Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Santa Elena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Santa Elena and Santiago. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Santa Elena is a cute town, and the closest to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It's one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica, and is a great place to experience the cloud forest and see some of country's unique wildlife.
In the Monteverde Cloud Forest you have a good chance of seeing rare quetzals which are the national bird of Costa Rica. Other common animals include white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, orange-kneed tarantulas, any of 8-9 species of hummingbirds, and sloth.
Santa Elena is about 1,400 meters above sea level and has a humid and damp environment. The average yearly temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit and the average rainfall is 3,000 millimetres. Humidity can be anywhere between 74% and 97%.
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 G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Elena is $92, 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 Santa Elena and Santiago in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Santa Elena 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.
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santiago:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Santa Elena 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.
For Santa Elena, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santiago.
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
Also in Santiago, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Elena and Santiago, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Santa Elena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santa Elena Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Santiago has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Santa Elena experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Both Santiago and Santa Elena during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Santa Elena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In July, Santa Elena is generally a little warmer than Santiagoin January. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 28°C (82°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. Santa Elena usually gets more rain in July than Santiagoin January. Santa Elena gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Santa Elena and Santiago. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round.
Santa Elena is much warmer than Santiago in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santa Elena averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F)in April.
Santa Elena gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than Santiagoin April. Santa Elena gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
The winter brings many poeple to Santa Elena as well as Santiago. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the winter, Santa Elena is much warmer than Santiago. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santa Elena in January average around 27°C (81°F), and Santiago averages at about 9°C (48°F)in July.
Santa Elena usually gets less rain in January than Santiagoin July. Santa Elena gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
Both Santiago and Santa Elena are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year.
In April, Santa Elena is generally much warmer than Santiagoin October. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 29°C (85°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).
In April, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than Santiagoin October. Santa Elena gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
Santa Elena | 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) |