Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Frankfurt?
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 Frankfurt 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 Frankfurt and Santiago can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Frankfurt or Santiago?
Frankfurt
Frankfurt is the financial and business hub of Germany. It houses the European Central Bank and the German Stock Exchange, and often plays host to trade shows and business fairs. It has the country's most modern skyline and the largest airport. It is also a transportation hub for Germany with many important train lines passing through. The city itself is situated on the River Main. Some of the most important sights are along the river near Romer Square and include museums and monuments. This area pulls in millions of tourists every year. Although many sights are clustered in this area, it's important to head into more off the beaten path areas that can be enjoyable to explore. These areas offer glimpses into daily life in Frankfurt.
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 Coach Bus Tours in Germany, The Best Adventure Tours to Germany, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.
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Frankfurt Prices
Germany PricesSantiago Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFrankfurt €152Santiago €128
The average daily cost (per person) in Frankfurt is €152, while the average daily cost in Santiago is €128. 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 Frankfurt and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFrankfurt €58Santiago €93
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFrankfurt €116Santiago €186
Compare Hotels in Frankfurt and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Frankfurt 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.Frankfurt €25Santiago €4.60
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Frankfurt
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Frankfurt:
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Car Rental€50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Frankfurt
Also for Frankfurt, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Frankfurt Hahn Airport: Bus transfer from/to Mainz: $20
- Frankfurt Hahn Airport: Bus transfer from/to city central: $22
- FRA Airport to Frankfurt City Private Transfer: $29
- Transfer Frankfurt City Center to Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA): $46
- Private One Way Transfer from Frankfurt To Frankfurt Airport: $50
- Private One Way Transfer from Frankfurt Airport to Frankfurt: $50
- Arrival Transfer from Frankfurt Airport FRA to Frankfurt by Sedan: $63
- Sedan Departure Transfer from Frankfurt to Frankfurt Airport FRA: $63
- Private Transfer to/from Airport and City: $74
- Private Transfer to/from Airport and City: $82
- Departure Transfer: Frankfurt to Airport FRA by Luxury Van: $88
- Arrival Transfer: Airport FRA to Frankfurt by Luxury Van: $88
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€0.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Transfer to Valparaiso Cruise Terminal with Winery & Town Tour: $109
- Transfer to Snowy Valley fullday for skiers : $49
- Transfer to San Antonio port with Valparaiso & Casablanca tour: $87
- Transfer from Valparaiso or San Antonio Port + Condor Watching Tour: $230
- Transfer from Valle Nevado, Farellones, Colorado or La Parva ski to Santiago: $83
- Transfer from Santiago To Valle Nevado, Farellones, Colorado or La Parva ski: $100
- Transfer from Santiago Airport to Santiago Centro Commune: $52
- Transfer Santiago-Viña del Mar / Viña del Mar-Santiago: $220
- Transfer Santiago-Valparaiso / Valparaiso-Santiago: $220
- Transfer Santiago to Cruise Port in Valparaiso or San Antonio: $290
- Transfer Santiago de Chile airport: $40
- Transfer Santiago Airport to the commune of Providencia: $56
Is it cheaper to fly into Frankfurt or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Frankfurt 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 dayFrankfurt €70Santiago €19
Typical Food Prices in Frankfurt
For Frankfurt, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Soda€2.00
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Bagel Sandwich and Latte€7.00
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Ham & Cheese Sandwich and Coffee€6.00
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Sandwich and Cola€7.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Frankfurt
For Frankfurt, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- VEGAN FOOD TOUR TO 3-4 LOCAL FOODSPOTS: $88
- Food Tour to 3-4 Local Food Spots: $88
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada€1.60
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Hamburger€2.13
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Dinner€22
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.Frankfurt €36Santiago €40
Tours and Activities in Frankfurt
For Frankfurt, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Frankfurt Self-Guided Historical Walking Tour: $8.21
- Struwwelpeter Museum Entry Ticket w/Audio Guide: $9.40
- Frankfurter Kunstverein: Admission ticket: $12
- Frankfurt Card: Experience Frankfurt at the Best Price: $14
- Frankfurt Airport: Fraport Visitor Center Entry Ticket: $14
- EXPERIMINTA ScienceCenter Entry Ticket: $15
- Christmas Market & Old Town Tour 60 min-daily 16:00-in German: $16
- Old Town Horror Stories Walking Tour in German: $16
- "The Sandman" Nightmarish Walking Tour: $16
- Horror Theater and City Tour The Hell's Demon: $16
- Scary Sightseeing Tour with The Hangman: $16
- The Black Death Tour: $16
