Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Arusha?
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 Arusha or Santiago?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Arusha and Santiago can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Arusha or Santiago?
Arusha
Arusha is a city in East Africa's Tanzania, located at the base of volcanic Mt. Meru. It’s a gateway to safari destinations and to Africa’s highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro, lying some 100 kilometers northeast. To the west lies Serengeti National Park, home to wildlife including lions, rhinoceros, giraffes and leopards. Annual migrations feature huge herds of wildebeests crossing its plains. Arusha is Tanzania’s gateway to the northern circuit of stellar national parks and the starting point of many a memorable safari. It’s also a large, sprawling city which offers a nice break from the rigors of life on the African road – it has excellent places to stay and eat and, for the most part, it’s lush and green and enjoys a temperate climate throughout the year. Arusha is a great destination, and you're sure to enjoy your time here, no matter what your interests are.
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 G Adventures Tours to Tanzania, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Tanzania, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile.
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Arusha Prices
Tanzania PricesSantiago Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayArusha $189Santiago $155
The average daily cost (per person) in Arusha is $189, while the average daily cost in Santiago is $155. 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 Arusha and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personArusha $126Santiago $113
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomArusha $252Santiago $226
Compare Hotels in Arusha and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Arusha 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: Arusha Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Arusha $13Santiago $5.56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arusha
Also for Arusha, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arusha Airport & Hotel Transfers: $40
- Kilimanjaro Airport and Arusha Private Transfer: $59
- Kilimanjaro International Airport to Arusha City Center Transfer: $60
- Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha City Private Transfer: $120
- Moshi - Arusha Transfer: $149
- Private Transfer from Arusha to Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO): $288
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$1.16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Villard Winery with exclusive guide + Premium Transfer: $220
- Valparaíso Cruise Port Transfer with Viña del Mar & Vineyard: $90
- Transfer to San Antonio port with Valparaiso & Casablanca tour: $95
- Transfer in/out cruise to/from Santiago plus tour Valparaiso: $135
- Transfer from Valle Nevado, Farellones, Colorado or La Parva ski to Santiago: $83
- Transfer from Santiago To Valle Nevado, Farellones, Colorado or La Parva ski: $100
- Transfer from Santiago Airport to Viña del Mar by Car: $140
- Transfer from Santiago Airport to Santiago Centro Commune: $52
- Transfer by Electric Car SCL Airport Santiago, Chile: $61
- Transfer From Portillo Ski center to Santiago Airport or Hotel: $97
- Tour to Santiago and Valparaiso with Transfers included: $150
- TRANSFER TRANSFER AIRPORT-VIÑA DEL MAR VALPARAISO: $190
Is it cheaper to fly into Arusha or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Arusha 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 dayArusha $40Santiago $23
Typical Food Prices in Arusha
For Arusha, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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A Quick Lunch (for 2)$2.09
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arusha
For Arusha, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Traditional Tanzania Cooking Class & Food Market Tour: $45
- NGO Lifted Strong - Traditional Tanzanian Cooking Class: $50
- Local Tanzanian Food Cooking Class by Kingstone Asilia (Arusha): $55
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.94
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Hamburger$2.57
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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 Santiago : 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $69
- 4h Cooking Class in 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $77
- Local Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $99
- Traditional Chilean Show with Dinner and Private Transportation in Santiago: $107
- Santiago Food Tour: Bohemian Flavors and Local Gems: $109
- Barrio Italia Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $119
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Chilean Cooking Class in a Local Home: $125
- Bali Hai Dinner & Show, Transport and Wine refill: $128
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Arusha $44Santiago $49
Tours and Activities in Arusha
For Arusha, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Best Arusha City Tour: $15
- Arusha Guided Tour: Culture, History, Markets & Hidden Gems: $18
- Arusha Guided City Tour &Hotel Pickup (History, Culture &Market: $21
- Arusha City Tour Markets Culture and Maasai Experiences: $22
- Arusha Town Tour: $30
- Arusha City Tour: Where Continents Collide & Cultures Dance: $30
- Microfinance family farm tour - all proceeds to charity: $35
- Private Meru Coffee Tour in Nkoaranga: $35
- Sunset Tour in Arusha with Scenic Views of Mountain: $35
- Banana Bliss Plantation Coffee Medicinal and Waterfall Tour: $45
- Street Food and Community Walking Tour: $45
- 4 Hours Cycling Tour in Shimo La Mungu Crater: $50
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- 1 Day Tour of Viña Concha y Toro from Santiago: $120
- 3 Hours Santiago Blend Walking Tour: $30
- 6 Hour Tour of Culture, History and Flavors from Santiago: $75
- A Fabulous Walking tour by the Old Santiago of Chile -: $25
- A full Private Tour of Valparaiso from Santiago (Standar): $280
- Adega Montes Guided Tour with Private Transportation: $300
- Adventure in Portillo: Laguna del Inca and Mountain Picnic: $100
- Adventure in the Andes Plaster Reservoir and Thermal and Picnic Premiun: $88
- An Architect's Tour of Downtown Santiago: $60
- Andean Adventure: Cajón del Maipo & El Morado Lodge and Spa: $147
- Andes Day Lagoon: Embalse El Yeso Tour from Santiago: $120
- Andes Mountains Tour From Santiago with Appetizer: $180
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayArusha $10Santiago $8.64
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
- "Premium Wine Tour" Viña Cousiño Macul Official english: $45
- Valparaiso, Viña del Mar & Casablanca Wine Tour: $61
- Valparaiso, Viña del Mar & Casablanca Wine Tour: $62
- Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $68
- Valparaíso and Vineyard of the Sea with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $68
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $70
- Undurraga Wine Tasting Tour from Santiago: $75
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Wine Tasting: $75
- Concha y Toro Tour with Wine Tasting and Transport: $87
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Arusha and Santiago, we can see that Arusha is more expensive. And not only is Santiago much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Arusha is in Africa 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 Santiago would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santiago 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 Arusha would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Arusha than you might in Santiago.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Arusha Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Arusha or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Arusha. When comparing the sizes of Arusha 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.