Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Boquete?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Boquete 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 Boquete 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: Boquete or Santiago?
Boquete
Boquete is a village located in the pacific west of Panama. This town very recently became an attractive destination for tourists and expatriates. Before the early 2000's, it was a quiet town hidden away in the mountains with very little tourism. After the development of Valle Escondido, which is a largely residential area, many North Americans flocked to this town and an expat community developed. Boquete is known for it's near perfect year round temperature of about seventy degrees Fahrenheit, beautiful untouched nature, and world renowned coffee.
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 Adventure Tours to Panama, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Panama, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBoquete $54Santiago $141
The average daily cost (per person) in Boquete is $54, while the average daily cost in Santiago is $141. 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 Boquete and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBoquete $23Santiago $110
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBoquete $46Santiago $220
Compare Hotels in Boquete and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Boquete 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: Boquete Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Boquete $5.23Santiago $5.41
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$1.13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Arturo Merino Benítez Intl Airport: Shared Transfer: $24
- Private Santiago Airport to Santiago Transfer: $25
- Santiago Airport (SCL) to Santiago hotels - Arrival Transfer: $27
- Private Transfer From The Hotel in Santiago City To the Airport: $29
- Private Transfer from the Airport to Santiago City: $29
- Private Transfer: $31
- Private Santiago Airport to Santiago Transfer: $35
- From Farellones/Valle Nevado Roundtrip Transfer: $35
- Departure Transfer - Hotel in Santiago to Santiago International Airport: $35
- Arrival Transfer - Santiago International Airport to Hotel in Santiago: $35
- Valle Nevado Ski Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $39
- Santiago de Chile Airport Private Transfer: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Boquete or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Boquete 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 dayBoquete $18Santiago $13
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.89
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Hamburger$2.50
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Dinner$26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santiago
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santiago.
- Sunset at Alyan Family Wines Winery with Dinner: $94
- Traditional Dinner Show in Santiago: $107
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai: $109
- Sunset Winery Tour with Wine Tastings and Dinner: $117
- Small-Group Night City Tour: San Cristobal Hill and Dinner Show: $120
- 4-Hour Private Night Tour with Dinner and Show: $150
- Private Dinner and Show with Transfers: $158
- Traditional Chilean Cooking Class with a Local in Her Santiago Countryside Home: $168
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Boquete $17Santiago $47
Tours and Activities in Boquete
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boquete are as follows:
- Schumann's BOTANICAL PARK TOUR: $30
- Small Group Coffee Tour (Minimum 2 people): $40
- Boquete Private 360° View Tour: $40
- Self-Guided Half-Day Boquete Tour E-Bicycle: $46
- Guided Market Tour with Sensory Coffee Tasting Boquete: $48
- Boquete Adventure - E-Bike Tour (2 hrs.) (2 Person Min.): $55
- 2-Hour Private Mezcal and Geisha Liqueur Tasting Experience: $65
- The Local Flavors of Boquete E-Bike Tour (4 hrs.) (2 Person Min.): $80
- 3-Hour Private Tour to La Estrella Lake from Boquete on E Bike: $84
- Hiking Experience in Caldera Transportation Included: $90
- 3-hour Private Tour to the Peque Doraz Butterfly Garden by Ebike: $90
- Private honey tasting bike tour and butterfly garden walk: $130
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- Explore Santiago's Soul: Walking In-App Audio Tour: $5.00
- Explore Santiago's Soul: Walking In-App Audio Tour: $5.00
- Santiago Cathedral's Bell Tower Official Tour: $9.00
- La Paz from the Heights: Down hill Walking tour & Cable Cars: $12
- Cable Car Admission Ticket: $15
- Cousiño Macul Official Winery Tour with Tasting: $23
- "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial español: $23
- Skip the Line: Concha y Toro Traditional Tour Ticket: $25
- A Fabulous Walking tour by the Old Santiago of Chile -small group: $25
- Walking tour through Santiago: $26
- From Valle Nevado and Farellones Small Group Tour: $29
- Small-Group Tour to Valle Nevado and Farellones from Santiago: $29
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBoquete $4.46Santiago $8.41
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago
Also in Santiago, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Premium Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Spanish official: $37
- Concha y Toro Ticket and Tour with Wine Tasting: $50
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $50
- Undurraga Wine Tasting Tour from Santiago: $62
- Undurraga Wine tour: $63
- Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $70
- From Concha y Toro Marqués Half-Day Wine Tasting: $89
- Maipo Valley Wine Tour with 4 vineyards from Santiago.: $99
- From Maipo Valley Wine Tour: $99
- Private Tour: Viña del Mar and Valparaíso Tour with Wine Tasting in Casablanca Valley: $143
- Premium Wine Tasting and Tour at Santa Rita with Transport: $145
- Santa Rita: Ultra Premium Wine Tasting, Tour and Transport: $145
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Boquete and Santiago, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Boquete much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Boquete 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 Boquete would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boquete 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 Boquete.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Boquete Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Boquete or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 790 times larger than the population of Boquete. When comparing the sizes of Boquete 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.