Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Zurich?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Zurich or Santiago?
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 Zurich and Santiago. 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: Zurich or Santiago?
Zurich
Zurich has the biggest connection for trains in Switzerland. It also has the country's biggest and busiest airport. Because of its importance as a transportation center, it is likely to be the first place you visit in Switzerland. It is the financial capital of the country (although, contrary to what you may have thought, not the political capital). It has many international companies, and is home to the country's stock exchange.
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 Sightseeing Tours in Switzerland, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Switzerland, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayZurich $271Santiago $143
The average daily cost (per person) in Zurich is $271, while the average daily cost in Santiago is $143. 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 Zurich and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personZurich $171Santiago $111
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomZurich $342Santiago $222
Compare Hotels in Zurich and Santiago
Looking for a hotel in Zurich 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: Zurich Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Zurich $36Santiago $5.48
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Zurich
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Zurich:
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City Pass (2)$29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zurich
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zurich:
- Zurich Airport (ZRH) to Zurich - Arrival Private Transfer: $41
- Private Transfer From Hotel To Zurich Airport or Vice Versa: $56
- Private One-way Airport Transfer Zurich Airport To/From Zurich: $65
- Noumea Cruise Port to Noumea hotels - Arrival Private Transfer : $71
- Private Transfer from Zurich Airport (ZRH) to Zurich City Center: $76
- Private Transfer: Zurich to Zurich Airport ZRH in Business Car: $82
- Zurich Airport (ZRH) to Grindelwald/Wengen - Arrival Transfer: $87
- Private Transfer From Hotel in Zurich To Zurich Airport: $88
- Private Transfer From Zurich Airport To Hotel in Zurich: $88
- Private Zurich Transfer: $90
- Private Transfer: Zurich Airport ZRH to Zurich in Luxury Van: $91
- Private Transfer: Zurich to Zurich Airport ZRH in Luxury Van: $91
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$1.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Arturo Merino Benítez Intl Airport: Shared Transfer: $24
- Private Departure Transfer from Santiago- Santiago Airport (SCL): $27
- Private Transfer From The Hotel in Santiago City To the Airport: $29
- Departure Transfer - Hotel in Santiago to Santiago International Airport: $35
- Private Santiago Airport to Santiago Transfer: $35
- From Farellones Roundtrip Transfer: $35
- Arrival Transfer - Santiago International Airport to Hotel in Santiago: $35
- Valle Nevado Ski Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $39
- Private Transfer between Santiago and the Airport: $51
- Airport transfer between Santiago city center and Arturo Merino Benítez Airport: $51
- Transfer Privado Entre Santiago Y El Aeropuerto: $52
- Transfer from Santiago Airport to Santiago Centro Commune: $52
Is it cheaper to fly into Zurich or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Zurich 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 dayZurich $62Santiago $13
Typical Food Prices in Zurich
Some typical examples of dining costs in Zurich are as follows:
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Breakfast for 2$13
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.91
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Hamburger$2.54
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Dinner$26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santiago
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santiago.
