Which place is cheaper, Ponce or Santiago?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santiago or Ponce?
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 Ponce. 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 Ponce?
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.
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantiago $141Ponce $205
The average daily cost (per person) in Santiago is $141, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $205. 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 Ponce in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantiago $110Ponce $151
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantiago $220Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in Santiago and Ponce
Looking for a hotel in Santiago or Ponce? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santiago $5.41Ponce $10
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:
- Arturo Merino Benítez Intl Airport: Shared Transfer: $24
- Private Santiago Airport to Santiago Transfer: $25
- Santiago Airport (SCL) to Santiago hotels - Arrival Transfer: $27
- Private Transfer From The Hotel in Santiago City To the Airport: $29
- Private Transfer from the Airport to Santiago City: $29
- Private Transfer: $31
- Private Santiago Airport to Santiago Transfer: $35
- From Farellones/Valle Nevado Roundtrip Transfer: $35
- Departure Transfer - Hotel in Santiago to Santiago International Airport: $35
- Arrival Transfer - Santiago International Airport to Hotel in Santiago: $35
- Valle Nevado Ski Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $39
- Santiago de Chile Airport Private Transfer: $40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
- San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
- Isabela / Hatillo to Aguadilla Airport(BQN) - DepartureTransfer: $44
- San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
- San Juan hotels to San Juan PR Cruise Port - Departure Transfer: $46
- San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- Private Transfers from SJU Airport to Isla Verde, Condado or San Juan área : $60
- San juan Puerto Rico PrivateTransfers Airport,Hotels,Cruise Ports: $60
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
- Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
Is it cheaper to fly into Santiago or Ponce?
Prices for flights to both Ponce 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 $13Ponce $35
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 at Alyan Family Wines Winery with Dinner: $94
- Traditional Dinner Show in Santiago: $107
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai: $109
- Sunset Winery Tour with Wine Tastings and Dinner: $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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
- Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
- Private Half-Day Food Tour : $130
- Private San Juan Cooking Class with a Local Expert: $146
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santiago $47Ponce $56
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
- A Fabulous Walking tour by the Old Santiago of Chile -small group: $25
- Walking tour through Santiago: $26
- From Valle Nevado and Farellones Small Group Tour: $29
- Small-Group Tour to Valle Nevado and Farellones from Santiago: $29
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
- Talking Buildings of Old San Juan: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Footsteps in San Juan Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $17
- Private Sunset Walking Tour in San Juan: $25
- Old San Juan Tour (1 Hour) by DUHO: $25
- Salsa Tours PR Sunset Salsa Beach Class in San Juan, Puerto Rico : $29
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- Guided Walking Tour in Ponce: $30
- Guided City Walking Tour: $32
- La Perla Cultural Tour: $35
- Historic Old San Juan Sunset Walking Tour: $39
- Bio Bay Boat Tour with Swimming from La Parguera, Puerto Rico: $50
- Turtle spotting snorkeling adventure- no Jets : $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantiago $8.41Ponce $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 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
- Maipo Valley Wine Tour with 4 vineyards from Santiago.: $99
- From Maipo Valley Wine Tour: $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
- Santa Rita: Ultra Premium Wine Tasting, Tour and Transport: $145
Sample the Local Flavors in Ponce
Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Artisan Puertorrican Winery and Distillery Tour: $50
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Local Puerto Rican Rum Distillery Tour - Ron Pepon: $90
- Rum Distillery and Old San Juan Tour: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santiago and Ponce, we can see that Ponce 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 Ponce is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Ponce would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ponce 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 Ponce Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santiago or Ponce?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Ponce. When comparing the sizes of Santiago and Ponce, 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 Ponce?
Santiago has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Ponce experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Santiago or Ponce in the Summer?
Both Ponce and Santiago are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Ponce because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Santiago is cooler than Ponce in the summer. The daily temperature in Santiago averages around 21°C (70°F) in January, and Ponce fluctuates around 28°C (83°F)in July.
In January, Santiago usually receives less rain than Poncein July. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulySantiago 21°C (70°F)Ponce 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Ponce in the Autumn?
Both Ponce and Santiago during the autumn are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Ponce year-round.
In the autumn, Santiago is much colder than Ponce. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Santiago in April average around 15°C (59°F), and Ponce averages at about 28°C (82°F)in October.
Ponce gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Santiago usually gets less rain in April than Poncein October. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberSantiago 15°C (59°F)Ponce 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Ponce in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Santiago and Ponce. Ponce attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In July, Santiago is generally much colder than Poncein January. Daily temperatures in Santiago average around 9°C (48°F), and Ponce fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
In July, Santiago usually receives more rain than Poncein January. Santiago gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuarySantiago 9°C (48°F)Ponce 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Ponce in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Santiago as well as Ponce. The warm climate attracts visitors to Ponce throughout the year.
Santiago is much colder than Ponce in the spring. The daily temperature in Santiago averages around 15°C (59°F) in October, and Ponce fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in April.
Santiago usually gets less rain in October than Poncein April. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilSantiago 15°C (59°F)Ponce 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for Ponce and Santiago
| Santiago | Ponce | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Mar | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| May | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Jun | 9°C (48°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jul | 9°C (48°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
| Aug | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (54°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Oct | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
| Nov | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) |
| Dec | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 92 mm (3.6 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.