Which place is cheaper, Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
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 Lake Titicaca (Puno). 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
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.
Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Lake Titicaca, which directly translates to "puma stone" in Quechua, is located high in the Andes Mountains straddling Peru and Bolivia, with about 60% of the lake in Peru and 40% in Bolivia. Among the lake are three main islands, the most popular of which are the Uros Islands, also known as the floating islands, where the Uros people live on totora reeds that grow in the lake.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, The Best Luxury Tours to Chile, The Best Photography Tours in Peru, and The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru.
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Santiago Prices
Chile PricesLake Titicaca (Puno) Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantiago $161Lake Titicaca (Puno) $72
The average daily cost (per person) in Santiago is $161, while the average daily cost in Lake Titicaca (Puno) is $72. 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantiago $117Lake Titicaca (Puno) $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantiago $234Lake Titicaca (Puno) $56
Compare Hotels in Santiago and Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Looking for a hotel in Santiago or Lake Titicaca (Puno)? 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santiago $5.81Lake Titicaca (Puno) $11
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:
- Official Transfer to Concha y Toro Winery: $27
- Private Transfer to Santiago Airport (SCL): $29
- Private Santiago Airport to Santiago Transfer: $32
- Private Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotel in Santiago: $37
- Farellones Full Day Roundtrip Transfer: $40
- Transfer Santiago de Chile airport: $40
- Airport Private Transfer to/from Santiago de Chile: $40
- Private Transfer from Airport to Santiago, Chile: $43
- Valle Nevado Ski Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $45
- Santiago to Santiago Airport (SCL) - Departure Private Transfer: $47
- Private Transfer from Santiago Hotel to Santiago Airport: $49
- Transfer from Santiago Airport to Santiago Centro Commune: $52
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno):
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Taxi$0.88
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno):
- Puno Arrival Transfer from bus or railway Station: $14
- Juliaca Airport Shared Transfer to/from Puno: $20
- Private Transfer from Hotel Puno to Puerto de Puno: $22
- Private Transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno Plaza de Armas: $40
- Private Transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno or Viceversa: $52
- Private transfer from Juliaca Airport to Puno or Viceversa: $52
- Private transfer airport-puno-viceverse: $60
- Private Transfer from Inca Manco Capac (JUL) Airport to Puno: $96
- Private Transfer from Puno to Frontera Kasani: $219
- Private Transfer From Puno to Chivay, English Speaking Driver: $226
Is it cheaper to fly into Santiago or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Prices for flights to both Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 $24Lake Titicaca (Puno) $29
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
Typical Food Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
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Tamales$1.62
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno).
- Midday Food Tour in Puno: $68
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santiago $51Lake Titicaca (Puno) $32
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- Santiago Cathedral's Bell Tower Official Tour: $9.00
- A historical tour of Santiago, Chile: $18
- Cable Car Admission Ticket: $18
- Santiago City Tour: Living History and Local Food Tasting: $20
- Guided City Tour through the historic center of Santiago: $23
- Private Guided Walking Tour of the City Center: $24
- Guided Walking Tour of the Historical Old Town: $25
- Yungay, Memory, Art, and Neighborhood Walking Tour: $25
- Santiago : Highlights Walking Tour With A Guide: $26
- "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial español: $27
- Guided Walking Tour through the Historic Center: $29
- Andes Snow Experience Farellones Valle Nevado and from Santiago: $30
Tours and Activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
- Uros Floating Island Tour: $10
- Half Day Tour Floating Islands of Uros Puno: $12
- Half-Day Tour to the Floating Islands of Uros: $14
- Chullpas de Sillustani Inca Cemetery Tour by Tourist Bus: $19
- 3-Hour Uros Floating Islands Tour from Puno: $22
- Half Day Tour to Sillustani from Puno: $22
- Lake Titicaca Uros Floating Islands Half-Day Tour: $25
- Sillustani Tours: $26
- 4h Tour to Sillustani Inca Tombs from Puno: $28
- Sillustani Tombs Half Day Tour from Puno: $28
- Sillustani Half Day Tour: $29
- Tour to Uros and Taquile Islands in a Fast Boat: $33
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantiago $9.02Lake Titicaca (Puno) $14
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" Viña Cousiño Macul Official english: $45
- Premium Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Spanish official: $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
- Undurraga Wine Tasting Tour from Santiago: $75
- Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $75
- Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $75
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santiago and Lake Titicaca (Puno), we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Lake Titicaca (Puno) much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lake Titicaca (Puno) would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno).
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santiago Expensive? and Is Lake Titicaca (Puno) Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santiago or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Lake Titicaca (Puno). When comparing the sizes of Santiago and Lake Titicaca (Puno), 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.