Which place is cheaper, Lima or Cartagena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cartagena or Lima?
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 Lima can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cartagena or Lima?
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.
Lima
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is likely to be your point of entry for the country. Lima was founded in 1535 and was the seat of the Spanish rule for 300 years. It's a surprisingly modern city despite its rich history, but many beautiful churches and colonial architecture remain today. There are also large slum areas that highlight the poverty that exists in the city. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area have a population of about 8.5 million people, many of whom came from the Andes Mountains in search of work. Unfortunately the work opportunities are limited and the poverty is obvious as you arrive in Lima.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, The Best Cultural Tours in Peru, and The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCartagena $45Lima $75
The average daily cost (per person) in Cartagena is $45, while the average daily cost in Lima is $75. 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 Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCartagena $26Lima $48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCartagena $52Lima $96
Compare Hotels in Cartagena and Lima
Looking for a hotel in Cartagena or Lima? 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 Lima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cartagena $7.14Lima $5.58
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cartagena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cartagena:
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Morros: $7.66
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Cartagena: $7.66
- Transfer from the Airport - Hotels in Marbella: $7.66
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Getsemani: $7.66
- Transfer aeropuerto-centro: $7.87
- Transfer from Cartagena hotels to the airport: $9.51
- Air Conditioning Bus transfer: $10
- Private Transfer from the Airport to Any Hotel in Cartagena: $10
- Private Transfer from Cartagena Airport - City Center: $10
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Castillogrande: $11
- transfer Airport to any Hotels in Bocagrande: $11
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Manga: $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$5.29
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Taxi Ride$5.29
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Short Taxi Ride$3.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- Direct Private Transfer From Lima to Paracas, English Speaking Driver: $166
- From The Larco Museum Complete Tour with transfers: $50
- LIMA|| Private transfers by minibus from airport to hotel: $70
- Larco Museum Tour & Gastronomic Experience with rountrip transfer: $134
- Lima : Private transfer between airport to your destination: $29
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer: $20
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer: $27
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer for small groups: $79
- Lima Airport Departure Transfer: $27
- Lima Airport Departure Transfer: $20
- Lima Airport Round Trip Transfer: $53
- Lima Airport Transfers: Jorge Chavez Airport LIM to Lima City in Standard Van: $31
Is it cheaper to fly into Cartagena or Lima?
Prices for flights to both Lima 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 $9.36Lima $17
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 Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two$4.23
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Ice cream$3.44
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Coffee$2.91
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Donut$0.92
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
- Lima Market Food Tour: $35
- Ceviche Cooking Class Including Pisco Sour Lesson: $40
- Lima Street Food Tour: $40
- Lima Market Food Tour: $43
- Lima Street Food Tour: $45
- Lima Food Tour: $45
- Cooking Workshop and Water Circuit Tour: $45
- Barranco Tour with Dinner: $47
- Bohemian tour of Barranco with Dinner: $47
- Lima Night Food Tour: $48
- Private Guided Walking Street Food Tour in Lima: $55
- Bohemian tour of Barranco with dinner: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cartagena $20Lima $8.43
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
- Into the Walls of The City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - The Great Battle: Fort of San Felipe: $6.99
- Artists' Quarter Getsemani Self-guided Tour: $8.60
- Old Town & Getsemani Quarter Self-guided Tour: $8.60
- Old Town Highlights 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 of Getsemaní Neighborhood: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Legends of the Streets of Downtown : $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: The Rise of the Wall City Part I: $10
Typical Entertainment Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:
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Entrance to Museo Larco (for 2)$16
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Movie Tickets$2.25
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- Best of Downtown A Self-Guided Audio Tours in English: $7.98
- Lima Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Skip the Line: Larco Museum Admission Ticket: $13
- Skip the Line: Peruvian Regional Dances Ticket: $14
- Private City Kickstart Tour: Lima: $14
- Peruvian Coffee Tasting Experience in Lima: $15
- Peruvian Craft Coffee Tasting Experience - 1 hr: $15
- 3-Hour Walking Tour Discovering the History of Lima : $16
- Party tour Fridays Barranco / Saturdays Miraflores: $19
- Private Bike Tour in Lima: $19
- Private Tour with guide in Museo de Arte de Lima - MALI: $20
- Guided and Private Bike Tour of Lima: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCartagena $8.78Lima $5.48
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 Only Locals Have Fun In The Walled City: $35
- Pub Crawl Nightlife in Cartagena : $44
- Get the Nightlife Vibe & Bar crawl: $57
- Nightlife Pub crawl in Cartagena: $64
- Pub Crawl: $70
Typical Alcohol Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$7.11
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Beer$3.96
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Cocktail$3.17
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Gin and Rum Distillery Tour: $12
- Party Tour in Miraflores with Bar Crawl and Drinks: $20
- Pub Crawl in Lima: $25
- Local Wine Tour: $50
- Local Wine Tour : $65
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cartagena and Lima, we can see that Lima 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 Lima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lima 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 Lima Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cartagena or Lima?
Lima has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Cartagena. When comparing the sizes of Cartagena and Lima, 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 Cartagena or Lima?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit Cartagena or Lima in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Cartagena and Lima. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cartagena year-round. Lima attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In July, Cartagena usually receives more rain than Lima. Cartagena gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Lima receives 12 mm (0.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
In Cartagena, it's very sunny this time of the year. Cartagena usually receives more sunshine than Lima during summer. Cartagena gets 207 hours of sunny skies, while Lima receives 36 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Cartagena is generally much warmer than Lima. Daily temperatures in Cartagena average around 29°C (84°F), and Lima fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyCartagena 29°C (84°F)Lima 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Cartagena or Lima in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Cartagena as well as Lima. Cartagena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Lima throughout the year.
Cartagena receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Cartagena usually gets more rain in October than Lima. Cartagena gets 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while Lima receives 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the autumn, Cartagena often gets more sunshine than Lima. Cartagena gets 175 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Lima receives 60 hours of full sun.
Cartagena is a little warmer than Lima in the autumn. The daily temperature in Cartagena averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Lima fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberCartagena 27°C (81°F)Lima 19°C (66°F)
Should I visit Cartagena or Lima in the Winter?
Both Lima and Cartagena are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cartagena throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Lima because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In January, Cartagena usually receives more rain than Lima. Cartagena gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Lima receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cartagena. Cartagena usually receives more sunshine than Lima during winter. Cartagena gets 278 hours of sunny skies, while Lima receives 185 hours of full sun in the winter.
In the winter, Cartagena is a little warmer than Lima. Typically, the winter temperatures in Cartagena in January average around 27°C (81°F), and Lima averages at about 23°C (73°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryCartagena 27°C (81°F)Lima 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Cartagena or Lima in the Spring?
Both Lima and Cartagena during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Cartagena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Lima year-round.
Cartagena usually gets more rain in April than Lima. Cartagena gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Lima receives 2 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
It's quite sunny in Cartagena. In the spring, Cartagena often gets more sunshine than Lima. Cartagena gets 209 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Lima receives 182 hours of full sun.
In April, Cartagena is generally a little warmer than Lima. Daily temperatures in Cartagena average around 28°C (82°F), and Lima fluctuates around 22°C (72°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilCartagena 28°C (82°F)Lima 22°C (72°F)
Typical Weather for Lima and Cartagena
| Cartagena | Lima | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Apr | 28°C (82°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| May | 29°C (84°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Jun | 29°C (84°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) |
| Jul | 29°C (84°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) |
| Sep | 29°C (84°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 13 mm (0.5 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 7 mm (0.3 in) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 3 mm (0.1 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.