Which place is cheaper, Denver or Santiago?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santiago or Denver?
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 Denver. 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 Denver?
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.
Denver
The capital of Colorado, Denver is commonly referred to as "The Mile-High City" because it is at an elevation of 5,280 feet (1,600 meters) above sea level. It also sits where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, giving a beautiful backdrop for this metropolitan city. The city is the largest in the Rocky Mountains with a population of more than 600,000 and nearly 3 million in the metropolitan area. Denver is a cosmopolitan city with cowboy roots. It's cultural scene is thriving, and the outdoor recreation in the area is superb. Denver is a rapidly growing city but with change comes challenges. Urban sprawl is a problem and the city's infrastructure has reached its limits. Still, efforts are in place to maintain the character and personality that Denver is known for.
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 Luxury Tours to United States of America, and The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantiago $143Denver $218
The average daily cost (per person) in Santiago is $143, while the average daily cost in Denver is $218. 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 Denver in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantiago $111Denver $87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantiago $222Denver $174
Compare Hotels in Santiago and Denver
Looking for a hotel in Santiago or Denver? 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 Denver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santiago $5.48Denver $101
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:
- Arturo Merino Benítez Intl Airport: Shared Transfer: $24
- Private Departure Transfer from Santiago- Santiago Airport (SCL): $27
- Private Transfer From The Hotel in Santiago City To the Airport: $29
- Departure Transfer - Hotel in Santiago to Santiago International Airport: $35
- Private Santiago Airport to Santiago Transfer: $35
- From Farellones Roundtrip Transfer: $35
- Arrival Transfer - Santiago International Airport to Hotel in Santiago: $35
- Valle Nevado Ski Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $39
- Private Transfer between Santiago and the Airport: $51
- Airport transfer between Santiago city center and Arturo Merino Benítez Airport: $51
- Transfer Privado Entre Santiago Y El Aeropuerto: $52
- Transfer from Santiago Airport to Santiago Centro Commune: $52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Denver
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Denver:
- Denver hotel or address to Denver Airport (DEN) - Departure Private Transfer: $50
- Transfer in Private Car from Denver International Airport (DEN) to Downtown: $72
- Transfer in Private Car from Denver Downtown to International Airport (DEN) : $72
- Private Transfer from Denver Airport DEN to Denver in Business Car: $108
- Private Transfer from Denver to Denver Airport DEN in Business Car: $108
- Departure Private Transfer: Denver to Denver Airport DEN in Business Car: $108
- Denver Airport (DEN) to Glenwood Springs - Round-Trip Transfer: $121
- Private City Tour in Denver with Transfer: $130
- Departure Private Transfer: Denver to Denver Airport DEN in Luxury SUV: $136
- Departure Private Transfer: Denver to Denver Airport DEN in Luxury Van: $136
- Arrival Private Transfer: Denver Airport DEN to Denver in Luxury Van: $136
- Arrival Transfer Denver Airport DEN to Denver City by Luxury Car: $161
Is it cheaper to fly into Santiago or Denver?
Prices for flights to both Denver 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 $13Denver $42
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 Denver
Some typical examples of dining costs in Denver are as follows:
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Sushi Dinner (for 2)$61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Denver
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Denver.
- RiNo Arts District Food Tour: $79
- Downtown Denver Food Tour: $79
- Arts District Walking Food Tour: $79
- Mystery Puzzle Food Tour in Golden, CO: $80
- The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show - Denver, CO: $86
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santiago $48Denver $52
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
Tours and Activities in Denver
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Denver are as follows:
- Discover A Walking Tour of Denver's Top Sights: $5.00
- Denver's Spokes and Scoops: A Self-Guided Cycle Tour: $5.20
- Denver’s Downtown: Past and Present In-App Audio Tour (ENG): $9.00
- Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Denver by Operation City Quest: $10
- Scavenger Hunt Adventure on Your Phone: $10
- Denver Ghost Hunt: Mile High Ghost Tour: $12
- Denver Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $13
- Denver Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $13
- Molly Brown House Museum Self-Guided Tour & Entry: $14
- Denver Botanic Gardens General Admission Ticket: $16
- General Admission to Denver Botanic Gardens Ticket: $16
- Colorado Rockies Baseball Game Ticket at Coors Field: $18
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantiago $8.51Denver $5.31
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 Denver
Also in Denver, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Terrors Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Wine Tasting with Cheese, Charcuterie, and Dessert : $74
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santiago and Denver, we can see that Denver 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 Denver 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 Denver would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Denver 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 Denver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santiago or Denver?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Denver. When comparing the sizes of Santiago and Denver, 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.