A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Tenerife vs. Santiago for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Tenerife or Santiago?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Tenerife or Santiago, 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: Tenerife or Santiago?

Tenerife

European tourists have long known Tenerife as a top vacation destination. Amazing beaches and a booming nightlife bring in visitors to the largest of the Canary Islands all the way from England, Germany and Spain - particularly during the Easter holiday. Now the rest of the world is catching up. It's not just a spot for spring breakers looking for a party - it is full of mountains, volcanoes and forests ready for exploring.

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 Budget Tours to Spain, The Best Tours for Seniors to Spain, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Tenerife?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Tenerife Prices
    Spain Prices
    Santiago Prices
    Chile Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Tenerife 156
    Santiago 128

The average daily cost (per person) in Tenerife is €156, while the average daily cost in Santiago is €128. 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 Tenerife and Santiago in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Tenerife 53
    Santiago 93
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Tenerife 106
    Santiago 186
Compare Hotels in Tenerife and Santiago

Looking for a hotel in Tenerife or Santiago? 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.

Hotels in Tenerife


Hotels in Santiago


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: Tenerife Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Tenerife 60
    Santiago 4.60

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tenerife

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

  • Puerto de la Cruz City Tour with Transfers: $29
  • Jet Ski Ocean Safari with Optional Transfer: $34
  • Whale Watching Catamaran Cruise with Transfer, Buffet by MC: $70
  • Private arrival OR departure transfer in Tenerife (hotel OR airport pick-up): $71
  • Marine-Life Tour with Transfer, Buffet and Drinks: $73
  • Tenerife Sunset Catamaran tour with transfer - Food and Drinks included.: $74
  • Sunset Catamaran Tour with Transfer, Buff & Drinks: $75
  • From South Loro Park Zoo Ticket & Hotel Transfers: $75
  • Siam Park Ticket & Transfer: $75
  • Mount Teide Tour with Cable Car Ticket & Transfer: $102
  • Loro Parque & Siam Park Entry Ticket with Transfer: $115
  • Tenerife Cruise Port to Tenerife South Airport (TFS) -Departure Private Transfer: $115

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santiago

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santiago:


  • Metro Ride
    0.96

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:

  • Transfer to Valparaiso Cruise Terminal with Winery & Town Tour: $109
  • Transfer to Snowy Valley fullday for skiers : $49
  • Transfer to San Antonio port with Valparaiso & Casablanca tour: $87
  • Transfer from Valparaiso or San Antonio Port + Condor Watching Tour: $230
  • Transfer from Valle Nevado, Farellones, Colorado or La Parva ski to Santiago: $83
  • Transfer from Santiago To Valle Nevado, Farellones, Colorado or La Parva ski: $100
  • Transfer from Santiago Airport to Santiago Centro Commune: $52
  • Transfer Santiago-Viña del Mar / Viña del Mar-Santiago: $220
  • Transfer Santiago-Valparaiso / Valparaiso-Santiago: $220
  • Transfer Santiago to Cruise Port in Valparaiso or San Antonio: $290
  • Transfer Santiago de Chile airport: $40
  • Transfer Santiago Airport to the commune of Providencia: $56

Is it cheaper to fly into Tenerife or Santiago?

Prices for flights to both Santiago and Tenerife 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
    Tenerife 67
    Santiago 19

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tenerife

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

  • Mojo Workshop Cooking Class in Ancient Canarian Village: $34
  • Hard Rock Cafe Set Menu Lunch or Dinner & Drink: $40
  • MHT - Music Hall Tavern Comedy Drag Dinner Show: $52
  • Medieval San Miguel castle with dinner-Show in South Tenerife : $59
  • Medieval Castle with dinner from Puerto de la Cruz in TenerifeSur: $59
  • Self Driving Sunset Tour with Dinner and Stargazing in Tenerife: $77
  • Teide National Park Stargazing Experience Without Dinner(NO Food): $77
  • "The Wild South" musical show with dinner and transportation: $81
  • Teide Night Experience with Dinner and Stargazing: $92
  • Astronomical experience on Mount Teide with sunset, stargazing, and dinner: $93
  • Teide National Park Sunset & Stargazing with Dinner (Star Safari): $94
  • Teide: Guided Sunset & Stargazing Tour by Night with Dinner: $105

