Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Dahab?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Dahab 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 Dahab 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: Dahab or Santiago?
Dahab
Dahab is a small town on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. It is located about 85 kilometers north of Sharm el-Sheikh and sits on the Gulf of Aqaba. It's a popular destination with divers and backpackers alike, and offers some of the best snorkeling and diving that you'll find in the Red Sea. It's a great alternative to the resort driven Sharm el-Sheikh, and is popular with independent travelers who are looking for affordable accommodation. There are some upmarket options however, predominantly in the Laguna area, but budget facilities are not hard to find.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, The Best Historical Tours in Egypt, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile.
-
Dahab Prices
Egypt PricesSantiago Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDahab $23Santiago $145
The average daily cost (per person) in Dahab is $23, while the average daily cost in Santiago is $145. 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 Dahab and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDahab $8.49Santiago $105
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDahab $17Santiago $210
Compare Hotels in Dahab and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Dahab 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: Dahab Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dahab $2.83Santiago $5.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dahab
Also for Dahab, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Dahab to Sharm El Sheikh Airport (SSH): $34
- Blue Hole Snorkeling Tour from Dahab with Lunch & Hotel Transfers: $45
- Private Transfer from Dahab to Sharm el Sheikh Airport or Hotels: $50
- Beginner Scuba Dive at Lighthouse w Photos & Transfer: $58
- Private Transfer From Dahab To Sharm el Sheikh airport: $65
- Pickup transfer from Dahab To Sharm El Sheikh airport: $70
- Private Pickup Transfer From Dahab To St. Catherine: $75
- Private Pickup Transfers From Dahab To Cairo: $195
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santiago
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santiago:
-
Metro Ride$1.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Villard Winery with exclusive guide + Premium Transfer: $220
- Transfer in/out cruise to/from Santiago plus tour Valparaiso: $135
- Transfer from Valle Nevado, Farellones, Colorado or La Parva ski to Santiago: $83
- Transfer from Santiago Airport to Viña del Mar by Car: $140
- Transfer from Santiago Airport to Santiago Centro Commune: $52
- Transfer by Electric Car SCL Airport Santiago, Chile: $61
- Transfer Santiago to Valparaiso Cruise Ship Port + Tour & Winery: $89
- Transfer Private Airport SCL to Hotels and Airbnb in Santiago: $60
- Transfer Parque Farellones Fullday 50%OFF: $59
- Transfer Airport/Port - Hotel: $65
- Tour to Santiago and Valparaiso with Transfers included: $150
- TRANSFER TRANSFER AIRPORT-VIÑA DEL MAR VALPARAISO: $190
Is it cheaper to fly into Dahab or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Dahab 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 dayDahab $12Santiago $22
Typical Food Prices in Dahab
For Dahab, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Seafood Dinner (for 2)$1.82
-
Juice$0.10
-
Breakfast for Two$0.57
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dahab
For Dahab, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bedouin Dinner in the Mountains In Dahab: $39
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
-
Empanada$1.82
-
Hamburger$2.41
-
Dinner$25
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
- Best Santiago Street Food Tour with 4+ Tastings and Drink: $56
- Mercado Meals Santiago Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $59
- Mercado Meals Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $60
- 4h Cooking Class in 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $77
- Food Tour STGO, Eat like Locals!: $99
- Local Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $99
- Casillero del Diablo Night Experience – Cellars, Wine & Dinner: $110
- Small-Group Tour: Night City Tour with Santa Lucia Hill and Dinner Show: $116
- Barrio Italia Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $119
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Chilean Cooking Class in a Local Home: $125
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dahab $5.98Santiago $46
Tours and Activities in Dahab
For Dahab, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Royal seascope Semi-Submarine Cruise: $33
- Full-Day Hike Tour at St. Catherine's Monastery: $35
- Adventure Quad Biking Tour in Dahab: $40
- Royal Seascope Submarine Guided Boat Tour: $40
- luxury Snorkeling cruise with buffet lunch: $41
- Blue Hole Snorkeling Tour with lunch from Dahab: $43
- Camel Ride + Blue Hole Snorkeling + Quad Bike Tour With Lunch From Dahab: $50
- Mount Sinai Sunrise and St Catherine Monastery Tour from Dahab: $50
- Private Day Tour To Blue Lagoon And Ras Abu Galum From Dahab: $65
- Private City Tour In Sharm El Sheikh From Dahab: $65
- Adventure Safari By Horse In Dahab At Laguna Beach: $65
- Saint Catherine's Monastery half-day Tour with Lunch from Dahab: $70
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
- "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial portugués: $27
- 1 Day Tour of Viña Concha y Toro from Santiago: $120
- 1 Day Valparaiso and Vina del Mar Tour from Santiago: $51
- 2 Day Santiago Old and Modern City Contrasts Private Tour: $260
- 3 Hours Santiago Blend Walking Tour: $30
- 6 Hour Tour of Culture, History and Flavors from Santiago: $75
- A full Private Tour of Valparaiso from Santiago (Standard): $290
- An Architect's Tour of Downtown Santiago: $60
- Andean Adventure: Cajón del Maipo & El Morado Lodge and Spa: $147
- Andes Day Lagoon in Cajón del Maipo & Embalse el Yeso Private Tour: $270
- Andes Day Lagoon: Embalse El Yeso Tour from Santiago: $120
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayDahab $3.55Santiago $8.10
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
- Pub Crawl with Unlimited Beer and Welcome Shots: $25
- Cousiño Macul Heritage Wine Tour with Tastings: $25
- Traditional Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Official English: $27
- Premium Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Spanish official: $45
- Tour Viña Santa Carolina in Santiago with 3 wine tasting: $45
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $55
- Valparaiso, Viña del Mar & Casablanca Wine Tour: $61
- Valparaiso, Viña del Mar & Casablanca Wine Tour: $65
- Valparaíso and Vineyard of the Sea with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $68
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $70
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Wine Tasting: $75
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dahab and Santiago, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Dahab much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dahab is in Africa 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 Dahab would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dahab 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 Dahab.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dahab Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dahab or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 600 times larger than the population of Dahab. When comparing the sizes of Dahab 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.