Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Brasilia?
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 Brasilia or Santiago?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Brasilia and Santiago can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Brasilia or Santiago?
Brasilia
The capital city of Brazil, Brasilia is a uniquely-planned city that was constructed in four years from 1956-1960 in the shape of a large bird or airplane. Renowned for its modern architecture, the city listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and attracts architecture aficionados worldwide.
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 Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Brazil, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.
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Brasilia Prices
Brazil PricesSantiago Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBrasilia $98Santiago $154
The average daily cost (per person) in Brasilia is $98, while the average daily cost in Santiago is $154. 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 Brasilia and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBrasilia $32Santiago $112
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBrasilia $64Santiago $224
Compare Hotels in Brasilia and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Brasilia 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: Brasilia Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Brasilia $20Santiago $5.54
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:
- Airport Transfer and Halfday City tour Santiago de Chile: $362
- Airport Transfer: Santiago Airport SCL to Santiago by Luxury Van: $95
- Arrival Transfer - Santiago International Airport to Hotel in Santiago: $35
- Arrival Transfer: Airport SCL to Santiago by Luxury Van: $95
- City tour santiago with excursion to valparaiso and airport transfer: $150
- Cruise-ship passengers: transfer to Santiago/Chile: $200
- Departure Transfer - Hotel in Santiago to Santiago International Airport: $35
- Departure Transfer: Santiago to Airport SCL by Business Car: $77
- Departure Transfer: Santiago to Airport SCL by Luxury Van: $95
- From Valle Nevado and Farellones with Transfer: $51
- Luxury Airport Private Transfer SCL: $90
- Maipo Valley Wine Tour, Concha y Toro, Private Transfer from Santiago: $262
Is it cheaper to fly into Brasilia or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Brasilia 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 dayBrasilia $51Santiago $23
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.93
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Hamburger$2.56
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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.
- Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $80
- Traditional Chilean Show with Dinner and Private Transportation in Santiago: $107
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai with Wine refill and transportation: $114
- Small-Group Tour: Night City Tour with Santa Lucia Hill and Dinner Show: $116
- Private Dinner & Chilean Folk Show with Transfers: $116
- Sunset at Alyan Family Wines Winery with Dinner: $116
- Alyan Winery Sunset with Wine Tastings and Dinner: $117
- Small-Group Night City Tour: San Cristobal Hill and Dinner Show: $120
- San Cristobal Hill Night Tour with Dinner Show: $129
- Dinner at a Typical Chilean Restaurant with a Traditional Dance Show in Santiago: $150
- Concha y Toro Wine Tour with Dinner at the Winery: $172
- Private Night City Tour with San Cristobal Hill And Dinner Show: $181
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Brasilia $18Santiago $48
Tours and Activities in Brasilia
Here are a few actual costs in Brasilia for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Brasilia : Private Custom Tour with a Local Guide: $64
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- Santiago Cathedral's Bell Tower Official Tour: $9.00
- Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino Admission Ticket: $17
- A historical tour of Santiago, Chile: $17
- Cable Car Admission Ticket: $18
- 3 Hours Santiago Blend Walking Tour: $20
- A Fabulous Walking tour by the Old Santiago of Chile -small group: $25
- Guided Walking Tour of the Historical Old Town: $25
- "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial portugués: $26
- Cousiño Macul Official Winery Tour with Tasting: $26
- Guided City Tour through the historic center of Santiago: $26
- Live a snow experience in Farellones for the 2025 season: $28
- Private Guided Walking Tour of the City Center: $28
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBrasilia $13Santiago $8.61
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: $26
- Ludwig's Original Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entry: $33
- "Premium Wine Tour" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial portugués: $40
- Premium Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Spanish official: $40
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Wine Tasting: $60
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $63
- Undurraga Wine tour: $70
- Undurraga Wine Tasting Tour from Santiago: $75
- Premium Wine Tasting in Santiago de Chile: $77
- Inca Lagoon and Vineyard Visit with Wine Tasting: $80
- Half Day Trip to Concha y Toro Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $87
- Maipo Valley Wine Tour with 4 vineyards from Santiago.: $89
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Brasilia and Santiago, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Brasilia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Brasilia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Brasilia 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 Brasilia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Brasilia Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Brasilia or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Brasilia. When comparing the sizes of Brasilia 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.