Which place is cheaper, San Juan 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 San Juan?
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 San Juan. 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 San Juan?
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.
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
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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Santiago Prices
Chile PricesSan Juan Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantiago $154San Juan $218
The average daily cost (per person) in Santiago is $154, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $218. 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 San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantiago $112San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantiago $224San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Santiago and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Santiago or San Juan? 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 San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santiago $5.55San Juan $14
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$1.16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Private Scenic Transfer to Mendoza.: $467
- Airport Transfer and Halfday City tour Santiago de Chile: $362
- Private Transfer to Ski Centers: $299
- Santiago de Chile: Private Transfer to San Antonio / Port: $270
- Private Transfer to Sewell UNESCO Andes Town Tour with Lunch: $269
- Maipo Valley Wine Tour, Concha y Toro, Private Transfer from Santiago: $262
- Private cruise transfer: Puerto San Antonio or Valparaíso ↔ Santiago: $260
- Private Transfer from Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) Airport to San Antonio: $255
- Private Transfer Santiago Airport SCL to Vina Concon Valparaiso: $250
- Private Santiago, Visit Concha y Toro Winery and Transfer: $250
- Portillo and Laguna Del Inca, Exclusive Guide and Private Transfer: $250
- Private Transfer San Antonio Cruise from Santiago to Valparaiso: $250
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- San Juan hotels to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $29
- San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU)- Departure Transfer: $29
- Premium Transfer Service FROM or TO Rio Grande Puerto Rico: $50
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $59
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Port Arrival Private Transfer: $59
- Private Transfer Airport SJU to Old San Juan Vice versa One way: $65
- San juan Puerto Rico PrivateTransfers Airport,Hotels,Cruise Ports: $67
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Airport Transfer to Cruise Ships, Hotels, Airbnb in San Juan: $75
- Private Transfer in San Juan: $75
- Dorado Transfers: $75
- Private Transfer from San Juan Airport (SJU) to Ponce Cruise Port: $76
Is it cheaper to fly into Santiago or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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 $23San Juan $62
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.94
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Hamburger$2.57
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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.
- Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $56
- Best Santiago Street Food Tour with 4+ Tastings and Drink: $58
- Mercado Meals Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $60
- 4h Cooking Class in 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $77
- 4h Cooking Class in Santiago : 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $85
- Local Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $99
- Traditional Dinner Show in Santiago: $107
- Small-Group Tour: Night City Tour with Santa Lucia Hill and Dinner Show: $116
- Barrio Italia Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $119
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Chilean Cooking Class in a Local Home: $125
- San Cristobal Hill Night Tour with Dinner Show: $129
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai with Wine refill and transportation: $129
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Puerto Rican Gastronomy Cooking Class: $167
- Morning Old San Juan Food Tour: $169
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
- Fly Dining 4 Course Sunset and City Light Dinner Over San Juan: $195
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santiago $49San Juan $49
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial español: $27
- 1 Day Tour of Viña Concha y Toro from Santiago: $120
- 1 Day Valparaiso and Vina del Mar Tour from Santiago: $51
- 2-Hour Walking Tour of Yungay The Coolest Neighborhood in Chile: $35
- 3 Hours Santiago Blend Walking Tour: $30
- A Fabulous Walking tour by the Old Santiago of Chile -: $25
- Adventure in Portillo: Laguna del Inca and Mountain Picnic: $100
- All Santiago in One Day: Private Guided Tour: $250
- An Architect's Tour of Downtown Santiago: $60
- Andean Adventure: Cajón del Maipo & El Morado Lodge and Spa: $147
- Andes Day Lagoon in Cajón del Maipo & Embalse el Yeso Private Tour: $270
- Andes Day Lagoon: Embalse El Yeso Tour from Santiago: $120
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- The Ultimate Self-Guided Hidden Gems Tour in Puerto Rico: $5.00
- San Juan’s Historic Streets Audio Guided Walking Tour: $12
- Transportation in San Juan, Isla verde, Condado, Hotels, Cruises & Airbnb's SJU: $14
- Outdoor Salsa Class Experience in San Juan: $19
- San Juan Ghost Tour: Shrieks in the Sugarcane: $26
- Explore Old San Juan Walking Tour: $30
- Paddleboard Adventure: Explore Marine Life in Condado Lagoon: $35
- San Juan Guided Turtle Snorkel Tour and Complimentary Videos: $39
- Legacy Tour at Casa BACARDÍ in Puerto Rico: $45
- 1 Hour Bull Maze Adventure at Toroverde Urban Park San Juan: $45
- Top Rated El Yunque Rainforest & Waterslide – SmallGroup Tour: $45
- Ron del Barrilito Heritage Skip-the-Line Tour: $46
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantiago $8.62San Juan $12
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
- Pub Crawl with Unlimited Beer and Welcome Shots: $25
- Cousiño Macul Heritage Wine Tour with Tastings: $25
- Traditional Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Official English: $27
- "Premium Wine Tour" Viña Cousiño Macul Official english: $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: $62
- Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $68
- 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
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Puerto Rico Tobacco Farm and Local Brewery Tour: $109
- Puerto Rico's First and Only Craft Beer Brewery Tour!: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santiago and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santiago or San Juan?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Santiago and San Juan, 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 San Juan?
Santiago has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Juan experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Santiago or San Juan in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Santiago as well as San Juan. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Juan throughout the year.
In January, Santiago is generally cooler than San Juanin July. Daily temperatures in Santiago average around 21°C (70°F), and San Juan fluctuates around 28°C (83°F).
Santiago usually gets less rain in January than San Juanin July. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulySantiago 21°C (70°F)San Juan 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit Santiago or San Juan in the Autumn?
Both San Juan and Santiago are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to San Juan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Santiago is much colder than San Juan in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santiago averages around 15°C (59°F) in April, and San Juan fluctuates around 28°C (82°F)in October.
It rains a lot this time of the year in San Juan. In April, Santiago usually receives less rain than San Juanin October. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberSantiago 15°C (59°F)San Juan 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Santiago or San Juan in the Winter?
Both San Juan and Santiago during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Juan year-round.
In the winter, Santiago is much colder than San Juan. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santiago in July average around 9°C (48°F), and San Juan averages at about 25°C (77°F)in January.
Santiago usually gets more rain in July than San Juanin January. Santiago gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuarySantiago 9°C (48°F)San Juan 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Santiago or San Juan in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Santiago and San Juan. San Juan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In October, Santiago is generally much colder than San Juanin April. Daily temperatures in Santiago average around 15°C (59°F), and San Juan fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
In October, Santiago usually receives less rain than San Juanin April. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilSantiago 15°C (59°F)San Juan 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for San Juan and Santiago
| Santiago | San Juan | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.