Which place is cheaper, Chicago or Santiago?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santiago or Chicago?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Santiago and Chicago. 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.
Where Should I go: Santiago or Chicago?
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.
Chicago
Located in the Midwest, Chicago is the third largest city in the United States. It has a population of almost 3 million and a metropolitan area that covers more than 10,000 square kilometers. It is also a hub for music, comedy and theater. It's skyline is beautiful with modern skyscrapers and Lake Michigan as a backdrop. It is easy to stay entertained in Chicago for weeks. There are world class museums, upscale or eclectic shopping opportunities, and impressive architecture.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America, and The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantiago $143Chicago $288
The average daily cost (per person) in Santiago is $143, while the average daily cost in Chicago is $288. 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 Santiago and Chicago in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantiago $111Chicago $198
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantiago $222Chicago $396
Compare Hotels in Santiago and Chicago
Looking for a hotel in Santiago or Chicago? 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: Santiago Hotel Prices and Chicago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santiago $5.48Chicago $37
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$1.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Private Departure Transfer from Santiago- Santiago Airport (SCL): $27
- Airport transfer between Santiago city center and Arturo Merino Benítez Airport: $51
- Arrival Private Transfers : Santiago Airport SCL to Santiago in Luxury Van: $85
- Arrival Transfer - Santiago International Airport to Hotel in Santiago: $35
- Arturo Merino Benítez Intl Airport: Shared Transfer: $24
- Departure Private Transfers : Santiago to Santiago Airport SCL in Business Car: $68
- Departure Private Transfers : Santiago to Santiago Airport SCL in Luxury Van: $85
- Departure Transfer - Hotel in Santiago to Santiago International Airport: $35
- From Farellones Roundtrip Transfer: $35
- From Valle Nevado and Farellones with Transfer: $72
- Luxury Airport Private Transfer SCL: $90
- Pick up Santiago Visit Haras de Pirque Winery & Transfer Hotel: $300
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Chicago
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Chicago:
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Parking$19
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Taxi Ride$10
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Taxi from Airport$45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chicago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chicago:
- Chicago O´Hare International Airport Private Transfer One-Way: $27
- Airport transfer between Chicago O'Hare and Milwaukee: $38
- Private Arrival Transfer from Chicago Airports ORD Or MDW: $50
- Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) to Chicago hotel/address - Arrival Private Transfer: $52
- Chicago to Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD): Departure Transfer: $57
- Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD) to Arrival Private Transfer: $57
- Chicago to Chicago Airport (MDW) - Departure Private Transfer: $58
- Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) to Chicago -Arrival Private Transfer: $58
- ORD Airport Private Transfer to/from Chicago: $81
- Private one-way airport transfer O'Hare Airport to/from Chicago : $86
- Private Transfer Chicago to Chicago Airport by Luxury Car or SUV: $87
- MDW Airport Private Transfer to/from Chicago: $100
Is it cheaper to fly into Santiago or Chicago?
Prices for flights to both Chicago and Santiago 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 daySantiago $13Chicago $49
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.91
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Hamburger$2.54
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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.
- Traditional Chilean Show with Dinner and Private Transportation in Santiago: $107
- Traditional Dinner Show in Santiago: $107
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai: $109
- Sunset at Alyan Family Wines Winery with Dinner: $116
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Chilean Cooking Class in a Local Home: $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
Typical Food Prices in Chicago
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Chicago:
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Dinner for 1$24
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Dinner for 3$118
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chicago
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chicago.
- Traveling Spoon Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza Private Online Cooking Class : $40
- Downtown Pizza Guided Walking Tour with Tastings: $58
- Chicago's Delicious Donut Adventure and Walking Food Tour: $63
- Chicago Small Group Food Tour: $69
- Lake Michigan Gourmet Brunch/Lunch/Dinner Cruise: $72
- Chicago Pizza Tour: $75
- Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Self-Guided Tour: $75
- Chicago Bucktown-Wicker Park Pizza Crawl: $79
- Chicago West Loop Pizza Crawl: $79
- Downtown Family Food Tour by Bike with Sightseeing: $80
- Nitti's Supper Club Dinner and Show: $80
- Lake Michigan Buffet Brunch, Lunch or Dinner Cruise: $86
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santiago $48Chicago $47
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- Explore Santiago's Soul: Walking In-App Audio Tour: $5.00
- Explore Santiago's Soul: Walking In-App Audio Tour: $5.00
- Santiago Cathedral's Bell Tower Official Tour: $9.00
- La Paz from the Heights: Down hill Walking tour & Cable Cars: $12
- Cable Car Admission Ticket: $15
- Cousiño Macul Official Winery Tour with Tasting: $23
- Skip the Line: Concha y Toro Traditional Tour Ticket: $25
- Walking tour through Santiago: $26
- From Valle Nevado and Farellones Small Group Tour: $29
- The Essentials City Tour & Optional Concha y Toro: $30
- Half Day tradicional city Tour: $30
- TOUR PANORAMICO VALLE NEVADO Y FARELLONES: $32
Typical Entertainment Prices in Chicago
Here are a few typical costs in Chicago for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Sears Tower (family of 4)$102
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Aquarium for 4$118
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Water Taxi (family of 4)$22
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IMAX Movie for Two$35
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Shakespeare Play (2)$116
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Art Institute (2)$36
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U-Boat Tour (2)$8.00
Tours and Activities in Chicago
Here are a few actual costs in Chicago for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Discovering Chicago with Walking In App Audio Tour: $6.00
- Haunted Sites Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $6.50
- Vice, Crime and Gangsters Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Chicago’s Ragtime & Jazz Eras: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Vice, Crime and Gangsters in A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Must-Sees & Hidden Gems In-App Audio Tour (ENG): $9.00
- Chicago White Sox Baseball Game Ticket: $9.25
- Chicago White Sox Baseball Game Ticket at Guaranteed Rate Field: $9.32
- App Chicago self-guided tours with multilingual audioguides: $9.69
- Millennium Park Self-Guided Walking Tour: $9.99
- Riverwalk Self-Guided Walking Tour: $9.99
- Scavenger Hunt Adventure Self-Guided City Game: $10
For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Free Things to Do in Chicago, Chicago Bucket List: The Best Places to See, and The Best Museums in Chicago.
