Which place is cheaper, Montreal or Santiago?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santiago or Montreal?
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 Montreal. 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 Montreal?
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.
Montreal
While Quebec City is the political capital of Quebec Province, Montreal is the economic and cultural capital. It's also the second largest city in Canada, with a population of about 1.9 million and 4 million in the metropolitan area. It's the second largest French speaking city in the world behind Paris.
Montreal is a very trendy and vibrant city with an active nightlife and countless activities to enjoy. It's located on an island in the St. Lawrence River and has a humid continental climate. There are four distinct seasons. Summers are warm or hot and humid. Spring and fall are mild and winters are cold and snowy. You can expect about 2 meters of snow every year, but there are also more than 2,000 hours of sunshine annually.
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 Train & Rail Tours in Canada, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantiago $143Montreal $210
The average daily cost (per person) in Santiago is $143, while the average daily cost in Montreal is $210. 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 Montreal in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantiago $111Montreal $132
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantiago $222Montreal $264
Compare Hotels in Santiago and Montreal
Looking for a hotel in Santiago or Montreal? 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 Montreal Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santiago $5.48Montreal $21
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:
- Private Scenic Transfer to Mendoza.: $539
- Pick up Santiago Visit Haras de Pirque Winery & Transfer Hotel: $300
- Visit Montes Winery (7th World Best Wine) & Transfer to Hotel: $300
- Private Transfer from Santiago or Santiago Airport to Colchagua or Santa Cruz: $300
- Private Transfer from Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) Airport to Valparaíso: $273
- from Santiago airport private arrival transfer to the Valparaiso pier: $251
- Transfer To Valle Nevado Private for small groups: $250
- Private Transfer from Santiago Airport to Valparaíso,Viña del Mar or San Antonio: $250
- Transfer Santiago to Cruise Port in Valparaiso or San Antonio: $250
- Private Transfer from Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) Airport to Viña del Mar: $237
- City Tour with Lunch and Hotel Transfers: $234
- Transfer Santiago - Valparaíso: $210
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montreal
Also for Montreal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Montreal Cruise Port to Montreal City: $36
- Private Departure Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL: $38
- Private Transfer: Montreal City Center to Pierre E.T. Airport-YUL: $48
- Le Terminal Cruise Port to Québec Airport YQB Departure Transfer: $57
- Private One-way Montreal Airport Transfer To/From Montreal: $58
- Arrival Transfer from International Airport: $65
- Transfer in private vehicle from Montreal CityCenter- to Montreal Airport (YUL): $67
- Transfer in private minivan from Montreal City Center to Pierre Elliott Airport: $73
- Downtown Direct: Montreal's Exclusive Airport Transfer: $79
- Montreal Best Private Transfer services : $82
- One Way Private transfer from Montreal Airport to/ from Montreal: $84
- Private Transfer: Montreal to Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport (YUL): $87
Is it cheaper to fly into Santiago or Montreal?
Prices for flights to both Montreal 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 $13Montreal $36
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 Montreal
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Montreal:
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Tim Hortons breakfast and coffee$9.04
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montreal
For Montreal, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Le Bateau-Mouche À La Carte Menu Dinner Cruise: $59
- No Diet Club: Walking food Tour with many tastings: $59
- Beyond the Market Food Tour by Spade & Palacio: $74
- Montreal Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $74
- Mile End Montreal Original Food Tour - by Local Montreal Tours: $89
- Old Montreal Food & Drink Tour by Local Montreal Food Tours: $103
- Cooking Class and Tasting Menu with Michelin Chef: $130
- Montréal: 5-Course Dinner Cruise with Music & VIP Option: $160
- Personalized Private Food Tour with a Local Foodie: $207
- Cooking Class in Montreal with a Michelin-Star Trained Chef: $224
- The 10 Tastings of Montreal Private Walking Food Tour : $298
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santiago $48Montreal $21
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- Experience Wildlife Encounter in Provincia Mountain of Chile.: $235
- Private Adventure at 4200 meters above sea level in the Chilean Andes Cerro Pintor: $300
- 4 Hour Santa Rita Winery All inclusive Tour for Wine Lover: $269
- A Private Tour of Valparaiso with an experienced local guide.: $195
- Adventure and Viewpoints in Cajón del Maipo: $255
- Andean Horse Ride Yerba Loca Sanctuary - Private tour from Santiago: $240
- Andes Day Lagoon: Embalse El Yeso Tour from Santiago: $120
- Andes Day Volcano 8k Private Tour : $230
- Andes Half-Day Private Tour with Wine and Cheese Tasting: $190
- Andes Sunset: shared tour with Asado in the mountain: $90
- Andes Whitewater Rafting Adventure plus Winery Tour and Tasting: $199
- Authentic Andes Adventure: Private Horse Riding and Cheese & Wine: $150
Typical Entertainment Prices in Montreal
For Montreal, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Botanical Gardens (family of 4)$54
Tours and Activities in Montreal
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Montreal.
