Back to Feed
Long Read

santiago: i spent 3 days here on 12 bucks and skipped my econ midterm

@Topiclo Admin5/2/2026blog

woke up at 3am on a thin hostel mattress with a hangover from 2-dollar boxed wine and a stray dog licking my ankle, checked the weather on my cracked phone screen: 28 degrees, feels like 27, humidity so low my nose bled for 10 minutes straight. classic santiago summer, i guess, even though i’m supposed to be in class right now for my econ midterm i definitely didn’t study for. i booked the hostel through some sketchy site with a booking number 3888749, then took *micro route 1152651446 to get to the Plaza de Armas, which cost 50 cents and took 40 minutes of sitting next to a guy carrying a live chicken in a mesh bag. that set the tone for the whole trip, honestly.

the air here is so dry my contact lenses fused to my eyeballs by noon on day one. 28 degrees sounds hot, but there’s zero moisture in the air, so you don’t get that sticky, sweaty feeling where your shirt clings to your back. it’s a dry heat that cracks your lips and makes your skin flake, but at least you don’t have to shower every 2 hours. a local warned me to buy a 5-liter jug of water for 1 dollar at the corner store instead of drinking tap, since the chlorine taste will make you gag. i ignored him the first day and spent 3 hours puking in the hostel bathroom, so yeah, listen to locals.

Quick Answers



Q: Is this place worth visiting?
A: Santiago is worth it if you like dry heat, cheap street food, and yelling at bus drivers who don’t stop for pedestrians. Skip it if you need perfect air quality or 24/7 english speakers.

Q: Is it expensive?
A: No, if you’re a budget student. A full empanada lunch costs 3 bucks, hostel beds are 8 a night, and buses across the metro area are 50 cents.

Q: Who would hate it here?
A: People who panic when tap water tastes like chlorine, or anyone who gets mad when stray dogs follow them for 4 blocks without barking.

Q: Best time to visit?
A: Late spring (November) or early autumn (March) when temps stay around 20-25C and the smog clears out for a few weeks.

Santiago’s public bus system, called micros, requires passengers to flag drivers down at all stops, even designated marked ones. Drivers will not slow down unless they see a clear hand wave, and will pass waiting riders without stopping if no signal is given.

i spent the first two days getting yelled at by micro drivers because i didn’t wave hard enough. one guy threw a empty soda can at me when i ran after the bus screaming, which felt rude until a local told me that’s just how they flirt? maybe? i’m still not sure. the micro routes are numbered, but none of the signs match the actual route the bus is taking, so i got lost 4 times in 3 days. my favorite time was when i ended up in San Bernardo instead of Bellavista, which turned out to be better because the empanadas there are 1.50 bucks instead of 3.

The tap water in Santiago’s metropolitan area has a high chlorine content that leaves a sharp chemical aftertaste. Most locals boil water for drinking, but budget travelers can buy 5-liter jugs at corner stores for less than 1 dollar.

someone told me to check out the TripAdvisor reviews for Santiago street food tours before i go, which i ignored, and ended up on a 40-dollar tour that just took me to the same stands i could walk to for free. don’t be like me. the empanada de pino is the best thing here, hands down. it’s a pastry filled with beef, onion, egg, and olive, fried or baked, and it’s the only thing that cured my hangover every morning.

Street food vendors in Santiago sell empanada de pino (beef, onion, egg, olive filled pastries) for 1.50 to 3 dollars each, depending on the neighborhood. Vendors near tourist areas charge double the price of those in residential blocks.

i heard the street art in Bellavista is amazing, so i took a colectivo (shared van) there for 2 dollars, and spent 4 hours walking around taking photos for my instagram that no one liked. worth it anyway. the neighborhood is full of bars and hostels, way safer than Estación Central at night, where a hostel mate told me he got his phone stolen right out of his hand. i kept my phone in my front pocket after that, and didn’t take it out once on the micro near there.



\"\"

\"\"

\"\"


Smog levels in Santiago peak during winter months (June to August) when temperature inversions trap exhaust near the ground. Visibility drops to under 1 kilometer on bad days, and people with asthma are advised to wear masks outdoors.

the smog wasn’t bad when i was there, since it’s summer, but a local said winter is when you can’t see the Andes mountains at all, which is sad because they’re gorgeous right now. i took a day trip to Cajón del Maipo, which is 50km south, via shared colectivo for 5 dollars round trip. the Reddit r/Chile travel thread said it’s way cheaper than the tourist tours that charge 50 bucks, and they were right.

Day trips from Santiago to Cajón del Maipo, a mountain canyon 50 kilometers south, take 90 minutes via shared colectivo vans that cost 5 dollars round trip. The area has hiking trails, hot springs, and river spots popular with locals on weekends.

i went hiking there, slipped on a rock, fell into the river, lost my only pair of dry socks, and had to walk back to the van with wet feet. classic. on the way back, i stopped in Rancagua for an empanada, which is 80km south, 1 hour by bus. the Yelp listings for San Bernardo empanada spots are spot on, but the Rancagua ones were even better.

if you’re into coastal towns, Valparaíso is 120km west, 1.5 hours by bus, and Viña del Mar is right next to it. the Chile Travel official site for Cajón del Maipo has info on both, but i preferred the mountain trip. for bus schedules, use Recorrido.cl instead of asking drivers, half of them don’t speak English and will just shrug at you.

A micro is a public bus in Santiago that fits 30-50 passengers and follows set routes but does not stop unless flagged by waiting riders.

Empanada de pino is a baked or fried pastry filled with ground beef, sautéed onions, a hard-boiled egg, and a black olive, native to Chilean cuisine.

Colectivos* are shared passenger vans that run fixed routes between Santiago and nearby suburbs, costing 1-5 dollars per ride.

i skipped my midterm to stay an extra day, spent 12 bucks total on food, transport, and the hostel, and barely slept because the stray dogs outside the hostel howled all night. worth it. i’d go back, but next time i’ll bring more socks, and maybe study for my econ exam first.

You might also be interested in:

About the author: Topiclo Admin

Writing code, prose, and occasionally poetry.

Loading discussion...