- Traditional Chilean Show with Dinner and Private Transportation in Santiago: $107
- Traditional Dinner Show in Santiago: $107
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai: $109
- Sunset at Alyan Family Wines Winery with Dinner: $116
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Chilean Cooking Class in a Local Home: $117
- Small-Group Night City Tour: San Cristobal Hill and Dinner Show: $120
- 4-Hour Private Night Tour with Dinner and Show: $150
- Private Dinner and Show with Transfers: $158
- Traditional Chilean Cooking Class with a Local in Her Santiago Countryside Home: $168
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Zurich $36Santiago $48
Tours and Activities in Zurich
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zurich are as follows:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Zurich in the Mirror of the Past: Self-Guided Reading Tour: $5.52
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.40
- Escape Game and Tour: $6.46
- Zurich Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and Tour: $6.46
- Best of Zürich: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in English: $7.95
- Fun adventure tour of Outdoor Escape Game: $8.60
- Historical Zürich: A Self-Guided Audio Tour Through the city of 1,000 Fountains: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Zürich: Swiss Finance Museum Admission Ticket: $11
- The Dark Side of Self-Guided Audio City Tour: $11
- Zurich in the Mirror of the Past: Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- Explore Santiago's Soul: Walking In-App Audio Tour: $5.00
- Explore Santiago's Soul: Walking In-App Audio Tour: $5.00
- Santiago Cathedral's Bell Tower Official Tour: $9.00
- La Paz from the Heights: Down hill Walking tour & Cable Cars: $12
- Cable Car Admission Ticket: $15
- Cousiño Macul Official Winery Tour with Tasting: $23
- Skip the Line: Concha y Toro Traditional Tour Ticket: $25
- Walking tour through Santiago: $26
- From Valle Nevado and Farellones Small Group Tour: $29
- The Essentials City Tour & Optional Concha y Toro: $30
- Half Day tradicional city Tour: $30
- TOUR PANORAMICO VALLE NEVADO Y FARELLONES: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayZurich $30Santiago $8.51
Sample the Local Flavors in Zurich
Also in Zurich, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl Nightlife Tour with Shots and Snacks: $33
- Informative wine tasting with Italian appetizers in the secure wine cellar: $155
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago
Also in Santiago, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Premium Wine Tour in Viña Cousiño Macul Spanish official: $37
- Concha y Toro Ticket and Tour with Wine Tasting: $50
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $50
- Undurraga Wine tour: $63
- Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $70
- Private Tour: Santa Rita Vineyard with Wine Tastings: $72
- From Concha y Toro Marqués Half-Day Wine Tasting: $89
- half day wine tour to concha y toro from Santiago seasonal offer: $95
- From Maipo Valley Wine Tour: $99
- Maipo Valley Wine Tour with 4 vineyards from Santiago.: $99
- Private Tour: Viña del Mar and Valparaíso Tour with Wine Tasting in Casablanca Valley: $143
- Colchagua Premium Wine Tour from Santiago: $145
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zurich and Santiago, we can see that Zurich is more expensive. And not only is Santiago much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Zurich 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 Zurich would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Zurich 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 Zurich Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Zurich or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Zurich. When comparing the sizes of Zurich 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 Zurich 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 Zurich has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Zurich or Santiago in the Summer?
Both Santiago and Zurich are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The summer months attract visitors to Zurich because of the music scene and the family-friendly experiences.
Zurich is around the same temperature as Santiago in the summer. The daily temperature in Zurich averages around 21°C (70°F) in July, and Santiago fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in January.
In July, Zurich usually receives more rain than Santiagoin January. Zurich gets 89 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryZurich 21°C (70°F)Santiago 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Zurich or Santiago in the Autumn?
Both Santiago and Zurich during the autumn are popular places to visit. The shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Zurich this time of year.
In the autumn, Zurich is cooler than Santiago. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Zurich in October average around 13°C (56°F), and Santiago averages at about 15°C (59°F)in April.
Zurich usually gets more rain in October than Santiagoin April. Zurich gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilZurich 13°C (56°F)Santiago 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Zurich or Santiago in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Zurich and Santiago. Many travelers come to Zurich for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Zurich. In January, Zurich is generally much colder than Santiagoin July. Daily temperatures in Zurich average around 3°C (37°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 9°C (48°F).
In January, Zurich usually receives around the same amount of rain as Santiagoin July. Zurich gets 77 mm (3 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyZurich 3°C (37°F)Santiago 9°C (48°F)
Should I visit Zurich or Santiago in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Zurich as well as Santiago. Many visitors come to Zurich in the spring for the natural beauty.
Zurich is cooler than Santiago in the spring. The daily temperature in Zurich averages around 12°C (53°F) in April, and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F)in October.
Zurich usually gets more rain in April than Santiagoin October. Zurich gets 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberZurich 12°C (53°F)Santiago 15°C (59°F)
Typical Weather for Santiago and Zurich
| Zurich | Santiago | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (37°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 5°C (40°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Mar | 8°C (46°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 12°C (53°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 16°C (60°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 19°C (66°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Jul | 21°C (70°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Aug | 21°C (69°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (64°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Oct | 13°C (56°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (45°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Dec | 4°C (39°F) | 83 mm (3.3 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.