Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Thessaloniki?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Thessaloniki or Santiago?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Thessaloniki or Santiago? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Thessaloniki or Santiago?
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece and serves as the capital city of the Central Macedonia region. It also has a rich history dating back more than 3,000 years. As a visitor, you'll find that the city has been touched by the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires, all of which left their mark. In particular, the many Byzantine churches are quite impressive, with some of them listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
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 Tours for Seniors to Greece, The Best Contiki Tours to Greece, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile.
-
Thessaloniki Prices
Greece PricesSantiago Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayThessaloniki €165Santiago €134
The average daily cost (per person) in Thessaloniki is €165, while the average daily cost in Santiago is €134. 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 Thessaloniki and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personThessaloniki €79Santiago €97
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomThessaloniki €158Santiago €194
Compare Hotels in Thessaloniki and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Thessaloniki 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.
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: Thessaloniki Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Thessaloniki €13Santiago €4.82
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Thessaloniki
Also for Thessaloniki, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Bus Transfer to/from Kavala: $27
- One Way Private Transfer SKG Airport to / from Thessaloniki City Center: $28
- Thessaloniki Airport Private Transfer Service: $30
- Thessaloniki Airport SKG Private Arrival Transfer: $41
- Thessaloniki Airport Private Departure Transfer from city center: $41
- Private Transfer from Thessaloniki hotels to Thessaloniki Port: $44
- Private Transfer - Thessaloniki Port to Thessaloniki Airport SKG: $44
- Private Transfer - Thessaloniki Airport SKG to Thessaloniki Port: $44
- Private Transfer from Thessaloniki Port to Thessaloniki hotels: $44
- Thessaloniki Airport or Cruise Port Private Departure Transfer: $47
- Transfer from SKG Thesaloniki airport to Thessaloniki city hotels: $59
- Private Transfers from and to Thessaloniki Airport SKG: $64
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santiago
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santiago:
-
Metro Ride€1.01
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Villard Winery with exclusive guide + Premium Transfer: $220
- Valparaíso Cruise Port Transfer with Viña del Mar & Vineyard: $90
- Transfer to San Antonio port with Valparaiso & Casablanca tour: $95
- 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 by Electric Car SCL Airport Santiago, Chile: $61
- Transfer Private Airport SCL to Hotels and Airbnb in Santiago: $60
- Transfer Parque Farellones Fullday 50%OFF: $59
- Transfer From Portillo Ski center to Santiago Airport or Hotel: $97
- Transfer Airport/Port - Hotel: $65
- Tour to Santiago and Valparaiso with Transfers included: $150
Is it cheaper to fly into Thessaloniki or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Thessaloniki 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 dayThessaloniki €72Santiago €20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Thessaloniki
For Thessaloniki, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Open Market Food Tour with Tasting: $52
- Walking Open Market Food Tour and Tasting: $53
- Thessaloniki Food Tour : Eat Like a Local (Small Group): $59
- Cooking Experience with Local Greek Family: $68
- Sweet Taste Of Thessaloniki - Food Tour With A Local: $74
- Food Tour with Rooftop Views: $75
- Kavala Food Tour :Taste Local Delicacies with a guide: $77
- Guided Food Tour: $81
- Food Tour in Thessaloniki: $83
- Thessaloniki Food Tour: A Feast of Local Delicacies: $88
- Get a Taste of Thessaloniki - Food tour to local tastes: $88
- Thessaloniki Food Tour: A Feast of Local Delicacies: $90
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
-
Empanada€1.68
-
Hamburger€2.23
-
Dinner€23
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
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Thessaloniki €26Santiago €42
Tours and Activities in Thessaloniki
For Thessaloniki, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- White Tower Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.22
- Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour & Narrative: $9.22
- Thessaloniki:Selfie Museum, a 60-minute immersive experience: $13
- Museum of Illusions Admission Ticket: $13
- Ancient Greek Technology Museum Entry Ticket: $14
- Thessaloniki Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Tour: $20
- City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $20
- City Sightseeing Thessaloniki Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $20
