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

Should you visit Brisbane or Santiago?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Brisbane and Santiago can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Brisbane or Santiago?

Brisbane

Although Brisbane is often overlooked as a travel destination in Australia, it is the capital of the state of Queensland, and is the third largest city in Australia. It's a very young and vibrant city with an active nightlife and a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. It's a modern and economically thriving city and, if you do have time to visit, it actually has a lot to offer travelers. It has some beautiful scenery, a wonderful warm climate all year long, and is actually one of the fastest growing cities in Australia.

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 Family-Friendly Tours to Australia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Australia, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Brisbane?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Brisbane is $154, while the average daily cost in Santiago is $150. 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 Brisbane and Santiago in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Brisbane $81
    Santiago $109
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Brisbane $162
    Santiago $218
Compare Hotels in Brisbane and Santiago

Looking for a hotel in Brisbane 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 Brisbane


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: Brisbane Hotel Prices and Santiago Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Brisbane $18
    Santiago $5.41
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Brisbane

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Brisbane:


  • Airtrain to the City
    $9.81
  • Go Card
    $16

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Brisbane

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

  • Brisbane Airport: Shared Transfer to Brisbane: $22
  • BNE Airport to City | Gold Coast Private Transfer: $40
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Brisbane Airport to Hotel: $54
  • Brisbane Airport: Shared Transfer to Gold Coast: $56
  • Secrets St Lucia Airport Transfer: $58
  • Brisbane Airport: Shared Transfer to Sunshine Coast: $59
  • Luxury Airport Transfer Gold Coast-Brisbane / Brisbane-Gold Coast: $60
  • Brisbane to Brisbane Airport (BNE) - Departure Private Transfer: $84
  • Brisbane Airport (BNE) to Brisbane - Arrival Private Transfer: $84
  • Brisbane Airport (BNE) to Brisbane hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $85
  • NOOSA: Private Transfer to/fro Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY): $96
  • UVF Luxury Transfer To Secrets St. Lucia Roundtrip: $100

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santiago

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


  • Metro Ride
    $1.13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:

  • Private Scenic Transfer to Mendoza.: $467
  • Airport Transfer and Halfday City tour Santiago de Chile: $362
  • Private Santiago Visit Haras de Pirque Winery & Transfer Hotel: $300
  • Private Transfer San Antonio Cruise from Santiago to Valparaiso: $300
  • Transfer Santiago to Cruise Port in Valparaiso or San Antonio: $290
  • Transfer Private hotel to Cruise ship in Puerto San Antonio or Valparaiso: $270
  • Santiago de Chile : private transfer in SUV to Viña del mar or Valparaíso: $270
  • Private Transfer to Sewell UNESCO Andes Town Tour with Lunch: $269
  • Maipo Valley Wine Tour, Concha y Toro, Private Transfer from Santiago: $262
  • Private Transfer from Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) Airport to Viña del Mar: $261
  • Private Transfer From Santiago airport to San Antonio Pier or Valparaiso Pier : $251
  • Santiago Airport (SCL) to Santo Domingo - Round-Trip Transfer: $240

Is it cheaper to fly into Brisbane or Santiago?

Prices for flights to both Santiago and Brisbane 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
    Brisbane $54
    Santiago $23
Typical Food Prices in Brisbane

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Brisbane:


  • Hamburger Lunch
    $5.23
  • Cup of Coffee
    $1.96
  • Chinese Food Lunch
    $8.18
  • Ice cream
    $3.60
  • Japanese Meal
    $14
  • Smoothie
    $4.25
  • Japanese Soup
    $7.52
  • Coffee & Muffin
    $4.58
  • Morning Mint Tea
    $2.29
  • Veggie Burger & Chips
    $9.16
  • Bread
    $1.70

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Brisbane

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

  • Gold Coast: Glow Worms, Sunset & Stargazing with BBQ dinner: $118
  • Vertigo Dinner – Dining on the Edge: $165
  • Dinner on the Edge with Vertigo Brisbane: $168
  • Local Icons Food Tour: $354

Typical Food Prices in Santiago

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


  • Empanada
    $1.88
  • Hamburger
    $2.50
  • Dinner
    $26

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.
    Brisbane $24
    Santiago $47
Typical Entertainment Prices in Brisbane

For Brisbane, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Concert Tickets
    $13

Tours and Activities in Brisbane

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

  • Escape to Coochiemudlo Island: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
  • Tour, Taste & Camel Encounter: $17
  • Fortitude Valley Historical Crime Walking Tour: $22
  • True Crime Tour: $22
  • Winery Tour and Tasting: $23
  • True Crime Walking Tour: $25
  • Haunted CBD Ghost Tour: $25
  • Moonlight State Fortitude Valley Crime Tour Crime Tours Australia: $26
  • Haunted Brisbane CBD Ghost Tour: $26
  • Adventure Theme Scavenger Hunt Experience in Brisbane: $27
  • Solve a Detective Case in a themed adventure: $31
  • Alice In Puzzleland an Escape Hunt Brisbane Experience: $32