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- Private Half-Day Guided Tour of the City of Santiago.: $280
- Private Sightseeing City Tour in Valparaíso and Viña del Mar: $240
- "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial español: $26
- 1 Day Tour of Viña Concha y Toro from Santiago: $120
- 4 Hour Santa Rita Winery All inclusive Tour for Wine Lover: $269
- A Fabulous Walking tour by the Old Santiago of Chile -small group: $25
- A full Private Tour of Valparaiso from Santiago : $240
- A historical tour of Santiago, Chile: $18
- An Architect's Tour of Downtown Santiago: $55
- Andean Adventure: Cajón del Maipo & Santuario del Río Spa: $132
- Andean Horse Ride Yerba Loca Sanctuary - Private tour from Santiago: $240
- Andes Day Lagoon in Cajón del Maipo & Embalse el Yeso Private Tour: $200
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFrankfurt €30Santiago €7.15
Typical Alcohol Prices in Frankfurt
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Frankfurt:
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Becks Beer€2.00
Sample the Local Flavors in Frankfurt
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Frankfurt:
- Frankfurt am Main: Night Pub Crawl Shots and Party: $29
- from Frankfurt - romantic Black Forest & brewery, private tour: $288
- Frankfurt Wine Tasting Tour with a Wine Expert: $308
- Private pub crawl with insider-guide & free shots: $317
- Bachelor party Pub crawl & party for your bachelor party: $429
- Private Rhine Valley tour with river cruise & wine tasting: $915
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 Frankfurt and Santiago, we can see that Frankfurt is more expensive. And not only is Santiago much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Frankfurt 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 Frankfurt would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Frankfurt 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 Frankfurt Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Frankfurt or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Frankfurt. When comparing the sizes of Frankfurt 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 Frankfurt 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 Frankfurt has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Frankfurt or Santiago in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Frankfurt as well as Santiago. Many visitors come to Frankfurt in the summer for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Frankfurt is generally around the same temperature as Santiagoin January. Daily temperatures in Frankfurt average around 19°C (67°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
Frankfurt usually gets more rain in July than Santiagoin January. Frankfurt gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryFrankfurt 19°C (67°F)Santiago 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Frankfurt or Santiago in the Autumn?
Both Santiago and Frankfurt are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Frankfurt for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene during these months.
Frankfurt is cooler than Santiago in the autumn. The daily temperature in Frankfurt averages around 11°C (51°F) in October, and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F)in April.
In October, Frankfurt usually receives more rain than Santiagoin April. Frankfurt gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilFrankfurt 11°C (51°F)Santiago 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Frankfurt or Santiago in the Winter?
Both Santiago and Frankfurt during the winter are popular places to visit. The winter months attract visitors to Frankfurt because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
The weather in Frankfurt can be very cold. In the winter, Frankfurt is much colder than Santiago. Typically, the winter temperatures in Frankfurt in January average around 1°C (34°F), and Santiago averages at about 9°C (48°F)in July.
Frankfurt usually gets less rain in January than Santiagoin July. Frankfurt gets 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyFrankfurt 1°C (34°F)Santiago 9°C (48°F)
Should I visit Frankfurt or Santiago in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Frankfurt and Santiago. The activities around the city are the main draw to Frankfurt this time of year.
In April, Frankfurt is generally much colder than Santiagoin October. Daily temperatures in Frankfurt average around 10°C (50°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).
In April, Frankfurt usually receives more rain than Santiagoin October. Frankfurt gets 52 mm (2 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberFrankfurt 10°C (50°F)Santiago 15°C (59°F)
Typical Weather for Santiago and Frankfurt
| Frankfurt | Santiago | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 1°C (34°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 3°C (37°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Mar | 6°C (43°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 10°C (50°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 14°C (58°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 17°C (63°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Jul | 19°C (67°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Aug | 19°C (66°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Sep | 16°C (60°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (51°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Nov | 5°C (42°F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Dec | 2°C (36°F) | 54 mm (2.1 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.