Which place is cheaper, Vientiane or Santorini?
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 Santorini or Vientiane?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Vientiane, 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.
Where Should I go: Santorini or Vientiane?
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.
Vientiane
You wouldn't expect the capital city to have such a relaxing environment, but in Vientiane, Laos you can sit back and take in the beautiful scenery without feeling pressure to see every little thing. With Vientiane, what you see is what you get.
While picturesque temples and markets line the streets, the city is still experiencing a successful building boom. Even the Presidential Palace has undergone some hefty renovations.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Greece, The Best Budget Tours to Greece, The Best Bicycle Tours in Laos, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Laos.
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Santorini Prices
Greece PricesVientiane Prices
Laos Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantorini €250Vientiane €20
The average daily cost (per person) in Santorini is €250, while the average daily cost in Vientiane is €20. 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 Santorini and Vientiane in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantorini €118Vientiane €7.02
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantorini €236Vientiane €14
Compare Hotels in Santorini and Vientiane
Looking for a hotel in Santorini or Vientiane? 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: Santorini Hotel Prices and Vientiane Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santorini €35Vientiane €1.66
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini
Also for Santorini, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Economy Departure Transfers To Santorini Airport: $16
- Economy Arrival Transfers From Santorini Airport To All Destinations: $16
- Prestige Transfers Tours Airport Port Hotel and Cruise Ship: $18
- Santorini Port ↔ Airport Private Transfer (Fast & Reliable): $18
- Private Transfer from Santorini Airport (JTR) to Santorini Port: $21
- Santorini, Private Transfer with Luxury Airconditioned Vehicle: $23
- Private Arrival Transfer From Santorini Airport To All Destinations: $24
- Santorini One Way Private transfer: $24
- Shared Transfer: $24
- Private Express One Way Taxi Transfer up to 2: $24
- Economy Transfers From & To Santorini Port: $26
- Santorini to Santorini Airport (JTR) - Departure Private Transfer: $26
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vientiane
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vientiane are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride€3.45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vientiane
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Vientiane:
- Wattay Airport (VTE): Private Transfer to/from Vientiane: $20
- Vientian Private Airport Transfer - Wattay Airport: $15
- Vientiane Private Transfer: Wattay Airport -Hotel-Railway Station: $9.90
Is it cheaper to fly into Santorini or Vientiane?
Prices for flights to both Vientiane 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
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Food Meals for one daySantorini €96Vientiane €10
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santorini
For Santorini, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Traditional Greek Night live Music & Dinner Show in Santorini: $72
- Santorini Cooking Class with Wine Tasting: $80
- Santorini Sunset Sailing Cruise with Greek BBQ Dinner: $95
- Santorini Caldera Sunset Sailing Cruise with Dinner and Wine: $95
- Santorini Family Farm Food & Wine Tour with Cooking Class: $101
- Cooking Class and Wine Tasting in Santorini: $107
- Santorini Flavors, a Cooking Class in a Dreamy Setting: $131
- Santorini Sunset Sailing Cruise: Dinner, BBQ, Open Bar, Transfers: $131
- Cooking Class with Private Chef - prepare & enjoy local menu: $131
- Luxury Santorini Sunset Cruise: Dinner, BBQ, Open Bar, Transfers: $142
- Santorini Food Tour: Fira Half-Day Small-Group Tour with Tastings: $148
- Miss Anna Santorini Cooking Class: $154
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vientiane
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Vientiane.
- Vientiane Private Lao Cooking Class with Market Tour and Lunch: $70
- Vientiane classic Food tour ( Included Food ): $78
- Night Market, Dinner, and Nightclub: $90
- Small-Group Street Food Tour with Tastings: $91
- Vientiane Private Lao Cooking Class with Market Tour: $122
- Cooking Class Garden House: $335
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santorini €35Vientiane €3.16
Tours and Activities in Santorini
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santorini.
- Caldera, Villages and Sunsets Experience in Santorini: $2.31
- Authentic A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Oia: $9.99
- Guided Art Tour Contemporary Art Meets a Quiet Santorini Village: $18
- Kayak Rental Adventure in Watersports Santorini: $24
- Ticket for Akrotiri Archaeological Site: $33
- Santorini Volcano & Sunset Caldera Cruise: $36
- Santorini Shore Excursion: Private Tour with Tender Port Pickup: $36
- Santorini Volcano Cruise with Free Time in Thirasia from Athinios: $36
- Santorini Volcano and Hot Springs Cruise Tour from Fira Old Port: $36
- E-Ticket to Akrotiri with Audio Tour on your Phone: $42
- Santorini Caldera Cruise Tour (Volcano, Hot Springs, Thirassia): $42
- Santorini Tour of Caldera with Glass bottom Boat: $44
Tours and Activities in Vientiane
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Vientiane are as follows:
- 1-Day Tour to Vang Vieng with Private Guide: $200
- 1-Day Vientiane City Adventure: Top Sights & Hidden Gems: $110
- Explore Vientiane with Lao Art Museum Tour: $61
- From Plain of Jars Tour & Homestay: $1,650
- From Vang Vieng 2-Day Tour with Blue Lagoon: $443
- From Vang Vieng Tour with Cave Kayak & Zipline: $113
- Guided Vientiane City and Buddha Park Full-Day Tour: $99
- Half Day Private Tour in City Highlights: $120
- Half-Day Vientiane City Bike Tour | Laos: $168
- Lao Arts Museum & City Highlights Tour with Lunch: $122
- Laos Railway Tickets Easily: Avoid Long Queues & Wasted Time: $8.50
- Laos Railway Tickets Online: Skip Long Queues, Avoid Missing: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantorini €25Vientiane €1.76
Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini
Also in Santorini, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Beer Tasting and Pairing Experience at Ftelos Brewery: $30
- Santorini Ftelos Brewery Guided Tour and Beer Tasting Experience: $42
- Visit to a Wine Museum and Wine Tasting in Santorini: $91
- Santorini Wine & Village Experience–Megalochori &Wine Tasting(4h): $95
- Caldera Views, Cliffside Villages, and Santorinian Wine Tasting: $101
- Premium Wine Tasting with Caldera Views: $106
- Wine tasting and Carving lesson in Santorini: $113
- Santorini Wine Tasting & Oia Scenic Tour: $114
- Santorini Wine Tasting and Wine Museum: $125
- Santorini Wine Tour with sunset in Oia: $131
- Santorini Private Sightseeing Tour with Optional Wine Tasting: $131
- Santorini wine tasting and Traditional Cave Settlement Tour: $135
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santorini and Vientiane, we can see that Santorini is more expensive. And not only is Vientiane much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santorini is in Europe and Vientiane is in Asia, 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 Vientiane would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vientiane 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 Vientiane.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santorini Expensive? and Is Vientiane Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santorini or Vientiane?
Santorini has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Vientiane. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and Vientiane, 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.