Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Madrid?
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 Madrid 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 Madrid 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: Madrid or Santiago?
Madrid
Madrid, the capital of Spain, overs visitors countless opportunities to experience Spain's culture, art, cuisine, and nightlife. It is the largest city in Spain, and as such has much to explore. The city is situated on the Iberian Peninsula on the Spanish central Castillian plateau. If you're flying into Spain, you'll likely fly into the Madrid airport as it's one of the largest airports in Europe. Madrid is well connected to the rest of Spain with planes, trains and buses, making it a popular place to visit for many travelers doing a European tour.
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 from Barcelona, The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile.
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Madrid Prices
Spain PricesSantiago Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMadrid €162Santiago €134
The average daily cost (per person) in Madrid is €162, while the average daily cost in Santiago is €134. 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 Madrid and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMadrid €78Santiago €97
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMadrid €156Santiago €194
Compare Hotels in Madrid and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Madrid 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: Madrid Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Madrid €18Santiago €4.82
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Madrid are as follows:
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Taxi Ride€26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Madrid
Also for Madrid, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private transfer departure from City Centre to Madrid Airport: $29
- Seamless Madrid Airport Transfer One Way or Round Trip Options: $41
- Madrid Airport (MAD) to Madrid - Arrival Private Transfer: $42
- Madrid Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $49
- Private Transfers Madrid Airport to Central Madrid: $50
- Private One-way Airport Transfer Madrid Airport To Madrid: $59
- Private Transfer from San Vicente del Raspeig to Alicante–Elche (ALC) Airport: $63
- Private Transfer from Novelda to Alicante–Elche (ALC) Airport: $63
- One-way Private Transfer From/To Madrid Airport: $63
- Private Transfer Madrid Barajas Airport to Madrid: $65
- Private One-way Airport Transfer Madrid To Madrid Airport: $66
- Arrival Private Transfer by Business Car from MAD Airport to Madrid: $67
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€1.01
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 to Ski Centers: $299
- Santiago de Chile: Private Transfer to San Antonio / Port: $270
- Private Transfer to Sewell UNESCO Andes Town Tour with Lunch: $269
- Maipo Valley Wine Tour, Concha y Toro, Private Transfer from Santiago: $262
- Private cruise transfer: Puerto San Antonio or Valparaíso ↔ Santiago: $260
- Private Transfer from Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) Airport to San Antonio: $255
- Private Transfer Santiago Airport SCL to Vina Concon Valparaiso: $250
- Private Santiago, Visit Concha y Toro Winery and Transfer: $250
- Portillo and Laguna Del Inca, Exclusive Guide and Private Transfer: $250
- Private Transfer San Antonio Cruise from Santiago to Valparaiso: $250
Is it cheaper to fly into Madrid or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Madrid 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 dayMadrid €59Santiago €20
Typical Food Prices in Madrid
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Madrid:
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Coffee€2.00
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Ice Cream€3.00
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Kebabs (for 2)€16
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Croissant€1.50
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Lunch at Airport (for 2)€16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Madrid
For Madrid, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Zarzuela Opera and Dinner at La Castafiore Restaurant in Madrid: $65
- Small-Group Food Tour with Local Tapas & Spanish Wine: $69
- Small-Group Food Tour with Tapas, Wine & Vermouth: $74
- Spanish Tapas Experience and Sangría Showcooking in Madrid: $76
- 10 Tapas Cooking Class Experience in Madrid with Sangria: $87
- Guided Food Tour of Tapas, Ham, Olive Oil & Vermouth: $89
- Madrid Tapas & Wine Tasting Food Tour – Small Group Local Bars: $91
- Madrid Ultimate Spanish Cuisine Food Tour: $93
- Madrid Spanish Omelet Cooking Class and Bottomless Wine brunch: $94
- The Best Flamenco in Madrid Show with Dinner and Drink: $97
- Madrid Food Tour in a Neighborhood Market with Churros: $105
- Tapas & Paella Cooking Class in Madrid with a Professional Chef: $105
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada€1.68
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Hamburger€2.23
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Dinner€23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santiago
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santiago.
- Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $56
- Best Santiago Street Food Tour with 4+ Tastings and Drink: $58
- 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
- Local Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $99
- Traditional Dinner Show in Santiago: $107
- 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
- San Cristobal Hill Night Tour with Dinner Show: $129
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai with Wine refill and transportation: $129
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Madrid €33Santiago €42
Tours and Activities in Madrid
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.
- Madrid Walking Tour from Puerta del Sol to Retiro Park: $3.52
- Walking Tour of Madrid Modern: $3.52
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Madrid: $3.52
- Tuk Tuk Tour of the Best of Madrid (booking only): $3.52
- Madrid - Medieval to Modern Walking Tour (English): $3.53
- Madrid City Highlights Walking Tour: $4.70
- A Self-Guided Tour of El Retiro Park’s Rise, Ruin and Redemption: $5.00
- Where Cervantes Feuded: A Self-Guided Madrid Tour: $5.00
- Madrid Historical Self-Guided Walking City Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.29
- Madrid Old Town Self Guided Tour with Mobile App: $5.99
- Madrid Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
- Multicultural A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.33
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
- 2-Hour Walking Tour of Yungay The Coolest Neighborhood in Chile: $35
- 3 Hours Santiago Blend Walking Tour: $30
- A Fabulous Walking tour by the Old Santiago of Chile -: $25
- 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
- Andes Day Lagoon in Cajón del Maipo & Embalse el Yeso Private Tour: $270
- Andes Day Lagoon: Embalse El Yeso Tour from Santiago: $120
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMadrid €19Santiago €7.48
Typical Alcohol Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Madrid are as follows:
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Beer€5.00
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Drinks and Tapas (for 2)€13
Sample the Local Flavors in Madrid
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Madrid:
- Visit to the Winery with Wine Tasting and Appetizers in Navarra: $12
- Madrid Pub Crawl: VIP Entry & Shots, Games (Kapital, Fitz, Shoko): $14
- Pub Crawl Madrid-The Original since 2005-Shots-Fun-Clubs-Dance: $29
- Wine Tour with tasting in the Natural Park of La Mata: $38
- Wine Tasting in Madrid Experience: $54
- Madrid Tapas and Wine Tour with a Local Guide: $73
- Rooftop Bar Crawl Madrid Experience: $76
- New Year Eve Madrid Pub Crawl: $81
- Spanish Wine Tasting : $90
- Spanish Wine Tasting and Tapas Tour: $100
- Wine Tasting and Flamenco Master Class in Madrid: $101
- Madrid Tapas & Wine Tour with Rooftop Views and Local Guide: $115
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" Viña Cousiño Macul Official english: $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: $62
- Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $68
- Valparaíso and Vineyard of the Sea with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $68
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $70
- Undurraga Wine Tasting Tour from Santiago: $75
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Madrid and Santiago, we can see that Madrid is more expensive. And not only is Santiago much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Madrid 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 Madrid would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Madrid 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 Madrid Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Madrid or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 55% larger than the population of Madrid. When comparing the sizes of Madrid 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.