Typical Food Prices in Santiago

Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:


  • Empanada
    1.60
  • Hamburger
    2.13
  • Dinner
    22

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: $82
  • 4-Hour Boozy Chilean Cooking Class in Santiago: $85
  • Bali Hai Dinner & Show, Transport and Wine refill: $106
  • Dinner Show in Bali Hai with Wine refill and transportation: $114
  • Private Dinner & Chilean Folk Show with Transfers: $116
  • Alyan Winery Sunset with Wine Tastings and Dinner: $117
  • Private Market Tour and Traditional Chilean Cooking Class in a Local Home: $122
  • San Cristobal Hill Night Tour with Dinner Show: $129
  • Bali Hai Polynesian Dinner Show with Transfer: $130
  • Private Night City Tour with San Cristobal Hill And Dinner Show: $181
  • Santiago Chilean and Peruvian Cooking Class with a Local Carol: $184

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Tenerife 27
    Santiago 40

Tours and Activities in Tenerife

For Tenerife, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Teide Legends Exhibition Entry Ticket: $3.52
  • Entrance Ticket for Students in La Casa de los Balcones: $3.57
  • Icod de los Vinos: Casa del Plátano Entry Ticket: $5.87
  • Icod de los Vinos: Dragon Tree & Botanical Garden Ticket: $5.87
  • La Casa de Los Balcones Entrance Ticket: $7.05
  • Santa Cruz de Tenerife Palmetum Entry Ticket: $7.05
  • San Cristobal de La Laguna : Cathedral ticket w/ audioguide: $8.22
  • Tenerife Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self Guided Tour: $8.33
  • Fish Spa Experience Playa Fañabe: $9.40
  • Icod de los Vinos: ARTlandya Doll World Entry Ticket & Tour: $12
  • Finca Las Margaritas Banana Plantation Experience: $12
  • Los Cristianos: Eco-Yacht Whale Watching Cruise with Swim: $14

Tours and Activities in Santiago

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

  • Private Half-Day Guided Tour of the City of Santiago.: $280
  • Private Sightseeing City Tour in Valparaíso and Viña del Mar: $240
  • "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial español: $26
  • 1 Day Tour of Viña Concha y Toro from Santiago: $120
  • 4 Hour Santa Rita Winery All inclusive Tour for Wine Lover: $269
  • A Fabulous Walking tour by the Old Santiago of Chile -small group: $25
  • A full Private Tour of Valparaiso from Santiago : $240
  • A historical tour of Santiago, Chile: $18
  • An Architect's Tour of Downtown Santiago: $55
  • Andean Adventure: Cajón del Maipo & Santuario del Río Spa: $132
  • Andean Horse Ride Yerba Loca Sanctuary - Private tour from Santiago: $240
  • Andes Day Lagoon in Cajón del Maipo & Embalse el Yeso Private Tour: $200

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Tenerife 6.43
    Santiago 7.15

Sample the Local Flavors in Tenerife

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Tenerife:

  • Wine tasting and Canarian products in La Orotava: $20
  • Valley of Tegueste: Wine Tour with Tasting at El Lomo Winery: $21
  • Tenerife : Brewery guided tour with tasting at TACOA Brewery: $23
  • Ecological Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting: $54
  • Full-Day Gastronomy and Wine Tour: $96
  • Wine tasting "Tenerife grape varieties": $179
  • Volcano Teide Buggy Tour with Wine Tasting & Tapas: $247

Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago

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

  • Ludwig's Original Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entry: $34
  • Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Wine Tasting: $60
  • Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $63
  • Undurraga Wine tour: $70
  • Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $70
  • Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $79
  • Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with wine tasting in Casablanca: $79
  • Inca Lagoon and Vineyard Visit with Wine Tasting: $80
  • Half Day Trip to Cousiño Macul Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $87
  • Half Day Trip to Concha y Toro Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $87
  • Maipo Valley Wine Tour with 4 vineyards from Santiago.: $89
  • Kross Brewery Tour: A Craft Beer Tasting Experience: $93


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tenerife and Santiago, we can see that Tenerife is more expensive. And not only is Santiago much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tenerife is in Europe and Santiago is in South 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 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 Tenerife would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tenerife 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 Tenerife Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.



When is the best time to visit Tenerife or Santiago?

Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Santiago is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Tenerife has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].

Should I visit Tenerife or Santiago in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Tenerife as well as Santiago. Many travelers come to Tenerife for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.

In the summer, Tenerife is around the same temperature as Santiago. Typically, the summer temperatures in Tenerife in July average around 23°C (73°F), and Santiago averages at about 21°C (70°F)in January.

Tenerife usually gets less rain in July than Santiagoin January. Tenerife gets 2 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July and January
    Tenerife 23°C (73°F) 
    Santiago 21°C (70°F)

Should I visit Tenerife or Santiago in the Autumn?

Both Santiago and Tenerife are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Tenerife in the autumn for the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.

In October, Tenerife is generally a little warmer than Santiagoin April. Daily temperatures in Tenerife average around 22°C (72°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).

In October, Tenerife usually receives more rain than Santiagoin April. Tenerife gets 26 mm (1 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October and April
    Tenerife 22°C (72°F) 
    Santiago 15°C (59°F)

Should I visit Tenerife or Santiago in the Winter?

Both Santiago and Tenerife during the winter are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Tenerife for the shopping scene and the cuisine during these months.

Tenerife is much warmer than Santiago in the winter. The daily temperature in Tenerife averages around 17°C (63°F) in January, and Santiago fluctuates around 9°C (48°F)in July.

Tenerife usually gets less rain in January than Santiagoin July. Tenerife gets 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January and July
    Tenerife 17°C (63°F) 
    Santiago 9°C (48°F)

Should I visit Tenerife or Santiago in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Tenerife and Santiago. The spring months attract visitors to Tenerife because of the beaches and the natural beauty.

In the spring, Tenerife is a little warmer than Santiago. Typically, the spring temperatures in Tenerife in April average around 18°C (64°F), and Santiago averages at about 15°C (59°F)in October.

In April, Tenerife usually receives more rain than Santiagoin October. Tenerife gets 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April and October
    Tenerife 18°C (64°F) 
    Santiago 15°C (59°F)

Typical Weather for Santiago and Tenerife

Tenerife Santiago
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 17°C (63°F) 43 mm (1.7 in) 21°C (70°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Feb 17°C (63°F) 42 mm (1.7 in) 20°C (68°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Mar 18°C (64°F) 38 mm (1.5 in) 18°C (64°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Apr 18°C (64°F) 19 mm (0.7 in) 15°C (59°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
May 19°C (66°F) 8 mm (0.3 in) 12°C (54°F) 50 mm (2 in)
Jun 21°C (70°F) 4 mm (0.2 in) 9°C (48°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)
Jul 23°C (73°F) 2 mm (0.1 in) 9°C (48°F) 80 mm (3.1 in)
Aug 24°C (75°F) 3 mm (0.1 in) 10°C (50°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)
Sep 23°C (73°F) 9 mm (0.4 in) 12°C (54°F) 20 mm (0.8 in)
Oct 22°C (72°F) 26 mm (1 in) 15°C (59°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Nov 20°C (68°F) 47 mm (1.9 in) 17°C (63°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Dec 17°C (63°F) 56 mm (2.2 in) 20°C (68°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)