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Montreal self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.31
- Montréal's Mile End to Outremont: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.54
- Escape Game and Tour: $8.61
- APP Self-Guided Tours Montreal with Audioguide: $8.76
- Montreal Art Center & Museum Audio Guided Tour: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- McCord Stewart Museum : Entry Ticket: $15
- Montreal Zipline Adventure: $15
- Self-Guided Old Town Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour: $15
- Montreal Old Port: Urban Zipline Ticket: $16
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantiago $8.51Montreal $16
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Montreal
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Montreal:
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Vodka$18
Sample the Local Flavors in Montreal
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Montreal:
- Haunted Montreal Pub Crawl: $22
- Haunted Montreal Pub Crawl: $22
- Guided Bar Crawl with Free Shots and Club Entry: $42
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santiago and Montreal, we can see that Montreal 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 Montreal 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 Montreal would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montreal 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 Montreal Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santiago or Montreal?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 48% larger than the population of Montreal. When comparing the sizes of Santiago and Montreal, 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 Montreal?
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 Montreal has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Santiago or Montreal in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Santiago as well as Montreal.
In the summer, Santiago is around the same temperature as Montreal. Typically, the summer temperatures in Santiago in January average around 21°C (70°F), and Montreal averages at about 21°C (69°F)in July.
Santiago usually gets less rain in January than Montrealin July. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 91 mm (3.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulySantiago 21°C (70°F)Montreal 21°C (69°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Montreal in the Autumn?
Both Montreal and Santiago are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities.
In April, Santiago is generally much warmer than Montrealin October. Daily temperatures in Santiago average around 15°C (59°F), and Montreal fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).
In April, Santiago usually receives less rain than Montrealin October. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberSantiago 15°C (59°F)Montreal 8°C (47°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Montreal in the Winter?
Both Montreal and Santiago during the winter are popular places to visit.
The weather in Montreal can be very cold. Santiago is much warmer than Montreal in the winter. The daily temperature in Santiago averages around 9°C (48°F) in July, and Montreal fluctuates around -10°C (14°F)in January.
Santiago usually gets more rain in July than Montrealin January. Santiago gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuarySantiago 9°C (48°F)Montreal -10°C (14°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Montreal in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Santiago and Montreal.
In the spring, Santiago is much warmer than Montreal. Typically, the spring temperatures in Santiago in October average around 15°C (59°F), and Montreal averages at about 6°C (43°F)in April.
In October, Santiago usually receives less rain than Montrealin April. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilSantiago 15°C (59°F)Montreal 6°C (43°F)
Typical Weather for Montreal and Santiago
| Santiago | Montreal | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | -10°C (14°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | -9°C (16°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Mar | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | -2°C (28°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| May | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Jun | 9°C (48°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jul | 9°C (48°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Aug | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (54°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Oct | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Nov | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 2°C (35°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Dec | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | -7°C (20°F) | 99 mm (3.9 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.