Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Panama City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Panama City 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 Panama City and Santiago can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or Santiago?
Panama City
Panama City is the cosmopolitan capital city of the country of Panama. With a population of almost 900,000 and almost 1.5 million in the metropolitan area, it's a very diverse city with expat residents from all over the world. You don't have to search far to find someone who speaks English, and many Panamanians are quite helpful and friendly.
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 Panama City, The Best Adventure Tours to Panama, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPanama City $86Santiago $141
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $86, while the average daily cost in Santiago is $141. 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 Panama City and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35Santiago $110
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70Santiago $220
Compare Hotels in Panama City and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Panama City 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: Panama City Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11Santiago $5.41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Departure Transfer to Panama City Airport (PTY): $13
- Private transfer from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Panama City: $15
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Panama City: $15
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama City - Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): $15
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City or Beach: $20
- Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
- Private One-way Airport Transfer (Tocumen Airport To/From Panamá): $23
- Private Airport Transfer: $23
- Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels.: $25
- Private Transfer Tocumen Airport - Old Town(Casco Viejo): $25
- Airport TRANSFER 1 way Tocumen Howard BLB Albrook Rio Hato Colon: $28
- Panama Airport (PTY) to Panama city - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
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$1.13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Private Scenic Transfer to Mendoza.: $539
- Private Transfer from Santiago or Santiago Airport to Colchagua or Santa Cruz: $300
- Pick up Santiago Visit Haras de Pirque Winery & Transfer Hotel: $300
- Private Transfer From Santiago airport to San Antonio Pier or Valparaiso Pier : $251
- from Santiago airport private arrival transfer to the Valparaiso pier: $251
- Transfer Santiago to Cruise Port in Valparaiso or San Antonio: $250
- Private Transfer from Santiago Airport to Valparaíso,Viña del Mar or San Antonio: $250
- Private Transfer from Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) Airport to Viña del Mar: $237
- City Tour with Lunch and Hotel Transfers: $234
- Transfer from Valparaiso or San Antonio Port + Condor Watching Tour: $230
- Santiago Private Transfer: Santiago Airport to San Antonio Cruise Port : $216
- Transfer Santiago - Viña del Mar: $210
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Panama City 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 dayPanama City $21Santiago $13
Typical Food Prices in Panama City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
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Sandwich$8.27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Panama City
For Panama City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class : $85
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $85
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $85
- The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour: $200
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.89
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Hamburger$2.50
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Dinner$26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santiago
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santiago.
- Sunset at Alyan Family Wines Winery with Dinner: $94
- Traditional Dinner Show in Santiago: $107
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai: $109
- Sunset Winery Tour with Wine Tastings and Dinner: $117
- Small-Group Night City Tour: San Cristobal Hill and Dinner Show: $120
- 4-Hour Private Night Tour with Dinner and Show: $150
- Private Dinner and Show with Transfers: $158
- Traditional Chilean Cooking Class with a Local in Her Santiago Countryside Home: $168
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Panama City $66Santiago $47
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- Bar tour in El Cangrejo with Bar Hopping Panama: $20
- Tour de bares en El Cangrejo con Bar Hopping Panama: $20
- POIN The Edge Experience: $27
- POIN Glass Viewpoint Experience: $27
- POIN Swing Experience: $27
- Highlights Bike Tour in Casco Viejo & Cinta Costera: $28
- Panama City Bike Tour: $30
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- walking tour in Casco Antiguo !: $30
- Sunset Walking Tour at Casco Viejo El Chorrillo and the fish market: $30
- City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $30
- Bike tour in Panama City and Old Quarter with local guided: $31
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- Colchagua Valley Tour & Tasting: $270
- Private Half-Day Guided Tour of the City of Santiago.: $280
- "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial español: $23
- 2-Hour Walking Tour of Yungay The Coolest Neighborhood in Chile: $35
- 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 Private Tour of Valparaiso with an experienced local guide.: $195
- Adventure and Viewpoints in Cajón del Maipo: $255
- Andean Horse Ride Yerba Loca Sanctuary - Private tour from Santiago: $240
- Andean Tour: $158
- Andes Day Lagoon: Embalse El Yeso Tour from Santiago: $120
- Andes Half-Day Private Tour with Wine and Cheese Tasting: $190
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18Santiago $8.41
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago
Also in Santiago, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Premium Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Spanish official: $37
- Concha y Toro Ticket and Tour with Wine Tasting: $50
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $50
- Undurraga Wine Tasting Tour from Santiago: $62
- Undurraga Wine tour: $63
- Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $70
- From Concha y Toro Marqués Half-Day Wine Tasting: $89
- Maipo Valley Wine Tour with 4 vineyards from Santiago.: $99
- From Maipo Valley Wine Tour: $99
- Private Tour: Viña del Mar and Valparaíso Tour with Wine Tasting in Casablanca Valley: $143
- Premium Wine Tasting and Tour at Santa Rita with Transport: $145
- Santa Rita: Ultra Premium Wine Tasting, Tour and Transport: $145
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Panama City and Santiago, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Panama City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Panama City is in Central America 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 Panama City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Panama City 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 Panama City.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Panama City Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Panama City 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.