Which place is cheaper, Santiago or San Jose?
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 San Jose or Santiago?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Jose 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: San Jose or Santiago?
San Jose
San Jose is the capital city of Costa Rica and is likely to be your first and last stop in a visit to the country. The city is situated in the Central Valley and is surrounded by beautiful mountains and valleys, making for a beautiful flight in. The city has an elevation of 1200 meters and sits on a plateau with a beautiful backdrop of lush green forest. Half of the people in Costa Rica reside in the country's capital city. You are likely to stay only a day or two, but there are a handful of things to do and see including museums and markets. You will also find many embassies, as well as the University of Costa Rica in San Jose.
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 Budget Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.
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San Jose Prices
Costa Rica PricesSantiago Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Jose $113Santiago $161
The average daily cost (per person) in San Jose is $113, while the average daily cost in Santiago is $161. 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 San Jose and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Jose $54Santiago $117
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Jose $108Santiago $234
Compare Hotels in San Jose and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in San Jose 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: San Jose Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Jose $21Santiago $5.81
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Jose
Some typical examples of transportation costs in San Jose are as follows:
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Taxi from SJO$28
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Local Bus$3.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Jose
Also for San Jose, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer to San Jose Airport (SJO): $26
- Private Transfer from San Jose Airport (SJO): $26
- Costa Rica San Jose Airport (SJO) Private Transfer to San Jose: $42
- Private One-way Transfer from Juan Santamaria Airport to San Jose: $44
- Private Transfer from San Jose to La Fortuna de Arenal: $46
- Transfer from San Jose to Arenal-La Fortuna San Carlos: $48
- Arrival Transfer San Jose Airport SJO to San Jose City by Minivan: $50
- Private San José Airport Transfer to San José Hotels: $50
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from San Jose Airport (SJO): $53
- Private Airport Transfer Liberia Costa Rica – Stress Free!: $65
- Private transfer from SJO Intl Airport to downtown Hotels: $65
- Shared transfer to Manuel Antonio: $70
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$1.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Villard Winery with exclusive guide + Premium Transfer: $220
- Transfer to San Antonio port with Valparaiso & Casablanca tour: $95
- Transfer in/out cruise to/from Santiago plus tour Valparaiso: $135
- Transfer from Santiago Airport to Santiago Centro Commune: $52
- Transfer by Electric Car SCL Airport Santiago, Chile: $61
- Transfer Santiago-Viña del Mar / Viña del Mar-Santiago: $220
- Transfer Santiago de Chile airport: $40
- Transfer Santiago Airport to the commune of Providencia: $56
- Transfer Parque Farellones Fullday 50%OFF: $59
- Transfer From Portillo Ski center to Santiago Airport or Hotel: $97
- Tour to Santiago and Valparaiso with Transfers included: $150
- TRANSFER TRANSFER AIRPORT-VIÑA DEL MAR VALPARAISO: $143
Is it cheaper to fly into San Jose or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and San Jose 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 daySan Jose $34Santiago $24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Jose
For San Jose, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bites and Sights Walking Food Tour including Markets: $35
- San Jose By Night: Farm to Table Dinner & Cocktail Class: $49
- Half-Day San Jose Evening Bus Tour with Dinner and Pickup: $80
- City Tour and Dinner at the Best Lookout in San Jose: $149
- Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner: $185
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$2.02
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Hamburger$2.69
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Dinner$28
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
- Street Food Tour in Santiago with a Local Guide: $58
- Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $82
- 4-Hour Boozy Chilean Cooking Class in Santiago: $85
- Food Tour STGO, Eat like Locals!: $99
- Traditional Dinner Show in Santiago: $107
- Lastarria Food Tour: Wine, Bites & Social Culinary Experience: $109
- Santiago Food Tour: Bohemian Flavors and Local Gems: $109
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai with Wine refill and transportation: $114
- Small-Group Tour: Night City Tour with Santa Lucia Hill and Dinner Show: $116
- Private Dinner & Chilean Folk Show with Transfers: $116
- Alyan Winery Sunset with Wine Tastings and Dinner: $117
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Jose $23Santiago $51
Tours and Activities in San Jose
For San Jose, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self Guided Audio Walking Tour of San Jose Highlights: $5.50
- Guided Tour of Alajuela: $20
- Hiking Experience in El Quetzal Private Reserve: $26
- Ticket to Tenorio Volcano National Park: $28
