Should you visit Barcelona or Santiago?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Barcelona and Santiago can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain with a population of over 1.5 million people. It's also the capital of Catalonia and is located on the northeastern part of the Mediterranean coast. Barcelona is one of the country's most popular travel destinations because of its rich history, interesting architecture, and vibrant culture. Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympic games and that had a strong influence over tourism in the area. Many different neighborhoods were renovated and rebuilt. Modern design became the norm in many parts of the city, although there is still an old city feel and many efforts at preservation.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Santiago or Barcelona?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Barcelona is €122, while the average daily cost in Santiago is €114. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Barcelona and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Barcelona is €148. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about €178 for a double occupancy room in Santiago.
Food
The price of a meal in Barcelona can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is €27 per person, and a typical meal will cost around €11 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
While meal prices in Santiago can vary, the average travelers spends about €10 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Santiago should cost around €4.00 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Santiago is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Barcelona €27
Santiago €10
Typical Food prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of dining costs in Barcelona are as follows:
-
Hot Cocoa & Churro
€4.15
-
Sandwich
€1.70
-
Baguette & Horchata
€3.80
-
Tapas on the beach
€8.28
-
Gelatto
€2.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Barcelona
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Barcelona.
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Live from Barcelona to China: Potato Gnocchi Online Cooking Class:
$23
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Live from Potato Gnocchi Online Cooking Class:
$23
-
Barcelona organic dinner in a beautiful rooftop garden:
$35
-
Interactive Spanish Cooking Experience in Barcelona:
$49
-
Hands-on Brunch Cooking Class with Bottomless Mimosas!:
$50
-
Born district food tour and tasting in Barcelona:
$51
-
Barcelona Street Food Tour: Local Market & Gothic Quarter with Expert Guide:
$52
-
Street Food Tour & Gothic Quater Sightseeing with Local Expert:
$52
-
Bus and Walking Tour with Dinner:
$58
-
Tasty Barcelona Street Food Tour With Local Market Visit:
$59
-
Skip the Line: Flamenco Show and Dinner Ticket:
$62
-
Traveling Spoon Seafood Paella and Sangria Private Online Cooking Class:
$66
Typical Food prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
-
Empanada
€1.90
-
Hamburger
€2.52
-
Dinner
€26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santiago
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santiago.
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Dinner at a Typical Chilean Restaurant with a Traditional Dance Show in Santiago:
$73
-
A Bite of Santiago Food Tour:
$77
-
Chilean Dinner and Show Experience in Santiago:
$77
-
ChileCooks - Food Tours:
$91
-
Traditional Dinner Show in Santiago:
$96
-
Bali Hai Dinner & Show Including Transport:
$97
-
San Cristobal Hill Night City Tour with Dinner Show:
$106
-
Traditional Chilean Show with Dinner and Private Transportation in Santiago:
$107
-
Chilean Folklore Show and Dinner with Private Transport:
$110
-
Small-Group Tour: Night City Tour with Santa Lucia Hill and Dinner Show:
$116
-
Small-Group Night City Tour: San Cristobal Hill and Dinner Show:
$116
-
Private Market Tour and Traditional Chilean Cooking Class in a Local Home:
$117
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Barcelona is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent €15 per person, per day, on local transportation in Barcelona.
The average price of local transportation around Santiago is €4.35 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Barcelona are as follows:
-
10 Trip Metro Ticket
€7.80
-
Airport Bus
€5.00
-
Metro
€2.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Barcelona
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Barcelona:
-
Ultra - Barcelona Private Transfer from Barcelona Cruise Port to City Centre:
$9.41
-
Ultra - Barcelona Private Transfer from City Centre to Barcelona Cruise Port:
$9.41
-
Ultra - Barcelona Private Airport Transfer city centre to El Prat Airport BCN:
$9.41
-
Airport Transfers:
$20
-
From Luxury Transfers to La Roca Village:
$24
-
Private Departure Transfer from Barcelona City Center to El-Prat Airport (BCN):
$24
-
Private Transfer from Barcelona City to Barcelona Airport:
$27
-
Barcelona Airport Transfers:
$27
-
Barcelona Airport Transfer:
$28
-
Barcelona Private Transfer from City Centre to Cruise Terminal:
$29
-
Barcelona Private Transfer from City Centre to Cruise Terminal:
$29
-
Barcelona Departure Private Transfers from Barcelona City to Barcelona Airport:
$29
Typical Local Transportation prices in Santiago
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santiago:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
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Transfer from Santiago hotels to Arturo Merino Benitez Airport:
$21
-
Private Transfer from Santiago Hotel to SCL Airport:
$25
-
Private Transfer from Santiago Airport to Santiago:
$25
-
Private Transfer from hotel to Airport in Santiago, Chile:
$27
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotel in Santiago:
$27
-
Private Arrival Transfer from Santiago de Chile Airport to Santiago City:
$28
-
Private Departure Transfer from Santiago City to Santiago de Chile Airport:
$28
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Santiago de Chile to Santiago Int. Airport (SCL):
$28
-
Santiago de Chile Airport Shuttle Transfer:
$29
-
Private transfer from Santiago de Chile to the Airport AMB:
$32
-
Private Transfer from Airport to Rui Vaz and/or Vice Versa:
$37
-
Arrival Private Transfer Santiago Airport SCL to Santiago in an Executive SUV:
$46
Is it cheaper to fly into Barcelona or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Barcelona 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.