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantiago $8.51Chicago $25
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 tour: $63
- Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $70
- Private Tour: Santa Rita Vineyard with Wine Tastings: $72
- From Concha y Toro Marqués Half-Day Wine Tasting: $89
- half day wine tour to concha y toro from Santiago seasonal offer: $95
- From Maipo Valley Wine Tour: $99
- Maipo Valley Wine Tour with 4 vineyards from Santiago.: $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
Sample the Local Flavors in Chicago
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Chicago:
- Malt Row Walking Brewery Tour: $30
- Walking tour to Chicago dive bars: $41
- Chicago Craft Brewery Barrel Bus Tour: $100
- Craft Brewery Tour by Barrel Bus: $100
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santiago and Chicago, we can see that Chicago is more expensive. And not only is Santiago much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santiago is in South America and Chicago is in North 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 Chicago would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chicago 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 Santiago Expensive? and Is Chicago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santiago or Chicago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 70% larger than the population of Chicago. When comparing the sizes of Santiago and Chicago, 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 Santiago or Chicago?
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 Chicago has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Santiago or Chicago in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Santiago and Chicago. Furthermore, many visitors come to Chicago in the summer for the beaches, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Santiago is cooler than Chicago. Typically, the summer temperatures in Santiago in January average around 21°C (70°F), and Chicago averages at about 77°F (25°C)in July.
Chicago receives a lot of rain in the summer. In January, Santiago usually receives less rain than Chicagoin July. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Chicago receives 3.9 inches (100 mm) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulySantiago 21°C (70°F)Chicago 77°F (25°C)
Should I visit Santiago or Chicago in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Santiago as well as Chicago. Additionally, most visitors come to Chicago for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
In April, Santiago is generally around the same temperature as Chicagoin October. Daily temperatures in Santiago average around 15°C (59°F), and Chicago fluctuates around 56°F (14°C).
Santiago usually gets less rain in April than Chicagoin October. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Chicago receives 2.2 inches (56 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberSantiago 15°C (59°F)Chicago 56°F (14°C)
Should I visit Santiago or Chicago in the Winter?
Both Chicago and Santiago are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Also, the winter months attract visitors to Chicago because of the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine.
The weather in Chicago can be very cold. Santiago is much warmer than Chicago in the winter. The daily temperature in Santiago averages around 9°C (48°F) in July, and Chicago fluctuates around 25°F (-4°C)in January.
In July, Santiago usually receives more rain than Chicagoin January. Santiago gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Chicago receives 1.9 inches (47 mm) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuarySantiago 9°C (48°F)Chicago 25°F (-4°C)
Should I visit Santiago or Chicago in the Spring?
Both Chicago and Santiago during the spring are popular places to visit. Also, the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty are the main draw to Chicago this time of year.
In the spring, Santiago is a little warmer than Chicago. Typically, the spring temperatures in Santiago in October average around 15°C (59°F), and Chicago averages at about 52°F (11°C)in April.
Chicago gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Santiago usually gets less rain in October than Chicagoin April. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Chicago receives 4.3 inches (108 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilSantiago 15°C (59°F)Chicago 52°F (11°C)
Typical Weather for Chicago and Santiago
| Santiago | Chicago | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 25°F (-4°C) | 1.9 inches (47 mm) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 29°F (-2°C) | 1.4 inches (35 mm) |
| Mar | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 41°F (5°C) | 3.7 inches (93 mm) |
| Apr | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 52°F (11°C) | 4.3 inches (108 mm) |
| May | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 63°F (17°C) | 3 inches (75 mm) |
| Jun | 9°C (48°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 73°F (23°C) | 3.9 inches (100 mm) |
| Jul | 9°C (48°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 77°F (25°C) | 3.9 inches (100 mm) |
| Aug | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 76°F (24°C) | 3.5 inches (90 mm) |
| Sep | 12°C (54°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 68°F (20°C) | 3.8 inches (96 mm) |
| Oct | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 56°F (14°C) | 2.2 inches (56 mm) |
| Nov | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 44°F (7°C) | 2.2 inches (56 mm) |
| Dec | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 31°F (-1°C) | 2.8 inches (71 mm) |
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.