Which place is cheaper, Easter Island or Santiago?
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 Santiago or Easter Island?
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 Easter Island. 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 Easter Island?
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.
Easter Island
Although Easter Island is considered a territory of Chile, it is actually located far out in the Pacific, almost halfway to Tahiti. Easter Island is well known, despite being one of the most isolated islands on Earth, because of the mysterious giant stone busts which date back centuries. There are 887 monumental statues, called moai, that were built by the Rapa Nui people. There remains much mystery around the historic Polynesian culture which created the stones, as well as the specific meaning for them.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, The Best Luxury Tours to Chile, The Best Budget Tours to Chile, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Chile.
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Santiago Prices
Chile PricesEaster Island Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantiago $150Easter Island $98
The average daily cost (per person) in Santiago is $150, while the average daily cost in Easter Island is $98. 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 Easter Island in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantiago $109Easter Island $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantiago $218Easter Island $88
Compare Hotels in Santiago and Easter Island
Looking for a hotel in Santiago or Easter Island? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santiago $5.41Easter Island $2.58
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:
- Transfer to Valparaiso Cruise Terminal with Winery & Town Tour: $109
- Transfer to Snowy Valley fullday for skiers : $49
- Transfer to San Antonio port with Valparaiso & Casablanca tour: $87
- Transfer from Valparaiso or San Antonio Port + Condor Watching Tour: $230
- Transfer from Valle Nevado, Farellones, Colorado or La Parva ski to Santiago: $83
- Transfer from Santiago To Valle Nevado, Farellones, Colorado or La Parva ski: $100
- Transfer from Santiago Airport to Santiago Centro Commune: $52
- Transfer Santiago-Viña del Mar / Viña del Mar-Santiago: $220
- Transfer Santiago-Valparaiso / Valparaiso-Santiago: $220
- Transfer Santiago to Cruise Port in Valparaiso or San Antonio: $290
- Transfer Santiago de Chile airport: $40
- Transfer Santiago Airport to the commune of Providencia: $56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Easter Island
Also for Easter Island, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Arrival Transfer: Mataveri Airport to Easter Island Hotels: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Santiago or Easter Island?
Prices for flights to both Easter Island 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 $23Easter Island $43
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.88
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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.
- Legacy Family Tour Lunch or Dinner Pairing 4 Strokes: $40
- Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $82
- 4-Hour Boozy Chilean Cooking Class in Santiago: $85
- Bali Hai Dinner & Show, Transport and Wine refill: $106
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai with Wine refill and transportation: $114
- Private Dinner & Chilean Folk Show with Transfers: $116
- Bali Hai Polynesian Dinner Show with Transfer: $117
- Alyan Winery Sunset with Wine Tastings and Dinner: $117
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Chilean Cooking Class in a Local Home: $122
- San Cristobal Hill Night Tour with Dinner Show: $129
- Private Night City Tour with San Cristobal Hill And Dinner Show: $181
- Santiago Chilean and Peruvian Cooking Class with a Local Carol: $184
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Easter Island
For Easter Island, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Easter Island Dinner Show with Transport : $143
- Rapa Nui Dinner Show on Easter Island: $145
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santiago $47Easter Island $40
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- Private Half-Day Guided Tour of the City of Santiago.: $280
- Private Sightseeing City Tour in Valparaíso and Viña del Mar: $240
- "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial español: $26
- 1 Day Tour of Viña Concha y Toro from Santiago: $120
- 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 full Private Tour of Valparaiso from Santiago : $240
- A historical tour of Santiago, Chile: $18
- An Architect's Tour of Downtown Santiago: $55
- Andean Adventure: Cajón del Maipo & El Morado Lodge and Spa: $132
- Andean Horse Ride Yerba Loca Sanctuary - Private tour from Santiago: $240
- Andes Day Lagoon in Cajón del Maipo & Embalse el Yeso Private Tour: $200
Typical Entertainment Prices in Easter Island
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Easter Island's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Bike Rental$8.38
Tours and Activities in Easter Island
For Easter Island, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Orongo City of Kings and Birdman Half Day Tour: $69
- Full Day Tour in Rapa Nui: $70
- Full Day Hotu Matua Tour from Vaihu to Anakena: $70
- Orongo, Ahu Vinapu and Rano Kau Half Day Tour: $82
- Easter Island Moai Archaeology Tour: Ahu Akivi, Ahu Tahai and Puna Pauâ Quarry.: $82
