Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Cajamarca?
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 Cajamarca 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 Cajamarca and Santiago can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cajamarca or Santiago?
Cajamarca
Located in the northern highlands of Peru, Cajamarca is a town of about 100,000 people. The city's mild weather and fertile soil is ideal for agriculture, which is a major industry in the area. The city is also well known for its cheeses and dairy products. Cajamarca is the site of the Battle of Cajamarca which led to the execution of the Inca emperor Atahualpa and the end of the infamous Inca empire. Today, the area is appealing to visitors in part because of its lovely churches, nice hot springs, and interesting Inca Baths.
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 Sightseeing Tours in Peru, The Best Cultural Tours in Peru, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.
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Cajamarca Prices
Peru PricesSantiago Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCajamarca $95Santiago $150
The average daily cost (per person) in Cajamarca is $95, while the average daily cost in Santiago is $150. 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 Cajamarca and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCajamarca $26Santiago $109
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCajamarca $52Santiago $218
Compare Hotels in Cajamarca and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Cajamarca 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: Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cajamarca $18Santiago $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:
- Santiago Airport (SCL) Private Transfer to Multiple Destinations: $18
- Santiago de Chile Airport Private Transfer: $25
- Official Transfer to Concha y Toro Winery: $27
- Private Santiago Airport to Santiago Transfer: $32
- Airport Private Transfer to/from Santiago de Chile: $40
- Transfer Santiago de Chile airport: $40
- Farellones Full Day Roundtrip Transfer: $40
- Private Transfer from Airport to Santiago, Chile : $43
- Santiago Int Airport (SCL) to Santiago - Arrival Private Transfer: $44
- Santiago to Santiago Airport (SCL) - Departure Private Transfer: $44
- Valle Nevado Ski Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $45
- Transfer to Snowy Valley fullday for skiers : $49
Is it cheaper to fly into Cajamarca or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Cajamarca 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 dayCajamarca $52Santiago $23
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.88
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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.
- Legacy Family Tour Lunch or Dinner Pairing 4 Strokes: $40
- Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $82
- 4-Hour Boozy Chilean Cooking Class in Santiago: $85
- Bali Hai Dinner & Show, Transport and Wine refill: $106
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai with Wine refill and transportation: $114
- Private Dinner & Chilean Folk Show with Transfers: $116
- Alyan Winery Sunset with Wine Tastings and Dinner: $117
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Chilean Cooking Class in a Local Home: $122
- San Cristobal Hill Night Tour with Dinner Show: $129
- Bali Hai Polynesian Dinner Show with Transfer: $130
- Private Night City Tour with San Cristobal Hill And Dinner Show: $181
- Santiago Chilean and Peruvian Cooking Class with a Local Carol: $184
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cajamarca $28Santiago $47
Tours and Activities in Cajamarca
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cajamarca are as follows:
- Tour to the Pre Inca Otuzco Necropolis, Botanical Garden and Hacienda: $28
- From Porcón Farm and Huambocancha Workshops Tour: $28
- Namora Valley Tour + Guitar Workshop & San Nicolas Lagoon: $28
- La Colpa, Llacanora & Baños del Inca Tour: $34
- Tour to Hacienda La Colpa and Baños del Inca: $35
- Pocon and Otuzco farm tour: $39
- Tour of the Cajamarca Valley - San Nicolas Lagoon: $40
- Cajamarca in its Splendor: San Nicolas Lagoon Tour: $40
- Cajamarca Valley Tour – San Nicolas Lagoon: $40
- || Tour of the Cajamarca Valley - San Nicolás lagoon ||: $45
- From City Tour Cajamarca: $47
- Guided tour of the city + pick-up: $48
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- Official Tour of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago: $9.00
- Santiago Cathedral's Bell Tower Official Tour: $9.00
- Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino Admission Ticket: $17
- A historical tour of Santiago, Chile: $18
- Cable Car Admission Ticket: $18
- Santiago City Tour: Living History and Local Food Tasting: $20
- Guided City Tour through the historic center of Santiago: $23
- Private Guided Walking Tour of the City Center: $24
- Yungay, Memory, Art, and Neighborhood Walking Tour: $25
- Guided Walking Tour of the Historical Old Town: $25
- A Fabulous Walking tour by the Old Santiago of Chile -small group: $25
- Santiago : Highlights Walking Tour With A Guide: $26
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCajamarca $17Santiago $8.40
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago
Also in Santiago, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Ludwig's Original Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entry: $34
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Wine Tasting: $60
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $63
- Undurraga Wine tour: $70
- Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $70
- Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $79
- Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with wine tasting in Casablanca: $79
- Inca Lagoon and Vineyard Visit with Wine Tasting: $80
- Half Day Trip to Cousiño Macul Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $87
- Half Day Trip to Concha y Toro Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $87
- Maipo Valley Wine Tour with 4 vineyards from Santiago.: $89
- Kross Brewery Tour: A Craft Beer Tasting Experience: $93
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cajamarca and Santiago, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Cajamarca much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cajamarca would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cajamarca 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 Cajamarca.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cajamarca Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cajamarca or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Cajamarca. When comparing the sizes of Cajamarca 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.