Which place is cheaper, Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles?
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 Los Angeles. 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 Los Angeles?
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.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California is probably one of the most well known cities in the United States. It is the second most populated metro area in the country with more than 17 million people. The city's diversity is wide reaching, giving it a character that is unique from any other place in the country. LA has many world famous sights and neighborhoods including Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, and Santa Monica, but there is really so much more to this city.
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 G Adventures Tours to United States of America, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas.
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Santiago Prices
Chile PricesLos Angeles Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantiago $145Los Angeles $299
The average daily cost (per person) in Santiago is $145, while the average daily cost in Los Angeles is $299. 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 Los Angeles in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantiago $105Los Angeles $138
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantiago $210Los Angeles $276
Compare Hotels in Santiago and Los Angeles
Looking for a hotel in Santiago or Los Angeles? 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 Los Angeles Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santiago $5.21Los Angeles $40
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$1.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Villard Winery with exclusive guide + Premium Transfer: $220
- Transfer to San Antonio port with Valparaiso & Casablanca tour: $95
- Transfer in/out cruise to/from Santiago plus tour Valparaiso: $135
- Transfer from Valle Nevado, Farellones, Colorado or La Parva ski to Santiago: $83
- Transfer from Santiago Airport to Santiago Centro Commune: $52
- Transfer by Electric Car SCL Airport Santiago, Chile: $61
- Transfer Santiago to Valparaiso Cruise Ship Port + Tour & Winery: $89
- Transfer Private Airport SCL to Hotels and Airbnb in Santiago: $60
- Transfer From Portillo Ski center to Santiago Airport or Hotel: $97
- TRANSFER TRANSFER AIRPORT-VIÑA DEL MAR VALPARAISO: $190
- Valle Nevado Ski Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $42
- Transfer to Concha y Toro Winery: $30
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Los Angeles
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Los Angeles:
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Hotel Parking for a Day$22
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Taxi to Airport$55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Los Angeles
Also for Los Angeles, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Group Transfer From or To Los Angeles LAX Airport: $15
- Private Intercity Transfer from and to Los Angeles: $15
- LAX Airport Private Transfer to/from Downtown: $32
- Port Of Long Beach Cruiseport Private Hotel Transfer up to 5 PAX: $33
- Los Angeles:Private Airport Transfers to/from LA or Disney: $36
- Private Transfer Los Angeles Airport LAX From To LA: $36
- Private Transfer to/from Los Angeles LAX Airport: $36
- Los Angeles to Los Angeles Airport (LAX) - Departure Private Transfer: $39
- Private Departure Transfer to Los Angeles Airport LAX: $39
- John Wayne Airports Private Hotel Transfer up to 5 passengers: $40
- Private Departure Transfer to Burbank Airport (BUR): $40
- LAX Private Airport Transfer: $45
Is it cheaper to fly into Santiago or Los Angeles?
Prices for flights to both Los Angeles 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 $22Los Angeles $104
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.82
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Hamburger$2.41
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Dinner$25
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: $56
- Best Santiago Street Food Tour with 4+ Tastings and Drink: $56
- Mercado Meals Santiago Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $59
- Mercado Meals Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $60
- 4h Cooking Class in 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $77
- Food Tour STGO, Eat like Locals!: $99
- Local Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $99
- Traditional Chilean Show with Dinner and Private Transportation in Santiago: $107
- Casillero del Diablo Night Experience – Cellars, Wine & Dinner: $110
- Barrio Italia Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $119
- San Cristobal Hill Night Tour with Dinner Show: $129
Typical Food Prices in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Mexican Dinner (family of 4)$32
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Burritos for Two$15
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Coffee and Danish$7.70
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Silver Lake Food Tour with Comedian Foodie Guide!: $59
- Santa Monica Sweet Treats Food Tour: Donuts, Churros, and More: $70
- Japanese Gyoza Cooking Class at a Local Brewery in LA: $75
- Fun Gyoza Cooking Class With a Local Chef: $75
- Silverlake Food Tour with Comedian Guide: $85
- Los Angeles : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $85
- Downtown Los Angeles Food Tour: $89
- LA Food Tour: 6 Iconic Downtown Tastings & Secret Dish: $92
- Los Angeles Downtown Authentic Food Tour with 5 Local Dishes: $93
- 6 Authentic Tastings of Venice Beach Food Tour: $99
- LA Chinatown & Olvera St. Food Tour with To Live and Dine in LA: $99
- The Immigrant & Historic Businesses of Silver Lake Food Tour: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santiago $46Los Angeles $83
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- 1 Day Tour of Viña Concha y Toro from Santiago: $120
- 1 Day Undurraga Vineyard Tour from Santiago: $120
- 1 Day Valparaiso and Vina del Mar Tour from Santiago: $51
- 3 Hours Santiago Blend Walking Tour: $30
- 6 Hour Tour of Culture, History and Flavors from Santiago: $75
- A full Private Tour of Valparaiso from Santiago (Standard): $290
- Adventure in Portillo: Laguna del Inca and Mountain Picnic: $85
- An Architect's Tour of Downtown Santiago: $60
- Andean Adventure: Cajón del Maipo & El Morado Lodge and Spa: $147
- Andes Day Lagoon: Embalse El Yeso Tour from Santiago: $120
- Andes Day Volcano 8k Private Tour: $270
- Andes Mountains Tour From Santiago with Appetizer: $180
Typical Entertainment Prices in Los Angeles
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Los Angeles's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Santa Monica Pier Rides (family of 4)$37
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Bowling$13
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Hollywood Tour for Two$30