- Private Guided Tour of Cheese in Canaan de Rivas: $30
- Hacienda Alsacia Starbucks Coffe Tour: $31
- Poas Volcano National Park - Admission Ticket: $32
- San Jose Walking Nature Tour: Sloths, Birds and Trees: $35
- Sarapiqui Rainforest Night Walk : Wildlife & Adventure.: $35
- Skip the Line: Rescate Wildlife Rescue Centre General Admission Ticket: $35
- Rainforest Day Experience Day Tour in Costa Rica: $35
- 3-Hour Downtown San Jose Walking Tour: $40
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 Undurraga Vineyard Tour from Santiago: $120
- A Private Tour of Santiago with an Experienced Local Guide: $180
- A full Private Tour of Valparaiso from Santiago: $280
- A historical tour of Santiago, Chile: $18
- 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: $55
- Andean Adventure: Cajón del Maipo & Santuario del Río Spa: $132
- 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 daySan Jose $18Santiago $9.02
Sample the Local Flavors in San Jose
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Jose:
- San Jose Exclusive Bar Crawl with Drinks and Club Entrys: $28
- Bar Crawl in Downtown San Jose: $40
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago
Also in Santiago, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Traditional Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Official English: $27
- Ludwig's Original Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entry: $34
- Premium Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Spanish official: $45
- "Premium Wine Tour" Viña Cousiño Macul Official english: $45
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $59
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Wine Tasting: $60
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $63
- Undurraga Wine tour: $70
- Santa Carolina History and Wine Tasting in Santiago: $70
- Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $75
- Undurraga Wine Tasting Tour from Santiago: $75
- Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $75
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Jose and Santiago, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is San Jose much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Jose 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 San Jose would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Jose 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 San Jose.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Jose Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Jose or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of San Jose. When comparing the sizes of San Jose 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 San Jose or Santiago?
Santiago has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Jose experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit San Jose or Santiago in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to San Jose as well as Santiago. San Jose attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the summer, San Jose is a little warmer than Santiago. Typically, the summer temperatures in San Jose in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Santiago averages at about 21°C (70°F)in January.
San Jose receives a lot of rain in the summer. San Jose usually gets more rain in July than Santiagoin January. San Jose gets 164 mm (6.5 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 JanuarySan Jose 28°C (82°F)Santiago 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit San Jose or Santiago in the Autumn?
Both Santiago and San Jose are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Jose throughout the year.
In October, San Jose is generally much warmer than Santiagoin April. Daily temperatures in San Jose average around 27°C (81°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).
It's quite rainy in San Jose. In October, San Jose usually receives more rain than Santiagoin April. San Jose gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn. The dry season in San Jose is December to April. May to November is the hurricane season in San Jose.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilSan Jose 27°C (81°F)Santiago 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit San Jose or Santiago in the Winter?
Both Santiago and San Jose during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to San Jose because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
San Jose is much warmer than Santiago in the winter. The daily temperature in San Jose averages around 27°C (81°F) in January, and Santiago fluctuates around 9°C (48°F)in July.
San Jose usually gets less rain in January than Santiagoin July. San Jose gets 8 mm (0.3 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 JulySan Jose 27°C (81°F)Santiago 9°C (48°F)
Should I visit San Jose or Santiago in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both San Jose and Santiago. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Jose year-round.
In the spring, San Jose is much warmer than Santiago. Typically, the spring temperatures in San Jose in April average around 29°C (85°F), and Santiago averages at about 15°C (59°F)in October.
In April, San Jose usually receives more rain than Santiagoin October. San Jose gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring. December to April in San Jose is the dry season. May to November in San Jose is the hurricane season.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberSan Jose 29°C (85°F)Santiago 15°C (59°F)
Typical Weather for Santiago and San Jose
| San Jose | Santiago | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 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.