A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cartagena vs. Mendoza for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Cartagena or Mendoza?

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 Mendoza can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Cartagena or Mendoza?

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.

Mendoza

Mendoza is a city in western Argentina and more precisely in the desertic Cuyo region. Mendoza is the center of the Argentinian wine industry and is famed around the world for its vineyards and wine production. Spread across the valley of the Rio Mendoza and in the foothills of the Andean mountain range, Mendoza is also near the Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside of the Himalayas. The bustling and scenic city of wide, leafy avenues, atmospheric plazas and cosmopolitan cafes spoils visitors with unique natural attractions and historical landmarks. If you can, visit Mendoza during the harvest festival at the end of February. There are many events and festivals in Mendoza and they are usually free. Each has a different theme, and they usually have a stage with singing and dancing and booths that sell food around a plaza. Seventy percent of Argentina's wines are produced here, and Mendoza is especially known for its world-famous malbecs.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, The Best Photography Tours in Argentina, and The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Mendoza or Cartagena?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Cartagena is $48, while the average daily cost in Mendoza is $7.47. 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 Mendoza in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cartagena $27
    Mendoza $2.84
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cartagena $54
    Mendoza $5.68
Compare Hotels in Cartagena and Mendoza

Looking for a hotel in Cartagena or Mendoza? 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.

Hotels in Cartagena


Hotels in Mendoza


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 Mendoza Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cartagena $7.49
    Mendoza $1.48

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cartagena

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cartagena:

  • Walking Tour with Transfers - Gabriel García Márquez & Cartagena Walled City: $110
  • Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cartagena APT-HTL(CTG): $17
  • Transportation / Transfers: $27
  • Transfer service in Cartagena: $53
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Manzanillo del Mar - Cartagena Airport (CTG): $23
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Cartagena Airport (CTG) - Manzanillo del Mar: $23
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from Manzanillo del Mar - Cartagena Airport (CTG): $29
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from City Center - Cartagena Airport (CTG): $20
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from Cartagena Airport (CTG) - City Center: $20
  • Transfer from the airport to hotels in Boquilla: $15
  • Transfer Private Vehicle Cartagena Airport (CTG) -City Cent: $27
  • Transfer High-end - Kia Quoris: $90

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mendoza

Also for Mendoza, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • 3 Wineries+Lunch with Unlimited Wine+Transfer included: $180
  • Atamisque Winery + Lunch at Ruda Cocina. Transfer included: $210
  • Chandon Tasting+Lunch Quimera Achaval F. Private transfer: $260
  • Chandon Winery + El Enemigo de A Vigil lunch.Transfer included: $250
  • Degustación Achaval Ferrer+Almuerzo Lagarde.Transfer privado: $230
  • Degustación Decero Wines+Almuerzo Susana Balbo. Transfer privado: $230
  • Departure Private Transfer Valle de Uco to Mendoza Airport MDZ : $86
  • Desgustación Pulenta Estate + Almuerzo en Ruda. Transfer privado: $220
  • Las Leñas to Mendoza Int Airport (MDZ)-Departure Private Transfer: $44
  • Mendoza Airport (MDZ) to Las Leñas - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $88
  • Mendoza Airport (MDZ) to Mendoza - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $55
  • Mendoza Int Airport (MDZ) to Las Leñas - Arrival Private Transfer: $44

Is it cheaper to fly into Cartagena or Mendoza?

Prices for flights to both Mendoza 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Cartagena $9.82
    Mendoza $3.34

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cartagena

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cartagena.

