A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Santiago vs. Lake Titicaca (Puno) for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile, The Best Photography Tours in Peru, and The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Santiago?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Santiago is $139, while the average daily cost in Lake Titicaca (Puno) is $55. 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
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Santiago $108
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $26
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Santiago $216
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $52
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.

Hotels in Santiago


Hotels in Lake Titicaca (Puno)


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Santiago $5.29
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santiago

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santiago:


  • Metro Ride
    $1.11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:

  • Private Santiago Airport to Santiago Transfer: $25
  • Santiago de Chile Airport Shuttle Transfer: $26
  • Santiago Airport (SCL) to Santiago hotels - Arrival Transfer: $28
  • Private Transfer from Santiago Airport to Santiago: $32
  • Private Transfer from Santiago Hotel to SCL Airport: $32
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle Santiago Airport (SCL) - Santiago de Chile City: $33
  • Private Santiago Airport to Santiago Transfer: $35
  • Arrival Transfer - Santiago International Airport to Hotel in Santiago: $35
  • From Farellones/Valle Nevado Roundtrip Transfer: $35
  • Transfer to Santiago or Santiago International Airport: $35
  • Departure Transfer - Hotel in Santiago to Santiago International Airport: $35
  • Valle Nevado Ski Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $39

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno):


  • Taxi
    $0.82

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno):

  • Puno Airport Shared Transfer: $20
  • Private Transfer from Hotel Puno to Puerto de Puno: $21
  • Private transfer airport-puno-viceverse: $60
  • Private Transfer from Puno to Desaguadero: $195
  • Private Transfer from Puno to Frontera Kasani: $204
  • Direct Private Transfer From Puno to Cusco, English Local Speaking Driver: $207
  • Private Transfer From Puno to Oruro with English Speaking Driver: $243
  • Private Transfer From Puno to Cusco With 2 Stops: $251

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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Santiago $13
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $15
Typical Food Prices in Santiago

Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:


  • Empanada
    $1.84
  • Hamburger
    $2.45
  • Dinner
    $25

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santiago

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santiago.

  • Sunset Winery Tour with Wine Tastings and Dinner: $45
  • Sunset at Alyan Family Wines Winery with Dinner: $97
  • Small-Group Tour: Night City Tour with Santa Lucia Hill and Dinner Show: $116
  • Small-Group Night City Tour: San Cristobal Hill and Dinner Show: $120
  • San Cristobal Hill Night Tour with Dinner Show: $129
  • Private Night City Tour with San Cristobal Hill And Dinner Show: $131
  • 4-Hour Private Night Tour with Dinner and Show: $150
  • Private Dinner and Show with Transfers: $158

Typical Food Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Some typical examples of dining costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:


  • Tamales
    $1.50

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Santiago $46
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $30

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
  • Official Tour of Santiago Cathedral: $9.00
  • Santiago Cathedral's Bell Tower Official Tour: $9.00
  • Santiago Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
  • Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino Admission Ticket: $15
  • Undurraga Sibaris Tour Ticket: $22
  • Cousiño Macul Official Winery Tour with Tasting: $23
  • "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial español: $23
  • Walking tour through Santiago: $26
  • From Valle Nevado and Farellones Small Group Tour: $29
  • Private Custom Tour with a Local Guide in Santiago de Chile: $33
  • Viña Del Mar, Valparaiso, Casablanca & Reñaca Tour: $34

Tours and Activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:

  • Half Day Tour to Sillustani from Puno : $22
  • Sillustani / 4-hour tour from Puno: $25
  • Walking City tour Puno: $25
  • Morning: Uros Floating Islands Tour from Puno: $25
  • Lake Titicaca Uros Floating Islands Half-Day Tour: $25
  • Uros Floating Island Tour: $26
  • Half Day Tour in Sillustani: $26
  • 3h Boat Tour to Uros Island from Puno: $38
  • Full Day Guided Tour of the Aymara Route from Puno: $40
  • Full Day Tour Uros and Taquile (Speed Boat): $40
  • Lake Titicaca Day Tour from Puno: $44
  • Tour to Uros and Taquile Islands in a Fast Boat: $45

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Santiago $8.21
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $13

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
  • Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $50
  • Concha y Toro Ticket and Tour with Wine Tasting: $50
  • Undurraga Wine Tasting Tour from Santiago: $62
  • Half Day Trip to Concha y Toro Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $70
  • Undurraga Wine tour: $70
  • Premium Wine Tasting in Santiago de Chile: $77
  • From Concha y Toro Marqués Half-Day Wine Tasting: $89
  • Private Tour: Undurraga Vineyard Experience with Premium Wine Tasting: $92
  • half day wine tour to concha y toro from Santiago seasonal offer: $95
  • Maipo Valley Wine Tour with 4 vineyards from Santiago.: $99
  • From Maipo Valley Wine Tour: $99


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.