Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Cozumel?
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 Cozumel 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 Cozumel and Santiago can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cozumel or Santiago?
Cozumel
Cozumel is a Caribbean island just off the Yucatan Peninsula. It'as a popular tourist destination because of its beautiful beaches and excellent snorkeling and scuba diving. With crystal clear waters and vibrant colored coral, Cozumel is one of the most popular dive destinations in the area. The island's economy is centered around tourism, and as such, you'll find plenty of amenities for visitors. The prices are comparable to other coastal towns in the area and there is no shortage of activities or attractions nearby.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best Adventure Tours to Mexico, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile.
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Cozumel Prices
Mexico PricesSantiago Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCozumel $130Santiago $159
The average daily cost (per person) in Cozumel is $130, while the average daily cost in Santiago is $159. 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 Cozumel and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCozumel $67Santiago $116
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCozumel $134Santiago $232
Compare Hotels in Cozumel and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Cozumel 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: Cozumel Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cozumel $22Santiago $5.72
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cozumel
Also for Cozumel, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Cozumel Airport to Hotel Private Transfer by Car: $24
- Shared Transfer from Airport to Hotel: $30
- Mexico Cozumel Airport (CZM) to Cozumel -Arrival Private Transfer: $49
- Atv Jungle Ride sin transfer: $49
- Cozumel Mayan Experience And Beach Getaway with Transfer: $55
- Wild Jade Cavern ATV Tour With Transfer: $56
- Private One Way Transfer from Cozumel to Cozumel Airport: $65
- Private One Way Transfer from Cozumel Airport to Cozumel: $65
- Cozumel Jungle ATV Tour Adventure and Caverns with transfer: $65
- Mexico Cozumel Airport (CZM) to Cozumel Cruise Port - Arrival Private Transfer: $74
- Cozumel Island hotels to Cozumel Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $74
- Cozumel Cruise Port to Cozumel island hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $74
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$1.20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Private Scenic Transfer to Mendoza.: $467
- Airport Transfer and Halfday City tour Santiago de Chile: $362
- Private Transfer from Santiago or Santiago Airport to Colchagua or Santa Cruz: $300
- Private Santiago, Visit Santa Rita Winery & Transfer to Hotel: $300
- Private Santiago Visit Haras de Pirque Winery & Transfer Hotel: $300
- Private Transfer to Ski Centers: $299
- Private Transfer from Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) Airport to Valparaíso: $290
- Private Transfer Between Santiago and Cruise Port: $270
- Santiago de Chile: Private Transfer to San Antonio / Port: $270
- City Tour Santiago with Exclusive Guide + Private Transfer: $270
- Private Transfer to Sewell UNESCO Andes Town Tour with Lunch: $269
- Private cruise transfer: Puerto San Antonio or Valparaíso ↔ Santiago: $260
Is it cheaper to fly into Cozumel or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Cozumel 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 dayCozumel $40Santiago $24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cozumel
For Cozumel, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Authentic Mayan Cooking Class in Cozumel: $61
- Private Mexican Trompitos Cooking Class in Cozumel: $80
- Cozumel Food Tour: $90
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.99
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Hamburger$2.65
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Dinner$27
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: $56
- Street Food Tour in Santiago with a Local Guide: $57
- Mercado Meals Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $60
- 4h Cooking Class in 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $77
- 4h Cooking Class in Santiago : 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $85
- Food Tour STGO, Eat like Locals!: $99
- Local Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $99
- Traditional Chilean Show with Dinner and Private Transportation in Santiago: $107
- Santiago Food Tour: Bohemian Flavors and Local Gems: $109
- Barrio Italia Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $119
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Chilean Cooking Class in a Local Home: $125
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cozumel $43Santiago $50
Tours and Activities in Cozumel
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cozumel.
- Cozumel Historic Waterfront Self Guided Audio Walking Tour: $9.75
- Cozumel!! Guacamole And Margarita Fiesta!!! ( Virtual Experience): $12
- Skip the Line: Admission Ticket to El Cedral Town and Mayan Temple: $16
- Tequila History and Tasting Experience and Unlimited Beach Break: $25
- Chankanaab Experience from Snack Bar Lindas: $27
- El Cielo Snorkeling Adventure in Cozumel: $28
- Snorkel into Heaven Palancar Columbia and El Cielo Experience: $29
- Transparent Boat Experience Cozumel & Snorkeling on Colorful Reef: $29
- Cozumel Snorkeling Tour: Palancar, Columbia and El Cielo Reefs: $29
- Cozumel Snorkel Tour to El Cielo, Palancar and Columbia: $29
- Cozumel’s Mayan Journey: Dance, Rituals, and Tasting Tour: $29
- Crystal Boat Trip and Snorkeling Tour from Cozumel: $29
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial español: $27
- 1 Day Tour of Viña Concha y Toro from Santiago: $120
- 1 Day Valparaiso and Vina del Mar Tour from Santiago: $51
- 3 Hours Santiago Blend Walking Tour: $30
- 6 Hour Tour of Culture, History and Flavors from Santiago: $75
- A Private Tour of Santiago with an Experienced Local Guide: $162
- A full Private Tour of Valparaiso from Santiago: $238
- Adega Montes Guided Tour with Private Transportation: $300
- Adventure in Portillo: Laguna del Inca and Mountain Picnic: $100
- All Santiago in One Day: Private Guided Tour: $250
- An Architect's Tour of Downtown Santiago: $60
- Andean Adventure: Cajón del Maipo & El Morado Lodge and Spa: $147
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCozumel $11Santiago $8.89
Sample the Local Flavors in Cozumel
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cozumel:
- Chocolate Seaside Workshop & Wine Tasting: $47
- Downtown Cozumel & Brewery: $79
- Downtown Cozumel and Brewery Experience: $89
- Rum and Gin at Cozumel First Distillery: $99
- Cozumel 5-Hour Private Bar Crawl Tour: $110
- Cozumel Rum Tasting & Distillery Experience: $119
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago
Also in Santiago, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- "Chile in Your Glass" Wine Tasting.: $22
- Cousiño Macul Heritage Wine Tour with Tastings: $25
- Pub Crawl with Unlimited Beer and Welcome Shots: $25
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $59
- Valparaiso, Viña del Mar & Casablanca Wine Tour: $61
- Valparaiso, Viña del Mar & Casablanca Wine Tour: $62
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $70
- Undurraga Wine Tasting Tour from Santiago: $75
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Wine Tasting: $75
- Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $75
- Concha y Toro Tour with Wine Tasting and Transport: $87
- Half Day Trip to Cousiño Macul Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $87
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cozumel and Santiago, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Cozumel much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cozumel is in North 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 Cozumel would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cozumel 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 Cozumel.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cozumel Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cozumel or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Cozumel. When comparing the sizes of Cozumel 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.