Chile on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Chile on a budget is possible but takes planning: a realistic minimum is about CLP$60,000 per person per day (bed CLP$20,000, food CLP$20,000, sights CLP$15,000, transport CLP$5,000), plus domestic flights. Santiago and Valparaíso are easy on a budget; the Atacama and Patagonia are harder.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | CLP$20,000 | CLP$50,000 | CLP$140,000 |
| Food & drink | CLP$20,000 | CLP$40,000 | CLP$80,000 |
| Sights & tickets | CLP$15,000 | CLP$40,000 | CLP$80,000 |
| Local transport | CLP$5,000 | CLP$15,000 | CLP$40,000 |
| Per person, per day | CLP$60,000 | CLP$145,000 | CLP$340,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Chile day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Climb Cerro Santa Lucía, where Santiago was founded in 1541
- Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos in Santiago
- The Plaza de Armas and the outside of the Palacio de La Moneda
- Tip-based walking tours from Plaza Sotomayor in Valparaíso
- The murals of Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción
- Walk to the white Iglesia de San Pedro and the adobe streets of San Pedro de Atacama
Cheap eats
- Set lunch (menú del día) in Santiago, roughly CLP$6,000–10,000
- Empanada de pino from a bakery, a few thousand pesos
- Seafood stew at the Mercado Central, from about CLP$9,000
- Completo (Chilean hot dog) from a street stand, a few thousand pesos
- Pastel de choclo at a local restaurant, about CLP$8,000–14,000
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in hostels in Barrio Brasil and around Bellavista in Santiago (doubles about CLP$30,000–50,000, dorms less), in hostels in San Pedro, and in hostels and guesthouses in Puerto Natales; inside Torres del Paine, campsites are the cheapest option and need booking.
Getting around cheaply
In Santiago, use a bip! card for metro and buses (about CLP$800–900 a ride). From the airport, shared shuttle buses or the airport bus to the metro are cheaper than taxis. Long-distance buses are comfortable and good value; fly only for the long legs to Calama and Punta Arenas, booking early.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Plaza de Armas, La Moneda and Cerro Santa Lucía (free)
- Lunch: Seafood stew at the Mercado Central, about CLP$9,000
- Afternoon: Funicular up Cerro San Cristóbal (about CLP$3,000–4,000) and the Museo de la Memoria (free)
- Evening: Empanadas and a beer in Bellavista, about CLP$10,000
- Total: about CLP$60,000 including a hostel bed
More ways to save
- Fly with hand luggage only on low-cost carriers to avoid bag fees.
- Do the Atacama sights you can reach yourself (Valle de la Luna by bike) and save tours for the lagoons and El Tatio.
- Cook in hostel kitchens in San Pedro and Puerto Natales, where restaurants are expensive.
- Visit Patagonia in the shoulder months of October–November or March–April.
- Bring cash pesos to San Pedro, where ATMs often run dry at weekends.
- Use free museum days and free walking tours in Santiago and Valparaíso.
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Common questions
Can you travel Chile on a budget?
Yes with planning: about CLP$60,000 a day per person, plus flights. Hostels, set lunches and buses keep Santiago cheap.
What is the cheapest way to see Torres del Paine?
Buses from Puerto Natales to the park and camping or day hikes, with entry booked online and food bought in town.
Are buses or flights better in Chile?
Buses for shorter trips; flights for Santiago to the Atacama or Patagonia, where buses would take a day or more.