Which place is cheaper, Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Cartagena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cartagena or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
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 Cartagena and Lake Titicaca (Puno) can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cartagena or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Cartagena
The capital of the Bolivar Department of Colombia, Cartagena is one of the most visited cities in the country. It sits on Colombia's northern coast by the Caribbean Sea. It's a port city with a population of almost 900,000, making it the fifth largest city in Colombia. The city has a rich history and was the first Spanish colony on the American continent. It was also one of the first sanctuaries for freed African slaves in the Americas.
Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Lake Titicaca, which directly translates to "puma stone" in Quechua, is located high in the Andes Mountains straddling Peru and Bolivia, with about 60% of the lake in Peru and 40% in Bolivia. Among the lake are three main islands, the most popular of which are the Uros Islands, also known as the floating islands, where the Uros people live on totora reeds that grow in the lake.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, The Best G Adventures Tours to Peru, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lima.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCartagena $45Lake Titicaca (Puno) $54
The average daily cost (per person) in Cartagena is $45, while the average daily cost in Lake Titicaca (Puno) is $54. 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 Cartagena and Lake Titicaca (Puno) in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCartagena $26Lake Titicaca (Puno) $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCartagena $52Lake Titicaca (Puno) $50
Compare Hotels in Cartagena and Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Looking for a hotel in Cartagena or Lake Titicaca (Puno)? 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: Cartagena Hotel Prices and Lake Titicaca (Puno) Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cartagena $7.14Lake Titicaca (Puno) $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cartagena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cartagena:
- Transfer from the Airport - Hotels in Marbella: $7.66
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Getsemani: $7.66
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Morros: $7.66
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Cartagena: $7.66
- Transfer aeropuerto-centro: $7.87
- Transfer from Cartagena hotels to the airport: $9.51
- Private Transfer from the Airport to Any Hotel in Cartagena: $10
- Private Transfer from Cartagena Airport - City Center: $10
- Transfer from the Airport to Hotels in Laguito: $11
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Castillogrande: $11
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Manga: $11
- Cartagena:Transfer from the Airport - Hotels in the Bosque: $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno):
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Taxi$0.79
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno):
- Juliaca Airport Private Transfer to/from Puno city: $44
- Private Transfer From Puno to Arequipa with English Speaking Driver: $266
- Private Transfer From Puno to Chivay, English Speaking Driver: $212
- Private Transfer From Puno to Oruro With a Stop in Lake Titicaca: $290
- Private Transfer From Puno to Oruro with English Speaking Driver: $245
- Private Transfer from Puerto de Puno to Hotel Puno: $21
- Private Transfer from Puno to Desaguadero: $196
- Private Transfer from Puno to Frontera Kasani: $205
- Private transfer airport-puno-viceverse: $60
- Puno Airport Shared Transfer: $20
- Puno Arrival Transfer from bus or railway Station: $14
Is it cheaper to fly into Cartagena or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Prices for flights to both Lake Titicaca (Puno) and Cartagena 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 dayCartagena $9.36Lake Titicaca (Puno) $15
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cartagena
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cartagena.
- Featured in NYTimes > Arepas and Dancing: Danceable Cooking Class in Cartagena: $32
- Cooking Class In A Real Restaurant At Old City: $38
- Cooking class of typical food at the beach and sunset view: $39
- Taste Cartagena Food tour: $40
- Street Food Tour in Cartagena: $42
- Guided Street Food Tour with Tastings: $42
- Street Food Cooking Class, Mojito making & Fruit tasting: $50
- Cooking class, Caribbean lunch at our place: $51
- Cruise by the Bay with Dinner and Wine: $55
- Dinner Cruise Along Cartagena's Bay: $60
- Cooking class: Street Food & Mojito making: $60
- Street food tour: $61
Typical Food Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
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Tamales$1.45
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cartagena $20Lake Titicaca (Puno) $29
Tours and Activities in Cartagena
Here are a few actual costs in Cartagena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Bay Tour by Sports Boat: $0.03
- Cartagena de Indias: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - The Great Battle: Fort of San Felipe: $6.99
- Old Town Highlights Self-guided Tour: $8.60
- Old Town & Getsemani Quarter Self-guided Tour: $8.60
- Artists' Quarter Getsemani Self-guided Tour: $8.60
- Tour the city on a rumba in a typical bus: $9.05
- Barù Island Playa Blanca with tourist guide: $9.51
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: The Rise of the Wall City Part I: $10
- Historic Free Tour Slavery and Gethsemane Heritage: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Legends of the Streets of Downtown : $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Getsemaní Neighborhood: $10
Tours and Activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
- Half Day Tour to Sillustani from Puno : $22
- Morning: Uros Floating Islands Tour from Puno: $25
- Lake Titicaca Uros Floating Islands Half-Day Tour: $25
- Walking City tour Puno: $26
- 4h Tour to Sillustani Inca Ruins: $26
- Sillustani Tombs Half Day Tour from Puno: $28
- Half Day Tour in Sillustani: $29
- Half Day Tour to Chullpas de Sillustani From Puno: $35
- 3h Boat Tour to Uros Island from Puno: $36
- One-day tour of the Uros and Taquile Islands of Lake Titicaca: $40
- Tour to Uros and Taquile Islands in a Fast Boat: $40
- Full Day Guided Tour of the Aymara Route from Puno: $40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCartagena $8.78Lake Titicaca (Puno) $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Cartagena
Also in Cartagena, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl Getsemaní: $18
- Pub Crawl with Dancing Lessons and Free Shots: $19
- Cartagena Pub Crawl: Let's Party & Matching in Getsemaní: $21
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Cartagena, Colombia: $23
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Cartagena, Colombia: $23
- Thursday Night Bar Crawl in Cartagena, Colombia: $25
- Pub Crawl Nightlife in Cartagena : $44
- Get the Nightlife Vibe & Bar crawl: $57
- Nightlife Pub crawl in Cartagena: $64
- Pub Crawl: $70
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cartagena and Lake Titicaca (Puno), we can see that Lake Titicaca (Puno) is more expensive. And not only is Cartagena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cartagena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cartagena 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lake Titicaca (Puno) than you might in Cartagena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cartagena Expensive? and Is Lake Titicaca (Puno) Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cartagena or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Cartagena has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Lake Titicaca (Puno). When comparing the sizes of Cartagena and Lake Titicaca (Puno), 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.
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.