A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Malmo vs. Santiago for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Malmo or Santiago?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Malmo or Santiago, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Malmo or Santiago?

Malmo

Located on the southern tip of Sweden, in the province of Skane, Malmo is Sweden's third largest city. It has a very international population with about a third of the residents being from countries other than Sweden. This diversity is evident within Malmo, which is rich in culture, interesting food, and an array of entertainment options. Historically, Malmo was an industrial city with a ship building company, Kockums being the area's largest employer. Today, however, the city is much more economicaly diverse with many eco friendly neighborhoods and plenty of suburban style housing.

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 2-Week Tours from Stockholm, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Sweden, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Malmo?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Malmo is $115, while the average daily cost in Santiago is $150. 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 Malmo and Santiago in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Malmo $55
    Santiago $109
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Malmo $110
    Santiago $218
Compare Hotels in Malmo and Santiago

Looking for a hotel in Malmo 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.

Hotels in Malmo


Hotels in Santiago


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: Malmo Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Malmo $9.11
    Santiago $5.41
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Malmo

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Malmo:


  • Malmö Bus Card
    $21

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Malmo

Also for Malmo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Malmo Private Transfer from Central Malmo to Malmo Airport: $58
  • Malmo Airport (MMX) to Malmo City - Arrival Private Transfer: $69
  • Malmo City to Malmo Airport (MMX) - Departure Private Transfer: $69
  • Malmo Private Transfer from Malmo airport to Central Malmo : $106
  • Malmo Airport (MMX) to Malmo City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $137
  • Private Direct Transfer From Malmo to Copenhagen: $168

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santiago

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santiago:


  • Metro Ride
    $1.13

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 Malmo or Santiago?

Prices for flights to both Santiago and Malmo 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 day
    Malmo $51
    Santiago $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Malmo

For Malmo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Self-guided Food Tour in Malmö: $72

Typical Food Prices in Santiago

Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:


  • Empanada
    $1.88
  • Hamburger
    $2.50
  • Dinner
    $26

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Malmo $18
    Santiago $47

Tours and Activities in Malmo

For Malmo, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Old Town Helsingborg: Exploration Game and Self-Guided Tour: $7.20
  • Self-guided audio tour in Lund: explore the story of the Locus Peccatorum murder: $8.63
  • The Headless Horseman in Malmö: A self-guided walking tour game: $8.63
  • Lund's Medieval and Modern History: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
  • Half Day Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour in Cosmopolitan Malmö: $16
  • Skip the Line: Disgusting Food Museum Entrance Ticket: $24
  • Canal Sightseeing Boat Tour of Malmö: $25
  • Malmo Syndicate City Escape Game Self Guided Experience: $31
  • Half Day Walking Tour in Lund City and University: $38
  • Guided Walking Tour in Malmö: $39
  • Malmö Private Walking Tour with a Local: $56
  • Malmö Photography Tour: $67

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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Malmo $41
    Santiago $8.40

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 Malmo and Santiago, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Malmo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Malmo 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 Malmo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Malmo 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 Malmo.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Malmo Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Malmo or Santiago?

Santiago has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Malmo. When comparing the sizes of Malmo 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 Malmo 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 Malmo has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].

Should I visit Malmo or Santiago in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Malmo as well as Santiago.

Malmo is cooler than Santiago in the summer. The daily temperature in Malmo averages around 17°C (62°F) in July, and Santiago fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in January.

Malmo usually gets more rain in July than Santiagoin January. Malmo gets 52 mm (2 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July and January
    Malmo 17°C (62°F) 
    Santiago 21°C (70°F)

Should I visit Malmo or Santiago in the Autumn?

Both Santiago and Malmo are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities.

In the autumn, Malmo is cooler than Santiago. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Malmo in October average around 10°C (50°F), and Santiago averages at about 15°C (59°F)in April.

In October, Malmo usually receives more rain than Santiagoin April. Malmo gets 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October and April
    Malmo 10°C (50°F) 
    Santiago 15°C (59°F)

Should I visit Malmo or Santiago in the Winter?

Both Santiago and Malmo during the winter are popular places to visit.

Malmo can be very cold during winter. In January, Malmo is generally much colder than Santiagoin July. Daily temperatures in Malmo average around 0°C (32°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 9°C (48°F).

Malmo usually gets less rain in January than Santiagoin July. Malmo gets 37 mm (1.4 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January and July
    Malmo 0°C (32°F) 
    Santiago 9°C (48°F)

Should I visit Malmo or Santiago in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Malmo and Santiago.

Malmo is much colder than Santiago in the spring. The daily temperature in Malmo averages around 5°C (42°F) in April, and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F)in October.

In April, Malmo usually receives more rain than Santiagoin October. Malmo gets 35 mm (1.4 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April and October
    Malmo 5°C (42°F) 
    Santiago 15°C (59°F)

Typical Weather for Santiago and Malmo

Malmo Santiago
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 0°C (32°F) 37 mm (1.4 in) 21°C (70°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Feb -0°C (32°F) 25 mm (1 in) 20°C (68°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Mar 2°C (35°F) 32 mm (1.3 in) 18°C (64°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Apr 5°C (42°F) 35 mm (1.4 in) 15°C (59°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
May 11°C (51°F) 38 mm (1.5 in) 12°C (54°F) 50 mm (2 in)
Jun 15°C (59°F) 44 mm (1.7 in) 9°C (48°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)
Jul 17°C (62°F) 52 mm (2 in) 9°C (48°F) 80 mm (3.1 in)
Aug 17°C (62°F) 50 mm (2 in) 10°C (50°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)
Sep 14°C (57°F) 46 mm (1.8 in) 12°C (54°F) 20 mm (0.8 in)
Oct 10°C (50°F) 46 mm (1.8 in) 15°C (59°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Nov 6°C (42°F) 46 mm (1.8 in) 17°C (63°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Dec 2°C (36°F) 41 mm (1.6 in) 20°C (68°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)