Should you visit Nairobi or Santiago?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Nairobi and Santiago can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Nairobi or Santiago?
Nairobi
Nairobi is Kenya's capital as well as the country's largest city. With a population of about 3 million, it is also one of the largest cities in Africa. It is a prominent city both politically and financially within the region. There are many international companies that are located in Nairobi and the Nairobi Securities and Exchange is one of the largest in Africa.
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 Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.
Which place is cheaper, Santiago or Nairobi?
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 Nairobi is $67, 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 Nairobi and Santiago in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi 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:
Nairobi Hotel Prices and
Santiago Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nairobi
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Nairobi:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Safe and Private Airport transfer in Nairobi :
$20
-
Private Airport Transfer and Service in Nairobi:
$20
-
Nairobi Airport Transfer, Hotel Pick up and Drop Off:
$20
-
Private Airport Transfers To or From Nairobi Airports.:
$25
-
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Private Transfer:
$27
-
Private One-Way Transfer from Nairobi:
$27
-
Mwashi Airport Transfer & Taxi:
$27
-
Nairobi Airport Transfers to Wilson Airport or City Hotels:
$28
-
From Wilson Airport: Nairobi private transfer in a car (3 pax):
$30
-
From JKIA Airport: Nairobi private transfer in a car (3 pax max):
$35
-
Nairobi airport transfer:
$35
-
Airport Transfers:
$40
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santiago
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santiago:
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 Nairobi or Santiago?
Prices for flights to both Santiago and Nairobi 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
Nairobi $13
Santiago $23
Typical Food Prices in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Carnivore Restaurant: Lunch or Dinner Experience in Nairobi:
$21
-
Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class and Dining Experience:
$40
-
Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour :
$55
-
Private Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class with Lunch in Nairobi:
$60
-
Carnivore restaurant Dinner or lunch from Nairobi:
$65
-
Safari Park Dinner with Safari Cats Dance Show:
$97
-
Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner:
$100
-
Nairobi dinner and safari cat dancers :
$100
-
Authentic Local Kenyan Food Tour:
$108
-
Carnivore Restaurant Dinner Experience in Nairobi:
$125
-
Nairobi Carnivore Restaurant Lunch / Dinner Experience:
$125
-
Barbecue Dinner & Entertainment in Nairobi :
$135
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Nairobi
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Nairobi's activities, tours, and tickets:
Tours and Activities in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Nairobi Walking City Culture Tour:
$20
-
Nairobi Historic Downtown City WalkingTour:
$20
-
Nairobi City Walk Tour :
$23
-
Nairobi City Tour:
$25
-
Mathare Community Slum Tour:
$26
-
Carnivore Restaurant Nairobi Dinning experience-transport:
$30
-
Nairobi Historical Walking Half Day Tour :
$35
-
Kibera Slum Tour with Lucas :
$35
-
Nairobi national park Elephant orphanage and giraffe center tour.:
$38
-
Nairobi National Park Half Day Game Drive Tour With FREE Pick up:
$39
-
Walking tour in Nairobi town:
$40
-
Nairobi National Park Half-Day Game Drive Guided Tour:
$40
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
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 Nairobi and Santiago, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Nairobi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Nairobi is in Africa 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 Nairobi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Nairobi 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 Santiago would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santiago than you might in Nairobi.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Nairobi Expensive? and Is Santiago Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Santiago?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 76% larger than the population of Nairobi. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi 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.
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