  • Street Food Tour with Lunch at Quaint Restaurant: $20
  • Featured in NYTimes > Arepas and Dancing: Danceable Cooking Class in Cartagena: $32
  • Street Food Tour in Cartagena: $42
  • Guided Street Food Tour with Tastings: $44
  • Local Flavors Food Tour with Native Chef: $50
  • Cruise by the Bay with Dinner and Wine: $55
  • Private Dinner at a Local Chef's House in Cartagena: $58
  • Dinner Cruise Along Cartagena's Bay: $60
  • Cartagena Island Dinner (Island of Tierra Bomba): $60
  • Flavors of Colombia - Cartagena Street Food Tour: $60
  • Street food tour: $61
  • Cartagena Gourmet: Cooking Class with a View, Elegance & Flavor: $65

Typical Food Prices in Mendoza

For Mendoza, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Empanadas
    $0.01

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mendoza

For Mendoza, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Traditional lunch with pairing, private cooking class and show: $110
  • Full-Day Small-Group Mendoza Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $183
  • Visit Los Toneles + Saffron Dinner (Michelin Star). With Transfer: $240
  • Food Tour: $250
  • Night Visit to Bodega Toneles + Dinner at El Enemigo. Transport: $270

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cartagena $21
    Mendoza $2.11

Tours and Activities in Cartagena

Here are a few actual costs in Cartagena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Accessible sightseeing tour of Cartagena: $165
  • Beach Buggy ATV Adventure Tour CARTAGENA: $135
  • Palenque Native Guide, free entrance tickets, dance show & lunch: $110
  • Playa Blanca Private tour : $162
  • Playa Morena Beach Club Whith Lunch And Walking tour of fort San Fernando: $39
  • Private Beach Tour in Barú and Optional Bird Aviary: $120
  • Private city tour: $197
  • Rosario Islands Full Day Tour: $156
  • Tour around the Rosario Islands 4 islands: $65
  • Walking Tour of Cartagena Including a Colombian Cup of Coffee: $95
  • "Luxury Day in Tierra Bomba Exclusive Tour to the best Beach Club": $154
  • 16. Punta Arena Tour (Tierra Bomba Island): $25

Tours and Activities in Mendoza

For Mendoza, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Mendoza Walking Tour: Want to explore the city's history?: $8.25
  • Tour autoguiado en bicicleta por Luján de Cuyo (Mendoza): $19
  • Malbec Experience in Bodega Tierras Altas: $20
  • Mendoza Argentina City Tour: $20
  • Half-Day Sightseeing City Tour: $21
  • City tour with visit to General San Martin Park: $25
  • Renacer Winery Experience: $25
  • Half-Day Sightseeing Tour: $26
  • Mendoza City Tour: $28
  • 12-KM River Rafting Tour in the Andes: $39
  • Villavicencio Natural Reserve Half-Day Tour from Mendoza: $42
  • Winery Tour through Uco Valley Tupungato Tunuyan: $45

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cartagena $9.21
    Mendoza $1.27

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 with Dancing and Complimentary Drinks: $18
  • Cartagena's Best Pub Crawl all included!: $20
  • Cartagena Pub Crawl: Let's Party & Matching in Getsemaní: $20
  • Pub Crawl Only Locals Have Fun In The Walled City: $35
  • Nightlife Pub crawl in Cartagena: $67
  • Pub Crawl: $70

Typical Alcohol Prices in Mendoza

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Mendoza:


  • Beer
    $0.01

Sample the Local Flavors in Mendoza

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mendoza:

  • Friday special wine tasting.: $15
  • Classic Wine Tasting: $22
  • Half-Day Wine Tour with Tastings: $28
  • Vineyards with Wine Tasting in Mendoza: $39
  • Premium Wine Tasting: $45
  • Argentinean Asado with Local Host and Wine Tasting: $99
  • Ultimate Uco Valley Wine Tour: $140
  • Private Wine Tour, Tastings and Lunch with Pairings: $150
  • Mendoza Wine Tour with Lunch: $155
  • Private Maipu Valley Wine Tour from Mendoza: $159
  • Full Day Wine Tour with 3 Course Lunch: $165
  • Wine Tour with Lunch from Mendoza: $166


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cartagena and Mendoza, we can see that Cartagena is more expensive. And not only is Mendoza much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Mendoza would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mendoza 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 Cartagena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cartagena than you might in Mendoza.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cartagena Expensive? and Is Mendoza Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Cartagena or Mendoza?

Cartagena has a larger population, and is about 9% larger than the population of Mendoza. When comparing the sizes of Cartagena and Mendoza, 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.