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Six Flags for 2$96
Tours and Activities in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self-Guided Walking Tour in Los Angeles' Best-Kept Secrets: $1.12
- Secrets of Venice Boardwalk: Self-Guided Puzzle Adventure in LA: $4.85
- Venice Beach: Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
- Griffith Park Personalized Self-Guided App Tour: $5.00
- Pasadena Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.00
- Santa Monica: Self-guided Bike Tour App - Audio + Written: $5.00
- Los Angeles Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.00
- West Hollywood Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $6.00
- Podcast Tour Venice Beach: Shadows of the Slum by the Sea: $6.85
- LA Little Tokyo to Olvera St Smartphone (App/GPS) Walking Tour: $7.50
- Los Angeles Getty Center Reserved Entry and Audio Tour: $8.10
- Gambling Built the Sunset Strip: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $8.99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantiago $8.10Los Angeles $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago
Also in Santiago, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- "Chile in Your Glass" Wine Tasting.: $22
- Cousiño Macul Heritage Wine Tour with Tastings: $25
- Pub Crawl with Unlimited Beer and Welcome Shots: $25
- Tour Viña Santa Carolina in Santiago with 3 wine tasting: $45
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $55
- Valparaiso, Viña del Mar & Casablanca Wine Tour: $61
- Valparaiso, Viña del Mar & Casablanca Wine Tour: $65
- Valparaíso and Vineyard of the Sea with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $68
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $70
- Undurraga Wine Tasting Tour from Santiago: $75
- Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $75
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Wine Tasting: $75
Sample the Local Flavors in Los Angeles
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Los Angeles:
- LA Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
- Hollywood Distillery Tour and Tasting Experience: $30
- LA Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $30
- Hollywood Distillery Tour and Tasting: $30
- LA : Drag Highlights - Bar Crawl & Show – Drinks Included!: $50
- Santa Monica's Only Winery: Sommelier Guided Wine Tasting: $50
- 2 Hours Party Bike Pub Crawl Tour in Glendale California: $55
- Malibu: Vintage VW Sightseeing Tour and Wine Tasting: $195
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santiago and Los Angeles, we can see that Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santiago or Los Angeles?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 31% larger than the population of Los Angeles. When comparing the sizes of Santiago and Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles?
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 Los Angeles has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Santiago or Los Angeles in the Summer?
Both Los Angeles and Santiago during the summer are popular places to visit. Also, the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Los Angeles this time of year.
In the summer, Santiago is around the same temperature as Los Angeles. Typically, the summer temperatures in Santiago in January average around 21°C (70°F), and Los Angeles averages at about 72°F (22°C)in July.
Santiago usually gets more rain in January than Los Angelesin July. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Los Angeles receives 0 inches (0 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulySantiago 21°C (70°F)Los Angeles 72°F (22°C)
Should I visit Santiago or Los Angeles in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Santiago and Los Angeles. Also, many travelers come to Los Angeles for the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene.
In April, Santiago is generally cooler than Los Angelesin October. Daily temperatures in Santiago average around 15°C (59°F), and Los Angeles fluctuates around 64°F (18°C).
In April, Santiago usually receives less rain than Los Angelesin October. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Los Angeles receives 0.6 inches (15 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberSantiago 15°C (59°F)Los Angeles 64°F (18°C)
Should I visit Santiago or Los Angeles in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Santiago as well as Los Angeles. Also, many visitors come to Los Angeles in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine.
Santiago is cooler than Los Angeles in the winter. The daily temperature in Santiago averages around 9°C (48°F) in July, and Los Angeles fluctuates around 55°F (13°C)in January.
Santiago usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Los Angelesin January. Santiago gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Los Angeles receives 3.1 inches (79 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuarySantiago 9°C (48°F)Los Angeles 55°F (13°C)
Should I visit Santiago or Los Angeles in the Spring?
Both Los Angeles and Santiago are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to Los Angeles for the beaches and the activities around the city during these months.
In the spring, Santiago is around the same temperature as Los Angeles. Typically, the spring temperatures in Santiago in October average around 15°C (59°F), and Los Angeles averages at about 61°F (16°C)in April.
In October, Santiago usually receives less rain than Los Angelesin April. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Los Angeles receives 1 inches (25 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilSantiago 15°C (59°F)Los Angeles 61°F (16°C)
Typical Weather for Los Angeles and Santiago
| Santiago | Los Angeles | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 55°F (13°C) | 3.1 inches (79 mm) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 55°F (13°C) | 3 inches (76 mm) |
| Mar | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 57°F (14°C) | 2.8 inches (71 mm) |
| Apr | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 61°F (16°C) | 1 inches (25 mm) |
| May | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 63°F (17°C) | 0.4 inches (10 mm) |
| Jun | 9°C (48°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 66°F (19°C) | 0.1 inches (3 mm) |
| Jul | 9°C (48°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 72°F (22°C) | 0 inches (0 mm) |
| Aug | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 72°F (22°C) | 0 inches (0 mm) |
| Sep | 12°C (54°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 70°F (21°C) | 0.2 inches (5 mm) |
| Oct | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 64°F (18°C) | 0.6 inches (15 mm) |
| Nov | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 63°F (17°C) | 1.2 inches (31 mm) |
| Dec | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 57°F (14°C) | 2.6 inches (66 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.