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
    Brisbane $50
    Santiago $8.40
Typical Alcohol Prices in Brisbane

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Brisbane:


  • Evening at the Bar
    $9.81
  • Sixpack of Beer
    $9.16
  • Guiness Beer
    $5.56
  • Sixpack of Beer
    $8.50

Sample the Local Flavors in Brisbane

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Brisbane:

  • XXXX Brewery Tour: $25
  • Hop on Hop off Brewery Adventure : $66
  • Island Pub Crawl with Lunch and High Speed Boat Tour in Brisbane : $101
  • Afternoon Brisbane Half-Day Brewery Tour: $107
  • Hop on Hop off Wine tasting tour to Tamborine Mountain: $110
  • Island Pub Crawl with Lunch and High-Speed Boat: $116
  • Hinterland Heritage Wine Tour : $134
  • Brisbane Brewery Full Day Tour with Lunch: $140
  • Gold Coast Full Day Brewery Tour: $140
  • Deluxe Wine Tour to Tamborine Mountain, includes two course lunch: $148
  • Tamborine Wine & Distillery Tour + 2 Course Lunch: $165
  • Mount Tamborine Wine Tasting Tour from Brisbane or the Gold Coast: $168

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 comparing the travel costs between Brisbane and Santiago, we can see that Brisbane is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Brisbane is in Pacific and Santiago is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Brisbane Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Brisbane or Santiago?

Santiago has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Brisbane. When comparing the sizes of Brisbane 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 Brisbane or Santiago?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.

Should I visit Brisbane or Santiago in the Summer?

Both Santiago and Brisbane during the summer are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Brisbane in the summer for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences.

In January, Brisbane is generally a little warmer than Santiago. Daily temperatures in Brisbane average around 25°C (77°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).

It rains a lot this time of the year in Brisbane. Brisbane usually gets more rain in January than Santiago. Brisbane gets 169 mm (6.7 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures January
    Brisbane 25°C (77°F) 
    Santiago 21°C (70°F)

Should I visit Brisbane or Santiago in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Brisbane and Santiago. Most visitors come to Brisbane for the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, and the shopping scene during these months.

Brisbane is a little warmer than Santiago in the autumn. The daily temperature in Brisbane averages around 22°C (71°F) in April, and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).

Brisbane gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Brisbane usually receives more rain than Santiago. Brisbane gets 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures April
    Brisbane 22°C (71°F) 
    Santiago 15°C (59°F)

Should I visit Brisbane or Santiago in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Brisbane as well as Santiago. The winter months attract visitors to Brisbane because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

In the winter, Brisbane is much warmer than Santiago. Typically, the winter temperatures in Brisbane in July average around 15°C (59°F), and Santiago averages at about 9°C (48°F).

Brisbane usually gets less rain in July than Santiago. Brisbane gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures July
    Brisbane 15°C (59°F) 
    Santiago 9°C (48°F)

Should I visit Brisbane or Santiago in the Spring?

Both Santiago and Brisbane are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The beaches and the activities around the city are the main draw to Brisbane this time of year.

In October, Brisbane is generally a little warmer than Santiago. Daily temperatures in Brisbane average around 21°C (69°F), and Santiago fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).

In October, Brisbane usually receives more rain than Santiago. Brisbane gets 93 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Santiago receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures October
    Brisbane 21°C (69°F) 
    Santiago 15°C (59°F)

Typical Weather for Santiago and Brisbane

Brisbane Santiago
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 25°C (77°F) 169 mm (6.7 in) 21°C (70°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Feb 25°C (77°F) 152 mm (6 in) 20°C (68°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Mar 24°C (75°F) 146 mm (5.7 in) 18°C (64°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Apr 22°C (71°F) 112 mm (4.4 in) 15°C (59°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
May 19°C (66°F) 104 mm (4.1 in) 12°C (54°F) 50 mm (2 in)
Jun 16°C (61°F) 77 mm (3 in) 9°C (48°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)
Jul 15°C (59°F) 64 mm (2.5 in) 9°C (48°F) 80 mm (3.1 in)
Aug 16°C (61°F) 46 mm (1.8 in) 10°C (50°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)
Sep 18°C (65°F) 33 mm (1.3 in) 12°C (54°F) 20 mm (0.8 in)
Oct 21°C (69°F) 93 mm (3.7 in) 15°C (59°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Nov 23°C (73°F) 107 mm (4.2 in) 17°C (63°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Dec 24°C (76°F) 127 mm (5 in) 20°C (68°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)