- Byzantine Museum E-Ticket with Audio Tour: $21
- E-ticket to Byzantine Culture Museum & Thessaloniki Audio Tour: $21
- Sunset Rooftop Yoga Experience: $22
- Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Open-Top Bus Tour: $22
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
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayThessaloniki €15Santiago €7.48
Sample the Local Flavors in Thessaloniki
Also in Thessaloniki, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Cellar Wine Tasting of Greek Varieties: $55
- From Pozar Baths & Wine Tasting: $63
- Agia Kori Waterfalls and Wine Tasting on Mount Olympus: $88
- Wine Tasting & Farm tour in Thessaloniki: $94
- Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour with Appetizers: $97
- Ktima Gerovassiliou Wine Tour & Museum – Thessaloniki”: $105
- Greek Wine Tasting & Tour at Ktima Gerovasiliou: $110
- Winery Tour and Wine Tasting: $110
- Kavala: Winery tour & Wine Tasting with food pairings in Kavala: $112
- Private Day Trip to Petralona Cave and Afytos with Wine Tasting: $142
- Alexander the Great and Northern Greece Wine Tour: $254
- Halkidiki Wine Tour with Aristotle's Park: $577
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Thessaloniki and Santiago, we can see that Thessaloniki is more expensive. And not only is Santiago much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Thessaloniki 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 Thessaloniki would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Thessaloniki 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 Thessaloniki Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Thessaloniki or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Thessaloniki. When comparing the sizes of Thessaloniki and Santiago, 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 Thessaloniki 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 Thessaloniki has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Thessaloniki or Santiago in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Thessaloniki as well as Santiago. Most visitors come to Thessaloniki for the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
Thessaloniki is a little warmer than Santiago in the summer. The daily temperature in Thessaloniki averages around 25°C (77°F) in July, and Santiago fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in January.
Thessaloniki usually gets more rain in July than Santiagoin January. Thessaloniki gets 26 mm (1 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryThessaloniki 25°C (77°F)Santiago 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Thessaloniki or Santiago in the Autumn?
Both Santiago and Thessaloniki are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Thessaloniki because of the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene.
In the autumn, Thessaloniki is around the same temperature as Santiago. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Thessaloniki in October average around 16°C (61°F), and Santiago averages at about 15°C (59°F)in April.
In October, Thessaloniki usually receives more rain than Santiagoin April. Thessaloniki gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilThessaloniki 16°C (61°F)Santiago 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Thessaloniki or Santiago in the Winter?
Both Santiago and Thessaloniki during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Thessaloniki this time of year.
In January, Thessaloniki is generally much colder than Santiagoin July. Daily temperatures in Thessaloniki average around 5°C (41°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 9°C (48°F).
Thessaloniki usually gets less rain in January than Santiagoin July. Thessaloniki gets 37 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyThessaloniki 5°C (41°F)Santiago 9°C (48°F)
Should I visit Thessaloniki or Santiago in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Thessaloniki and Santiago. Many travelers come to Thessaloniki for the beaches and the activities around the city.
Thessaloniki is cooler than Santiago in the spring. The daily temperature in Thessaloniki averages around 13°C (56°F) in April, and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F)in October.
In April, Thessaloniki usually receives more rain than Santiagoin October. Thessaloniki gets 36 mm (1.4 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberThessaloniki 13°C (56°F)Santiago 15°C (59°F)
Typical Weather for Santiago and Thessaloniki
| Thessaloniki | Santiago | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 5°C (41°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 7°C (44°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Mar | 9°C (49°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 13°C (56°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 18°C (65°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 23°C (73°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Aug | 25°C (76°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Sep | 21°C (70°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Nov | 11°C (52°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Dec | 7°C (44°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 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.