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Barcelona typically cost an average of €27 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Santiago's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €38 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Typical Entertainment prices in Barcelona
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Barcelona are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Barcelona
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Barcelona are as follows:
-
A Culinary Audio Tour of El Born by VoiceMap:
$5.50
-
Museu de la Xocolata Tickets:
$7.16
-
Private Barcelona Ghost Tour: Gothic Quarter Exploration Game:
$7.45
-
Museu de la Xocolata Admission Ticket:
$7.46
-
Gaudi House Museum Skip-the-Line Ticket:
$8.95
-
Barcelona Port Traditional Boat Tour:
$9.16
-
Guided Tour of Requesens Palace:
$9.54
-
Guided Tour of Barcelona's Royal Academy of Sciences & Arts:
$9.54
-
Skip the Line: History Museum of Catalonia & Rooftop Access Ticket:
$9.95
-
Skip the Line: Human Bodies - Entrance to the exhibition Ticket:
$9.95
-
Skip the Line: Erotic Museum of Barcelona Admission Ticket with free souvenir:
$9.95
-
Guided Tour at Barcelona's Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts:
$10
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
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Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino Admission Ticket:
$14
-
"Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial español:
$18
-
"Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial portugués:
$18
-
Santiago City Tour SCL & Santa Lucía Hill:
$25
-
Santiago City Tour:
$27
-
Half-Day Small-Group Panoramic Santiago Tour:
$27
-
Small-Group Tour to Valle Nevado and Farellones from Santiago:
$30
-
Half Day Guided City Tour in Santiago - Small Groups - Multi Language:
$30
-
Welcome to Private Tour with a Local:
$30
-
Santiago Like a Local: Customized Private Tour:
$32
-
Walking tour "Popular flavors of Chile":
$33
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Santiago Half-Day Small-Group Panoramic Tour:
$35
Alcohol
The average person spends about €14 on alcoholic beverages in Barcelona per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
The average person spends about €6.76 on alcoholic beverages in Santiago per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Barcelona
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Barcelona:
-
Columbus Monument with Optional Wine Tasting:
$7.16
-
Estrella Damm Brewery Guided Tour with Tasting:
$9.54
-
Backpacker Pub Crawl:
$18
-
The Original Barcelona Pub Crawl:
$18
-
Barcelona Halloween Pub Crawl:
$18
-
Generation Pub Crawl in Barcelona:
$19
-
Barcelona Pub Crawl:
$20
-
Barcelona Wine Tasting: Catalan and Spanish Wines:
$21
-
Wine Tasting Experience in Barcelona:
$22
-
Opera Samfaina: Food and Wine Tasting Interactive Experience in Barcelona:
$26
-
Wine tasting & tapas:
$39
-
Barcelona Guided Local Wine Tasting Tour:
$44
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago
Also in Santiago, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Traditional Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Official English:
$18
-
"Premium Wine Tour" Viña Cousiño Macul Official english:
$30
-
"Premium Wine Tour" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial portugués:
$30
-
Premium Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Spanish official:
$30
-
Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included:
$40
-
Concha y Toro Traditional Wine Tour from Santiago:
$45
-
Half Day Trip to Concha y Toro Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included:
$45
-
Half Day Trip to Santa Rita Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included:
$50
-
Half Day Trip to Cousiño Macul Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included:
$55
-
half day wine tour to concha y toro from Santiago seasonal offer:
$57
-
Concha y Toro Marques Wine Tour from Santiago:
$64
-
Premium Wine Tasting in Santiago de Chile:
$71
When comparing the travel costs between Barcelona and Santiago, we can see that Barcelona is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Barcelona is in Europe and Santiago is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
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