Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Lisbon?
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 Lisbon or Santiago?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Lisbon 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: Lisbon or Santiago?
Lisbon
Portugal's capital city of Lisbon continues to grow in popularity as a travel destination. The cultural scene has come to life in recent years and the city itself is stunningly beautiful. It sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and is made up of hills that create a dramatic and scenic layout. The city has many white-bleached limestone buildings, narrow alleyways, and a laidback charm that appeals to visitors.
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Portugal, The Best 2-Week Tours in Portugal, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.
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Lisbon Prices
Portugal PricesSantiago Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLisbon €167Santiago €128
The average daily cost (per person) in Lisbon is €167, 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 Lisbon and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLisbon €63Santiago €93
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLisbon €126Santiago €186
Compare Hotels in Lisbon and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Lisbon 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: Lisbon Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lisbon €25Santiago €4.60
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lisbon
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Lisbon:
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Taxi Ride€6.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lisbon
Also for Lisbon, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lisbon Airport Shared Departure Transfer: $13
- Lisbon Airport Private Transfer to Lisbon: $13
- Transfer Between Airport and City Hotels: $15
- Lisbon Private Airport Departure Transfer: $16
- Private Transfer to/from Lisbon Airport, Train Station or Port: $16
- Lisbon Cruise Port: Private Transfer to hotels or airport: $16
- Airport Private Transfer to/from Lisbon city hotels: $16
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotels to Lisbon Airport or Cruise : $16
- Lisbon Airport (LIS) Private Transfer to Lisbon City/Hotels: $20
- Transfer from Lisbon Airport (LIS) to Lisbon City Center: $22
- Private Transfers, Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais, Ericeira, Setubal: $24
- Jardim do Tabaco Quay Cruise Port to Lisbon - Arrival Private Transfer: $25
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 Lisbon or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Lisbon 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 dayLisbon €73Santiago €19
Typical Food Prices in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Coffee€2.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Pizza Cruise on a Luxury Boat with Open Bar: $29
- Lisbon Sunset DJ Party – Luxury Boat, Pizza & Open Bar: $29
- Lisbon Exclusive Sunset Cruise – Pizza, Open Bar & Dolphins: $29
- Hard Rock Cafe Lisbon with Set Lunch or Dinner : $32
- Sunset DJ Party – Sangria, Pizza & Open Bar : $35
- Traditional Walking Food Tour: $50
- Sangria DJ Party – Luxury Boat, Pizza & Open Bar: $54
- Fado Show and Portuguese Dinner: $57
- Alfama Tour and Live Fado with Traditional Dinner: $58
- Lisbon Sangria – Exclusive Luxury Cruise with Pizza & Music: $59
- Portuguese street food cooking class with Drinks: $59
- Lisbon Fado Experience: Walking Tour, Dinner and Live Music Show: $59
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.Lisbon €24Santiago €40
Tours and Activities in Lisbon
For Lisbon, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Unravel Lisbon an Outdoor Charms Self Guided Tour: $1.18
- Alfama and Mouraria Tour - The oldest neighbourhoods in Lisbon: $1.24
- Lisbon Walking Tour - The Perfect Introduction to the City: $1.24
- Lisbon Walking Tour: Historic Strolls of the Old Town: $1.76
- Lisbon Walking Tour - Discover Belém and the Discoveries Age: $1.79
- Lisbon Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $3.37
- Lisbon City Center Tour - The Unmissable Lisbon: $3.59
- Self Guided Tour in Lisbon with 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.59
- Lisbon Tour in Walled City and Alfama and Old Town: $3.59
- The Moorish Beyond the Tourist Trail Quarter Free Walking Tour: $3.59
- Lisbon Walking Tour: Historic Strolls of the Old Town: $3.61
- Lisbon (Chiado-Baixa) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.52
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
- 6 Hour Tour of Culture, History and Flavors from Santiago: $75
- 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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLisbon €18Santiago €7.15
Sample the Local Flavors in Lisbon
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lisbon:
- Lisbon Port Wine Tasting at Taylors Shop and Tasting Room: $19
- 1-Hour Portuguese Wine Tasting Session: $22
- Pub Crawl with Open Bar, Shots & VIP Club Entry: $23
- Pub Crawl with Open Bar (Premium Upgrade Available): $23
- Lisbon Pub Crawl: Unlimited Drinks, Shots & V.I.P Club Entry: $23
- Lisbon Pub Crawl: $24
- Lisbon Pub Crawl: $24
- Portuguese Wine Tasting: $25
- Guided Port Wine Tasting Apéritif/Digestif: $28
- Port Wine Tasting Apéritif/Digestif at Portuguese Wine Bar: $29
- Lisbon Wine Tasting: $29
- A Taste of Wine Tasting Experience: $42
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 Lisbon and Santiago, we can see that Lisbon is more expensive. And not only is Santiago much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Lisbon 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 Lisbon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lisbon 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 Lisbon Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Lisbon or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Lisbon. When comparing the sizes of Lisbon 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 Lisbon 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 Lisbon has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Lisbon or Santiago in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Lisbon as well as Santiago. Most visitors come to Lisbon for the beaches, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, Lisbon is generally around the same temperature as Santiagoin January. Daily temperatures in Lisbon average around 23°C (73°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
Lisbon usually gets less rain in July than Santiagoin January. Lisbon gets 5 mm (0.2 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 JanuaryLisbon 23°C (73°F)Santiago 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Lisbon or Santiago in the Autumn?
Both Santiago and Lisbon are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Lisbon because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Lisbon is a little warmer than Santiago in the autumn. The daily temperature in Lisbon averages around 19°C (66°F) in October, and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F)in April.
In October, Lisbon usually receives more rain than Santiagoin April. Lisbon gets 80 mm (3.1 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 AprilLisbon 19°C (66°F)Santiago 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Lisbon or Santiago in the Winter?
Both Santiago and Lisbon during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Lisbon this time of year.
In the winter, Lisbon is a little warmer than Santiago. Typically, the winter temperatures in Lisbon in January average around 12°C (53°F), and Santiago averages at about 9°C (48°F)in July.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Lisbon. Lisbon usually gets more rain in January than Santiagoin July. Lisbon gets 110 mm (4.3 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 JulyLisbon 12°C (53°F)Santiago 9°C (48°F)
Should I visit Lisbon or Santiago in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Lisbon and Santiago. Many travelers come to Lisbon for the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty.
In April, Lisbon is generally around the same temperature as Santiagoin October. Daily temperatures in Lisbon average around 16°C (60°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).
In April, Lisbon usually receives more rain than Santiagoin October. Lisbon gets 64 mm (2.5 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 OctoberLisbon 16°C (60°F)Santiago 15°C (59°F)
Typical Weather for Santiago and Lisbon
| Lisbon | Santiago | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 12°C (53°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 13°C (55°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Mar | 14°C (58°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (60°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (74°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (54°F) | 108 mm (4.3 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.