A Travel Price Comparison for Greece Santorini vs. Ios for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Santorini or Ios?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Ios, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Santorini

Santorini is a volcanic island that is part of the Cyclades group of the Greek Islands. It has some spectacular views, beautiful sunsets, and excellent beaches. As one of the most popular of the Greek Islands to visit, Santorini sees many tourists every year. However, it's for a good reason, as the famous white-washed buildings that spill down the hill, some with blue domes that match the gorgeous color of the water, are set against the beautiful mountainous backdrop of one of the most scenic areas of the Mediterranean. Home to several of these small and scenic towns such as Oia, Kamari, Perissa, and Fira, visitors can explore the large island, enjoy delicious food, swim at the beaches, hike the hills, and sail the blue waters.

Ios

Ios is an island in the south of Greece, located in the Cyclades group of islands in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a peaceful beach getaway by day, and a lively party scene by night. While its main town is the hub for nightlife, it is also a charming place during the day, typical of a traditional Greek village with shops and cafes against a backdrop of whitewashed buildings and turquoise waters.

Which city is cheaper, Ios or Santorini?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Santorini is €131, while the average daily cost in Ios is €73. 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 city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Santorini and Ios in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Santorini €66
    Ios €31
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Santorini €132
    Ios €62

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Santorini €23
    Ios €13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini

Also for Santorini, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Shared Transfer Service: $17
  • Santorini transfer service: $17
  • Oia Sunset: Evening Shuttle Transfer and Free Time: $23
  • Private Airport Transfer: $25
  • Santorini Airport Hotels Transfer Shuttle Bus Service: $27
  • Transfer from Santorini Airport&Port all destination except OIA up to 4 customer: $37
  • Santorini Airport to Hotel: Private Arrival Transfer: $45
  • Private Transfer to/from Santorini Airport (JTR): $50
  • Santorini Taxi Service & Airport, Hotel and Port Transfers: $62
  • Tour of Caldera on Sailing Boat & Bus Transfer:Volcano-Hot springs-Thirassia-Oia: $75
  • Premium Santorini Private Day Tour Lagoon 450, BBQ, drinks, transfer: $933
  • Helicopter Transfer between Mykonos & Santorini: $2,839

Is it cheaper to fly into Santorini or Ios?

Prices for flights to both Ios and Santorini 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Santorini €38
    Ios €26

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santorini

For Santorini, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Live Virtual Cooking Class: $26
  • A taste of Mediterranean Cuisine Dinner: $90
  • Hands on Cooking Class with a Chef: $90
  • Fira: 4-Hour Walking Food Tour With Tastings: $108
  • Sunset Sea Kayak and Snorkel with Dinner: $108
  • Santorini : Sunset Sea Kayak & Snorkel with Dinner: $118
  • Santorini : Cooking Class, Easy Hike, and Snorkeling: $131
  • Cooking Class with Santorini’s Aroma: $506
  • Full-Day Royalty Private Cooking Class and Tour in Santorini: $506
  • Cooking Class with Santorini’s Aroma: $546
  • Santorini Private Sunset Sailing Cruise with Dinner, Drinks &Transfer included: $1,350

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Santorini €29
    Ios €21

Tours and Activities in Santorini

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santorini.

  • Akrotiri Prehistoric City Audio Tour: $18
  • Unique Oia's Sunset Tour in Santorini: $30
  • Royalty Unique Oia’s Sunset Tour in Santorini: $31
  • Santorini-Unique Oia’s Sunset Tour: $31
  • Island Bus Tour: The Majestic Spots Of Santorini: $43
  • Santorini Volcano and Thirassia Islands Tour: $43
  • Oia and Fira Evening Small Group Tour: $45
  • 3 Hour Santorini Walking Tour with Hotel Pickup: $50
  • Volcanic Sunset Cruise: $58
  • Santorini Traditional Villages and Oia Sunset Tour: $62
  • Santorini-Classic Tour in Traditional Villages: $67
  • Santorini-Classic Tour in Traditional Villages: $71

Tours and Activities in Ios

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ios are as follows:

  • From Ios to Sikinos Island & Winery Tour: $96
  • Half Day Sunset Sailboat tour (afternoon): $210
  • Ios Speed Boat Adventure: $54

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Santorini €21
    Ios €26

Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini

Also in Santorini, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • 4-Hours Santorini Vothonas Village Tour with Wine Tasting: $89
  • Authentic Santorinian Tour at Vothonas Village with Wine Tasting: $93
  • Half-Day Santorini Tour Vothonas Village with Wine Tasting: $93
  • Santorini-Wine Tour Αround Megalochori Village: $111
  • Sunset and Wine Tasting Tour by Electric Bike: $114
  • Santorini-Wine Tour Around Megalochori Village: $117
  • Santorini-Wine Tour Around Megalochori Village: $124
  • Santorini-Sunset Caldera’s View from Megalochori with Wine Tasting: $134
  • Santorini-Sunset Caldera’s View from Megalochori with Wine Tasting: $140
  • Half-Day Sunset Wine Tasting Tour in Santorini with Pick Up: $141
  • Santorini Wine Tasting and History Small Group Tour: $153
  • 4-Hour Sunset Wine Tour: $159

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santorini and Ios, we can see that Santorini is more expensive. And not only is Ios much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ios would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ios 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 Santorini would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santorini than you might in Ios.

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Santorini vs. Ios Travel Comparison

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