- T6-The CULT OF THE BIRD-MAN (non-cruise visitors): $90
- Full Day Tour Route to Moai Factory: $99
- Full Day Tour in Rapa Nui National Park, Easter Island: $107
- Full day tour - DREAM: $120
- Full day Easter island Shared Tour : $120
- The Rapa Nui Stargazing Experience : $125
- Private Tour: Tongariki Sunrise Experience: $125
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantiago $8.40Easter Island $5.34
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago
Also in Santiago, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Ludwig's Original Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entry: $34
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Wine Tasting: $60
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $63
- Undurraga Wine tour: $70
- Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $70
- Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $79
- Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with wine tasting in Casablanca: $79
- Inca Lagoon and Vineyard Visit with Wine Tasting: $80
- Half Day Trip to Cousiño Macul Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $87
- Half Day Trip to Concha y Toro Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $87
- Maipo Valley Wine Tour with 4 vineyards from Santiago.: $89
- Kross Brewery Tour: A Craft Beer Tasting Experience: $93
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santiago and Easter Island, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Easter Island much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Easter Island would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Easter Island 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 Easter Island.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santiago Expensive? and Is Easter Island Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santiago or Easter Island?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 1210 times larger than the population of Easter Island. When comparing the sizes of Santiago and Easter Island, 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 Easter Island?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.
Should I visit Santiago or Easter Island in the Summer?
Both Easter Island and Santiago during the summer are popular places to visit.
In January, Santiago is generally cooler than Easter Island. Daily temperatures in Santiago average around 21°C (70°F), and Easter Island fluctuates around 24°C (74°F).
Santiago usually gets less rain in January than Easter Island. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Easter Island receives 73 mm (2.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JanuarySantiago 21°C (70°F)Easter Island 24°C (74°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Easter Island in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Santiago and Easter Island.
Santiago is cooler than Easter Island in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santiago averages around 15°C (59°F) in April, and Easter Island fluctuates around 22°C (72°F).
Easter Island receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In April, Santiago usually receives less rain than Easter Island. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Easter Island receives 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures AprilSantiago 15°C (59°F)Easter Island 22°C (72°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Easter Island in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Santiago as well as Easter Island.
In the winter, Santiago is much colder than Easter Island. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santiago in July average around 9°C (48°F), and Easter Island averages at about 18°C (65°F).
It's quite rainy in Easter Island. Santiago usually gets less rain in July than Easter Island. Santiago gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Easter Island receives 105 mm (4.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JulySantiago 9°C (48°F)Easter Island 18°C (65°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Easter Island in the Spring?
Both Easter Island and Santiago are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
In October, Santiago is generally cooler than Easter Island. Daily temperatures in Santiago average around 15°C (59°F), and Easter Island fluctuates around 20°C (67°F).
In October, Santiago usually receives less rain than Easter Island. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Easter Island receives 68 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures OctoberSantiago 15°C (59°F)Easter Island 20°C (67°F)
Typical Weather for Easter Island and Santiago
| Santiago | Easter Island | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 24°C (74°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Mar | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| May | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 20°C (69°F) | 153 mm (6 in) |
| Jun | 9°C (48°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 106 mm (4.2 in) |
| Jul | 9°C (48°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Aug | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (54°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Oct | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 20°C (67°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Nov | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Dec | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 86 mm (3.4 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.