Should you visit Cartagena or Mendoza?
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.
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.
Which city 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 $39, while the average daily cost in Mendoza is $52. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Cartagena and Mendoza in more detail.
Accommodation
Cartagena's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $44. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $22.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Mendoza, $40 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Mendoza, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $20, such as in a hostel.
Food
In Cartagena travelers spend around $7.98 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
While meal prices in Mendoza can vary, the average travelers spends about $23 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Mendoza should cost around $9.20 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Mendoza is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Cartagena $7.98
Mendoza $23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cartagena
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cartagena.
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Cartagena Cuisine Cooking Experience:
$30
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BIKE & BITE food tour:
$52
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Street food tour with Julie:
$64
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Food Tour in Cartagena Walled City:
$66
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Street Food & Local Food Tour:
$66
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SkyKitchen 4 Course Cooking Class:
$81
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Bazurto Market Tour and Cooking Class in Cartagena:
$92
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Cartagena - Food Tour:
$100
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Caribbean Cuisine Cooking Class:
$105
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Shared Local Cooking Class and Lunch in Cartagena:
$110
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Bazurto Local Market Tour & Cooking Class:
$115
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Colombian Cooking Workshop:
$201
Typical Food prices in Mendoza
For Mendoza, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mendoza
For Mendoza, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Gourmet Dinner at Espacio Trapiche:
$54
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Cooking class experience at a Mendoza winery:
$145
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Asado cooking class and dinner in Mendoza city.:
$168
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Winery dinner. Enjoy the best restaurant in a winery:
$252
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Cartagena is $6.09 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Mendoza's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $10 per person, per day on transportation in Mendoza.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cartagena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cartagena:
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Transfer to Tayrona Park, Santa Marta or Barranquilla City from Cartagena:
$84
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Transfer service in Cartagena:
$50
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Transfer in Private Vehicle from Cartagena City to Airport:
$12
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Transfer in Private Minivan from Cartagena City to Airport:
$17
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Transfer Cartagena:
$50
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Private transfer to Barranquilla from Cartagena- Traslado privado a Barranquilla:
$170
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Private transfer Cartagena airport -Mamonal:
$65
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Private Transfers in air conditioning buses:
$7.00
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Private Transfer: Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG) to Cartagena:
$40
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Private Transfer: Cartagena to Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG):
$40
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Private Transfer from Port of Cartagena to La Boquilla:
$28
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Private Transfer from Port of Cartagena to El Laguito:
$28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mendoza
Also for Mendoza, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Mendoza Airport Arrival Transfer:
$55
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Mendoza Airport Shuttle Transfer:
$11
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One Way Transfer - Mendoza Airport to/from Mendoza City:
$25
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Premium Spa Day & Fango Therapy at Cacheuta Hot Springs with Lunch and Transfers:
$93
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Private Airport Transfer: El Plumerillo International Airport (MDZ) to Mendoza:
$22
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Private Airport Transfer: Mendoza to El Plumerillo International Airport (MDZ):
$22
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Private Transfer in Mendoza:
$29
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Shared Transfer Mendoza Bus Station / Downtown Hotel:
$13
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.
Entertainment
Cartagena's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $17 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Mendoza can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $15 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Tours and Activities in Cartagena
Here are a few actual costs in Cartagena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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2 Hour Panoramic tour for cruise ship passengers:
$40
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4-Hour Fishing Experience with Locals Near Cartagena:
$103
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6 Hr Cartagena Fishing Experience:
$974
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Accessible sightseeing tour of Cartagena:
$140
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Audio Guide - Walking Tour with Interactive (Cartagena de Indias):
$10
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Aviario National Park Shared Tour:
$63
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Bar Tour for Guys and Bachelor Parties:
$20
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Bazurto Market + La Popa Convent Cartagena City Tour 4H:
$81
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Bazurto Market Half day tour in Cartagena:
$125
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Biking Tour Cartagena:
$19
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Birdwatching & Photography experience at the National Aviary in Barú:
$279
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Bolivar Pirate Island Experience with Lunch:
$75
Tours and Activities in Mendoza
For Mendoza, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Half Day Mendoza City Sightseeing Tour:
$15
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Mendoza City Tour:
$15
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FOLLOW MENDOZA, Walking City & Park tour:
$20
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Villavicencio Natural Reserve Half-Day Tour from Mendoza:
$23
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Mendoza City & General San Martin Park 2.5-Hour Tour:
$28
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Mendoza Half-Day Sightseeing Tour:
$29
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City Tour of Mendoza with Cerro de la Gloria:
$32
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From High Andes Aconcagua Mountain Tour:
$32
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Mendoza walking tour. Visit Mendoza city:
$35
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Wineries tour in Mendoza with La Carrodilla Church:
$36
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Full Day High Mountain Tour from Mendoza:
$39
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From San Rafael Sightseeing and Atuel Canyon Tour:
$39
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Cartagena may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $7.48 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typically, people visiting Mendoza spend on average $8.79 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typical Alcohol prices in Mendoza
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Mendoza:
Sample the Local Flavors in Mendoza
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mendoza:
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Vineyards with Wine Tasting in Mendoza:
$21
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Mendoza Wine Tour with Lunch:
$80
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Sunday Wine Tasting Tour and Argentinien BBQ:
$80
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Bike wine tour. Visit 2 of the best wineries:
$81
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Private Uco Valley Tour including Lunch and Wine Tasting from Mendoza:
$95
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Private Lujan Wine Tour with Gourmet Wine-Paired Lunch from Mendoza:
$100
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Mendoza 4-Day Sightseeing and Wine Tour:
$103
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Half day wine tour. Visit 2 wineries in Lujan de Cuyo:
$103
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Private Wine Tasting and Vineyards Tour from Mendoza:
$136
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Deluxe Mendoza Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour:
$145
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Bike wine tours. Visit 3 wineries and enjoy gourmet lunch:
$153
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Luján de Cuyo best Wines- Ultimate Wine Tour:
$154
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cartagena and Mendoza, we can see that Mendoza 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 Mendoza would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mendoza than you might in Cartagena.
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