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

Should you visit Cartagena or Pedasi?

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

Where Should I go: Cartagena or Pedasi?

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.

Pedasi

Pedasi is in the Los Santos province of the Pacific West region of Panama. It's on the edge of the Azuero Peninsula and has a population of just over 2000 people. The town is predominantly a fishing village and is set on a beautiful, rocky coastline, making it a dramatic place to visit. The town is small, but you'll find a few restaurants around town that are worth eating at. The area is well known for having some great carnivals and most travelers visit with the plan to enjoy some sport fishing, diving, snorkeling, or surfing. There are also some great national parks and preserves nearby.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.


Which place is cheaper, Pedasi 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 Pedasi is $38. 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 Pedasi in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cartagena $27
    Pedasi $13
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cartagena $54
    Pedasi $26
Compare Hotels in Cartagena and Pedasi

Looking for a hotel in Cartagena or Pedasi? 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 Pedasi


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cartagena $7.64
    Pedasi $5.45

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cartagena

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cartagena:

  • 15. Transfer to SANTA MARTA from Cartagena Private or vice versa.: $290
  • Cartagena to Santa Marta Private Transfer Service: $268
  • Cartagena to Santa Marta (or vice versa) Private Transfer : $265
  • Cartagena to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $153
  • Arrival Private Transfer Cartagena Airport CTG to Cartagena City by Minibus: $129
  • Cartagena Rafael Nunez Airport (CTG): Transfer to Cartagena: $108
  • Full-Day Beach at the Bora Bora Club with Transfer (Adults only): $105
  • Departure Private Transfer Cartagena City to Cartagena Airport CTG by Minivan: $93
  • Arrival Private Transfer Cartagena Airport CTG to Cartagena City by Minivan: $93
  • Cartagena International Airport - Private Transfer From or To Cartagena City: $91
  • Cholon Island Tour with Transfer Service: $90
  • Transfer High-end - Kia Quoris: $90

Is it cheaper to fly into Cartagena or Pedasi?

Prices for flights to both Pedasi 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 $10
    Pedasi $18

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 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: $43
  • Local Flavors Food Tour with Native Chef: $50
  • Cooking Class: Street food & Mojito making: $50
  • Cruise by the Bay with Dinner and Wine: $55
  • Private Dinner at a Local Chef's House in Cartagena: $58
  • Cartagena Gourmet: Cooking Class with a View, Elegance & Flavor: $59
  • Street food tour: $61
  • 2 hours Sibarita Express Dinner: $63

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cartagena $22
    Pedasi -

Tours and Activities in Cartagena

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

  • Exciting Beach Buggy ATV Tour in Cartagena : $165
  • Private Beach Tour in Barú and Optional Bird Aviary: $120
  • Private Tour & the best coffee of the world in Cartagena (Also for cruisers): $250
  • "Luxury Day in Tierra Bomba Exclusive Tour to the best Beach Club": $154
  • 16. Punta Arena Tour (Tierra Bomba Island): $25
  • 17. Transportation for private CITY TOURS CARTAGENA: $105
  • 2 and a half hour Chiva Disco and Rumba Tour: $14
  • 2-Hour Color and Art Tour in Getsemani: $90
  • 2-Hour Tour of Getsemani Color and Art: $63
  • 2-hour tour in Cartagena Sunset View in party boat: $26
  • 4-Hour Fishing Experience with Locals Near Cartagena: $233
  • 4X1 ADVENTURE-ISLAS, CHOLON, PLAYA Y PLANCTON desde cartagen: $55

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cartagena $9.39
    Pedasi $2.87

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 Lessons and Free Shots: $18
  • Cartagena's Best Pub Crawl all included!: $23
  • Cartagena Pub Crawl: Let's Party & Matching in Getsemaní: $24
  • Nightlife Pub crawl in Cartagena: $71


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cartagena and Pedasi, we can see that Cartagena is more expensive. And not only is Pedasi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cartagena is in South America and Pedasi is in Central America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Pedasi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pedasi 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 Pedasi.

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


Which is Bigger, Cartagena or Pedasi?

Cartagena has a larger population, and is about 610 times larger than the population of Pedasi. When comparing the sizes of Cartagena and Pedasi, 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.