private Cooking Class of Typical Guatemalan Dishes: $70
- Antigua: Cooking Class With Wine, Transfer & Vegan Option: $72
- Cooking Classes and Jade Workshops: $75
- Local Street Food Tour of Antigua: $75
- Antigua: Cooking Class with Local Family: $75
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.99
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Hamburger$2.65
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Dinner$27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santiago
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santiago.
- Legacy Family Tour Lunch or Dinner Pairing 4 Strokes: $40
- Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $56
- Mercado Meals Santiago Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $59
- Mercado Meals Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $60
- 4h Cooking Class in 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $77
- Lastarria Food Tour: Wine, Bites & Social Culinary Experience: $98
- Local Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $99
- Traditional Chilean Show with Dinner and Private Transportation in Santiago: $107
- Traditional Dinner Show in Santiago: $107
- Santiago Food Tour: Bohemian Flavors and Local Gems: $109
- Small-Group Tour: Night City Tour with Santa Lucia Hill and Dinner Show: $116
- Barrio Italia Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $119
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Antigua Guatemala $15Santiago $50
Tours and Activities in Antigua Guatemala
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Antigua Guatemala.
- Signature Lattes Tasting Experience in Antigua for Coffee Lovers: $13
- Half-Day Walking Tour: $20
- Historical and Cultural Walking Tour of Antigua Guatemala: $20
- Express tour in Antigua: $20
- Guided City Tour with Chef David Farfan: $20
- Cultural and Fun Walking Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $22
- Walking Tour with Local Guide: $23
- From Antigua: Pacaya Volcano Tour in English/Spanish: $23
- Guided Walking Tour with Coffee: $24
- Antigua Walking Tour: $24
- 4-Hour Colonial Experience in Antigua Guatemala: $25
- City Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $25
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial portugués: $27
- 1 Day Tour of Isla Negra Algarrobo and Viña Undurraga from Santiago: $112
- 1 Day Tour of Viña Concha y Toro from Santiago: $120
- 1 Day Valparaiso and Vina del Mar Tour from Santiago: $51
- 3 Hours Santiago Blend Walking Tour: $30
- A Private Tour of Santiago with an Experienced Local Guide: $162
- A full Private Tour of Valparaiso from Santiago: $238
- Adega Montes Guided Tour with Private Transportation: $300
- Adventure in Portillo: Laguna del Inca and Mountain Picnic: $100
- An Architect's Tour of Downtown Santiago: $60
- Andean Adventure: Cajón del Maipo & El Morado Lodge and Spa: $147
- Andes Day Lagoon in Cajón del Maipo & Embalse el Yeso Private Tour: $270
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAntigua Guatemala $12Santiago $8.89
Sample the Local Flavors in Antigua Guatemala
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Antigua Guatemala:
- Antigua Bar Crawl: $26
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago
Also in Santiago, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- "Chile in Your Glass" Wine Tasting.: $22
- Pub Crawl with Unlimited Beer and Welcome Shots: $25
- Cousiño Macul Heritage Wine Tour with Tastings: $25
- Traditional Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Official English: $27
- "Premium Wine Tour" Viña Cousiño Macul Official english: $45
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $59
- Wine Tasting + Cheeseboard + Gypsum Reservoir: $60
- Valparaiso, Viña del Mar & Casablanca Wine Tour: $61
- Valparaiso, Viña del Mar & Casablanca Wine Tour: $62
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $70
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Wine Tasting: $75
- Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $75
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Antigua Guatemala and Santiago, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Antigua Guatemala much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Antigua Guatemala is in Central America and Santiago is in South America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Antigua Guatemala would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Antigua Guatemala and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Santiago would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santiago than you might in Antigua Guatemala.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Antigua Guatemala Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Antigua Guatemala or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 120 times larger than the population of Antigua Guatemala. When comparing the sizes of Antigua Guatemala and Santiago, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.