Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Cologne?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Cologne or Santiago?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cologne or Santiago? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Cologne or Santiago?
Cologne
Spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, the city of Cologne dates back 2,000 years, once existing as the largest city of the Holy Roman Empire in medieval times. Today, it is the region's cultural hub - a center of museums, galleries, and towering Gothic cathedrals.
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 Luxury Tours to Germany, The Best Budget Tours to Germany, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCologne €161Santiago €133
The average daily cost (per person) in Cologne is €161, while the average daily cost in Santiago is €133. 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 Cologne and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCologne €91Santiago €103
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCologne €182Santiago €206
Compare Hotels in Cologne and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Cologne 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: Cologne Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cologne €19Santiago €5.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cologne
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cologne:
- Cologne hotels to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Superior Private Transfer from Cologne City to Dortmund City: $64
- Transfer from Cologne Airport CGN to Cologne City by Luxury Car: $83
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Cologne hotels - Round-trip Private Transfer : $98
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santiago
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santiago:
-
Metro Ride€1.06
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Private Departure Transfer from Santiago- Santiago Airport (SCL): $27
- Airport transfer between Santiago city center and Arturo Merino Benítez Airport: $51
- Arrival Private Transfers : Santiago Airport SCL to Santiago in Luxury Van: $85
- Arrival Transfer - Santiago International Airport to Hotel in Santiago: $35
- Arturo Merino Benítez Intl Airport: Shared Transfer: $24
- Departure Private Transfers : Santiago to Santiago Airport SCL in Business Car: $68
- Departure Private Transfers : Santiago to Santiago Airport SCL in Luxury Van: $85
- Departure Transfer - Hotel in Santiago to Santiago International Airport: $35
- From Farellones Roundtrip Transfer: $35
- From Valle Nevado and Farellones with Transfer: $72
- Luxury Airport Private Transfer SCL: $90
- Pick up Santiago Visit Haras de Pirque Winery & Transfer Hotel: $300
Is it cheaper to fly into Cologne or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Cologne 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
-
Food Meals for one dayCologne €50Santiago €12
Typical Food Prices in Cologne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cologne:
-
Dinner€14
-
Donner Kebab€4.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cologne
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cologne.
- Hard Rock Café with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Hard Rock Cafe Cologne With Set Lunch or Dinner: $29
- Köln Südstadt kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
- 3-Hour Südstadt Food Tour: $484
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
-
Empanada€1.77
-
Hamburger€2.35
-
Dinner€24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santiago
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santiago.
- Traditional Chilean Show with Dinner and Private Transportation in Santiago: $107
- Traditional Dinner Show in Santiago: $107
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai: $109
- Sunset at Alyan Family Wines Winery with Dinner: $116
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Chilean Cooking Class in a Local Home: $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
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cologne €20Santiago €44
Tours and Activities in Cologne
Here are a few actual costs in Cologne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cologne Walking Tour: The essential and unmissable one: $3.22
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Original funky-fun Free Tour of Cologne: $3.23
- Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.31
- Smartphone Scavenger Hunt Sightseeing Tour: $5.92
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.00
- Horrors of World War II Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.52
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
- Cologne Self Guided Walking Tour Discovering the Horrors of WWII: $7.63
- Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07
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
- Skip the Line: Concha y Toro Traditional Tour Ticket: $25
- Walking tour through Santiago: $26
- From Valle Nevado and Farellones Small Group Tour: $29
- The Essentials City Tour & Optional Concha y Toro: $30
- Half Day tradicional city Tour: $30
- TOUR PANORAMICO VALLE NEVADO Y FARELLONES: $32
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayCologne €23Santiago €7.90
Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:
- Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $18
- Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $18
- Guided tour of the old town with a visit to the brewery in Cologne: $19
- Old Town Walking Tour inkl Brewery Visit: $24
- Entertaining Brewery Tour: Feel Good Package including local beer: $27
- South Cologne Walking Tour with brewery visit: $27
- Pub Crawl Cologne Including Admission Fee for Bars and Shots: $27
- Brewery Tour with 3 Kölsch Beer Tastings: $30
- Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $31
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $32
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
- Cologne-Nippes: Gourmet wine tasting with cheese platter: $64
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 tour: $63
- Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $70
- Private Tour: Santa Rita Vineyard with Wine Tastings: $72
- From Concha y Toro Marqués Half-Day Wine Tasting: $89
- half day wine tour to concha y toro from Santiago seasonal offer: $95
- From Maipo Valley Wine Tour: $99
- Maipo Valley Wine Tour with 4 vineyards from Santiago.: $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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cologne and Santiago, we can see that Cologne is more expensive. And not only is Santiago much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cologne is in Europe 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 Cologne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cologne 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 Cologne Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cologne or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Cologne. When comparing the sizes of Cologne 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.
When is the best time to visit Cologne or Santiago?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Santiago is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Cologne has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Cologne or Santiago in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Cologne and Santiago. Most visitors come to Cologne for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, Cologne is generally cooler than Santiagoin January. Daily temperatures in Cologne average around 19°C (66°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
In July, Cologne usually receives more rain than Santiagoin January. Cologne gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
-
Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryCologne 19°C (66°F)Santiago 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Santiago in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Cologne as well as Santiago. The autumn months attract visitors to Cologne because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Cologne is cooler than Santiago in the autumn. The daily temperature in Cologne averages around 12°C (54°F) in October, and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F)in April.
Cologne usually gets more rain in October than Santiagoin April. Cologne gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilCologne 12°C (54°F)Santiago 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Santiago in the Winter?
Both Santiago and Cologne are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Cologne this time of year.
It's quite cold in Cologne in the winter. In the winter, Cologne is much colder than Santiago. Typically, the winter temperatures in Cologne in January average around 3°C (37°F), and Santiago averages at about 9°C (48°F)in July.
In January, Cologne usually receives less rain than Santiagoin July. Cologne gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the winter.
-
Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyCologne 3°C (37°F)Santiago 9°C (48°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Santiago in the Spring?
Both Santiago and Cologne during the spring are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Cologne for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In April, Cologne is generally cooler than Santiagoin October. Daily temperatures in Cologne average around 10°C (50°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).
Cologne usually gets more rain in April than Santiagoin October. Cologne gets 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberCologne 10°C (50°F)Santiago 15°C (59°F)
Typical Weather for Santiago and Cologne
| Cologne | Santiago | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (37°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 4°C (39°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Mar | 7°C (44°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 10°C (50°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 14°C (58°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 17°C (63°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Jul | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Aug | 19°C (66°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Sep | 16°C (61°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Oct | 12°C (54°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (45°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Dec | 4°C (39°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
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.