Which place is cheaper, Koh Tao or Santiago?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Santiago or Koh Tao?
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 Santiago and Koh Tao. 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: Santiago or Koh Tao?
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.
Koh Tao
With a name that literally means, "Turtle Island," Koh Tao, Thailand is the type of vacation spot divers dream of. There is the faintest current and a buffet of dive sites and shops.
This tiny island hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, but take not that there are no garbage disposal facilities. Everything that can't be burnt needs to be taken from the island. Avoid plastic bags, and don't dump your trash in the open landscape (then again, why would you?) because there are no departments for road clean up. Water and electricity on the island are scarce, so use them wisely.
Keep in mind that monsoon season from November to January so you may be faced with constant rain for days at a time in those months.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, The Best Luxury Tours to Chile, The Best Tours for Seniors to Thailand, and The Best Contiki Tours to Thailand.
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Santiago Prices
Chile PricesKoh Tao Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantiago $150Koh Tao $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Santiago is $150, while the average daily cost in Koh Tao is $50. 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 Santiago and Koh Tao in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantiago $109Koh Tao $16
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantiago $218Koh Tao $32
Compare Hotels in Santiago and Koh Tao
Looking for a hotel in Santiago or Koh Tao? 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: Santiago Hotel Prices and Koh Tao Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santiago $5.41Koh Tao $9.98
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$1.13
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Koh Tao
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Koh Tao:
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Motorbike Rental$5.97
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Chumpon to Koh Tao Ferry$20
Is it cheaper to fly into Santiago or Koh Tao?
Prices for flights to both Koh Tao and Santiago 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 daySantiago $23Koh Tao $18
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.88
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Hamburger$2.50
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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.
- 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
Typical Food Prices in Koh Tao
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Koh Tao:
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Sit Down Lunch (for One)$6.28
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Breakfast$4.71
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Casual Breakfast (for Two)$3.77
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Fancy Dinner (for Two)$15
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Pancake$2.20
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American Breakfast (for Two)$8.79
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Dinner at Bam Bam (for Two)$8.48
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Koh Tao
For Koh Tao, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Half Day Thai Cooking Class with Sea View from Koh Tao : $51
- Memorable Thai Cooking Class with Stunning View from Koh Tao : $55
- Private Thai Cooking Class at Rooftop Kitchen on Koh Tao: $208
- Koh Tao Private Rooftop Thai Cooking Class with Scenic View: $222
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santiago $47Koh Tao $30
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
- 6 Hour Tour of Culture, History and Flavors from Santiago: $75
- 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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Koh Tao
For Koh Tao, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Kayak Rental (One Hour)$7.85
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Snorkel Rental$3.14
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Kayak and Snorkel (2)$3.14
Tours and Activities in Koh Tao
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Koh Tao.
- Full day snorkeling adventure around Koh Tao: $24
- Amazing 5 Point Snorkeling Tour in Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan: $24
- Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Tao 5 Point Snorkeling Tour: $27
- Snorkelling Trip 5 Island Tour Around Koh Tao and Koh Nang yuan: $27
- Snorkel Tour to Koh Nangyuan and the hidden bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $27
- No Rush Morning & Afternoon 5 Stop Snorkeling tour for Koh Tao: $27
- 5 Islands Full-Day Tour Around Koh Tao and Koh Nangyuan: $27
- Koh Tao Top Crystal Clear Snorkeling Day Tour by Big Boat : $27
- Koh Tao Snorkeling Tour to Hidden Bays and Koh Nang Yuan : $29
- Koh Tao's First Light Snorkel Adventure with Oxygen Tours: $32
- Premium Snorkel Tour to the Bays of Koh Tao onboard the Oxygen: $37
- CocoTipAdventures and Snorkel with Meals-BBQs-Cocktail-Sunset: $54
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantiago $8.40Koh Tao $8.22
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Koh Tao
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Koh Tao from other travelers:
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Beer$2.04
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Bottle of Wine$12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santiago and Koh Tao, we can see that Santiago is more expensive. And not only is Koh Tao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santiago is in South America and Koh Tao is in Asia, 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 Koh Tao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Koh Tao 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 Koh Tao.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santiago Expensive? and Is Koh Tao Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santiago or Koh Tao?
Santiago has a larger population, and is about 3500 times larger than the population of Koh Tao. When comparing the sizes of Santiago and Koh Tao, 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 Santiago or Koh Tao?
Santiago has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Koh Tao experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Santiago or Koh Tao in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Santiago as well as Koh Tao. The warm climate attracts visitors to Koh Tao throughout the year.
Santiago is cooler than Koh Tao in the summer. The daily temperature in Santiago averages around 21°C (70°F) in January, and Koh Tao fluctuates around 24°C (76°F)in July.
It's quite rainy in Koh Tao. Santiago usually gets less rain in January than Koh Taoin July. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Koh Tao receives 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulySantiago 21°C (70°F)Koh Tao 24°C (76°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Koh Tao in the Autumn?
Both Koh Tao and Santiago are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Koh Tao because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the autumn, Santiago is much colder than Koh Tao. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Santiago in April average around 15°C (59°F), and Koh Tao averages at about 24°C (76°F)in October.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Koh Tao. In April, Santiago usually receives less rain than Koh Taoin October. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Koh Tao receives 276 mm (10.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn. The rainy season in Koh Tao is October and November.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberSantiago 15°C (59°F)Koh Tao 24°C (76°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Koh Tao in the Winter?
Both Koh Tao and Santiago during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Koh Tao year-round.
In July, Santiago is generally much colder than Koh Taoin January. Daily temperatures in Santiago average around 9°C (48°F), and Koh Tao fluctuates around 22°C (72°F).
Santiago usually gets less rain in July than Koh Taoin January. Santiago gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Koh Tao receives 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year. February to June is the dry season in Koh Tao.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuarySantiago 9°C (48°F)Koh Tao 22°C (72°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Koh Tao in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Santiago and Koh Tao. Koh Tao attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Santiago is much colder than Koh Tao in the spring. The daily temperature in Santiago averages around 15°C (59°F) in October, and Koh Tao fluctuates around 25°C (77°F)in April.
In October, Santiago usually receives less rain than Koh Taoin April. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Koh Tao receives 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain each month for the spring. February to June in Koh Tao is the dry season.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilSantiago 15°C (59°F)Koh Tao 25°C (77°F)
Typical Weather for Koh Tao and Santiago
| Santiago | Koh Tao | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Mar | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 57 mm (2.2 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| May | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 189 mm (7.4 in) |
| Jun | 9°C (48°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 174 mm (6.9 in) |
| Jul | 9°C (48°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 174 mm (6.9 in) |
| Aug | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 25°C (76°F) | 206 mm (8.1 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (54°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 158 mm (6.2 in) |
| Oct | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 24°C (76°F) | 276 mm (10.9 in) |
| Nov | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 380 mm (15 in) |
| Dec | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 118 mm (4.6 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.