Which place is cheaper, Paracas or Santiago?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santiago or Paracas?
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 Paracas. 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 Paracas?
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.
Paracas
Paracas, also known as El Chaco, is a resort town on the Southern coast of the country, about 150 miles south of Lima. The town in located in one of the oldest regions of Peru, with a history dating back to 900 BC and offers many pre-Inca cultural sites throughout the area. Paracas is possibly best known for being home to the Paracas National Reserve, a nature reserve boasting one of the most abundant and diverse ecosystems in the world.
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 Eco Tours in Peru, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantiago $141Paracas $63
The average daily cost (per person) in Santiago is $141, while the average daily cost in Paracas is $63. 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 Paracas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantiago $110Paracas $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantiago $220Paracas $44
Compare Hotels in Santiago and Paracas
Looking for a hotel in Santiago or Paracas? 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 Paracas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santiago $5.41Paracas $19
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:
- Arrival Transfer - Santiago International Airport to Hotel in Santiago: $35
- Arturo Merino Benítez Intl Airport: Shared Transfer: $24
- Departure Private Transfers : Santiago to Santiago Airport SCL in Business Car: $67
- Departure Private Transfers : Santiago to Santiago Airport SCL in Luxury Van: $84
- Departure Transfer - Hotel in Santiago to Santiago International Airport: $35
- From Farellones/Valle Nevado Roundtrip Transfer: $35
- From Valle Nevado and Farellones with Transfer: $70
- Pick up Santiago Visit Haras de Pirque Winery & Transfer Hotel: $300
- Private Round Trip Transfer on Santiago Of Chile City: $55
- Private Santiago Hotel or Airport Arrival Transfer to Viña del Mar or Valparaiso: $95
- Private Transfer From Santiago airport to San Antonio Pier or Valparaiso Pier : $251
- Private Transfer From The Hotel in Santiago City To the Airport: $29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paracas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Paracas:
- Bus Station Private Transfer: $16
- Private Transfer From San Juan Airport (SJU) to /from San Juan: $44
- Oneway Transfer from San Juan Airport, Hotel, Airbnb to Bayamon: $60
- Private Transfer from Pisco Cruise Port to Lima City Hotels: $78
- Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $78
- Private Transfer from Pisko Cruise Port to Lima City Hotels: $87
- Private Transfer from Pisco Cruise Port to Lima hotels: $87
- Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $87
- Lima: Private taxi transfer from Lima airport to Paracas: $129
- Direct Private Transfer From Paracas to Lima, English Speaking Driver: $163
- Private Transfer From Paracas To Lima With 2 Stops: $175
Is it cheaper to fly into Santiago or Paracas?
Prices for flights to both Paracas 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 $13Paracas $23
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.89
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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.
- Sunset Winery Tour with Wine Tastings and Dinner: $45
- Sunset at Alyan Family Wines Winery with Dinner: $92
- Traditional Dinner Show in Santiago: $107
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai: $109
- Small-Group Tour: Night City Tour with Santa Lucia Hill and Dinner Show: $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
- San Cristobal Hill Night Tour with Dinner Show: $129
- Private Tour: Santiago at Night with Dinner and Show: $131
- 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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paracas
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Paracas.
- From Lima:Paracas,Ica and cooking class Ceviche semi-private: $139
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santiago $47Paracas $25
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
- Explore Santiago's Soul: Walking In-App Audio Tour: $5.00
- Santiago Cathedral's Bell Tower Official Tour: $9.00
- La Paz from the Heights: Down hill Walking tour & Cable Cars: $12
- Cable Car Admission Ticket: $15
- Cousiño Macul Official Winery Tour with Tasting: $23
- "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial español: $23
- Skip the Line: Concha y Toro Traditional Tour Ticket: $25
- Walking tour through Santiago: $26
- From Valle Nevado and Farellones Small Group Tour: $29
- History Walking Tour in Chile: $29
- Half Day tradicional city Tour: $30
Tours and Activities in Paracas
Here are a few actual costs in Paracas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Ballestas Islands Morning Boat Tour: $20
- Ballestas Islands Tour Boat with roof: $20
- 4-Hour Guided Tour Paracas National Reserve: $20
- From Ballestas Islands Guided Boat Tour: $20
- Boat Tour of the Ballestas Islands in Paracas: $20
- Ballestas Islands Tour: $24
- Ballestas Islands Sightseeing Boat Ride from Paracas: $24
- Islas Ballestas Boat Tour - The Galapagos of Peru: $25
- From Scenic Boat Tour to Ballestas Island: $25
- Ballestas Islands Tour - Paracas: $25
- Ballestas Islands Group Tour from Paracas : $26
- From Ballestas Islands Guided Tour: $26
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantiago $8.41Paracas $11
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
- Undurraga Wine tour: $63
- Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $70
- 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
- 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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santiago and Paracas, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Paracas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Paracas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Paracas 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 Paracas.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santiago Expensive? and Is Paracas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santiago or Paracas?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 4040 times larger than the population of Paracas. When comparing the sizes of Santiago and Paracas, 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.