Which place is cheaper, Tijuana 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 Tijuana?
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 Tijuana. 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 Tijuana?
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.
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 Luxury Tours to Mexico, and The Best Budget Tours to Mexico.
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Santiago Prices
Chile PricesTijuana Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantiago $145Tijuana $0.00
The average daily cost (per person) in Santiago is $145, while the average daily cost in Tijuana is $0.00. 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 Tijuana in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantiago $105Tijuana -
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantiago $210Tijuana $0.00
Compare Hotels in Santiago and Tijuana
Looking for a hotel in Santiago or Tijuana? 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 Tijuana Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santiago $5.21Tijuana -
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Santiago or Tijuana?
Prices for flights to both Tijuana 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 $22Tijuana -
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santiago $46Tijuana -
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
Tours and Activities in Tijuana
For Tijuana, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Walking Tour with a local guide: $40
- San Diego: Tijuana Culture & Culinary Tour: $500
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantiago $8.10Tijuana -
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santiago and Tijuana, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Tijuana much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santiago is in South America and Tijuana 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 Tijuana would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tijuana 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 Tijuana.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santiago Expensive? and Is Tijuana Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santiago or Tijuana?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Tijuana. When comparing the sizes of Santiago and Tijuana, 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.