Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Cartagena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cartagena or Vancouver?
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 Vancouver can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cartagena or Vancouver?
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.
Vancouver
Vancouver is a beautiful and cosmopolitan city in Western Canada. It is also the largest city in British Columbia, and is dramatically positioned between the coast and mountains. It's a very international city, with a high level of energy and countless activites that you can enjoy while you're in town. In addition to offering all of the activities and entertainment of a modern city, it is also in jumping off distance to any number of outdoor activities.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, The Best 10-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCartagena $48Vancouver $142
The average daily cost (per person) in Cartagena is $48, while the average daily cost in Vancouver is $142. 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 Vancouver in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCartagena $27Vancouver $87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCartagena $54Vancouver $174
Compare Hotels in Cartagena and Vancouver
Looking for a hotel in Cartagena or Vancouver? 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 Vancouver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cartagena $7.49Vancouver $12
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
- 8. Transfer to BARRANQUILLA from Cartagena Private or vice versa: $160
- San Diego to Long Beach Airport (LGB) - Departure Private Transfer: $157
- Cartagena to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $156
- 20. Transfer Rafael N. Airport-HOTEL LAS ISLAS-CALABLANCA: $142
- Cartagena to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $136
- Cartagena to or from Santa Marta Private Transfer: $125
- Full-Day in Isla del Encanto with Lunch and Transfer to the Pier: $114
- Walking Tour with Transfers - Gabriel García Márquez & Cartagena Walled City: $110
- Cartagena Rafael Nunez Airport (CTG): Transfer to Cartagena: $109
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vancouver
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vancouver are as follows:
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SkyTrain from Airport$6.40
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Taxi from Airport to Downtown$21
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15 min Taxi Ride$8.78
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SkyTrain DayPass$6.58
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vancouver
Also for Vancouver, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer from Vancouver YVR or Cruise Port to Vancouver by SUV: $120
- Arrival Private Transfer from Vancouver YVR or Port to Vancouver by Business Car: $108
- Arrival Private Transfer: Vancouver Airport YVR to Vancouver in Luxury Car: $163
- Arrival Private Transfer: Vancouver Airport YVR to Vancouver in Luxury SUV: $134
- Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Private Transfer: $93
- Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $93
- Canada Place Cruise Port to Vancouver hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $186
- Canada Place Cruise Port: Transfer to Vancouver hotels: $428
- Canada Place Port to Vancouver Airport(YVR) - Departure Transfer : $55
- Departure Private Transfer Vancouver to Vancouver YVR or Cruise Port by Minibus: $142
- Departure Private Transfer from Vancouver to Vancouver YVR or Cruise Port by SUV: $97
- Departure Private Transfer: Vancouver to Vancouver Airport YVR in Business Car: $120
Is it cheaper to fly into Cartagena or Vancouver?
Prices for flights to both Vancouver 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 $9.82Vancouver $31
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: $44
- 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
Typical Food Prices in Vancouver
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Vancouver:
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All You Can Eat Sushi Lunch$8.87
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vancouver
For Vancouver, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Vancouver Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $78
- A Wok Around Food Tour of the Granville Island Public Market: $84
- The Gastown Experience Walking Food Tour: $94
- Experience Gastown Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $100
- Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $100
- North Vancouver Shipyards Food Tour: $100
- Vancouver Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $100
- Vancouver Authentic Chinese Food Tour: $134
- VIP Granville Island Market Vancouver - Walking Food Tour: $138
- Authentic Asian Eats Walking Food Tour: $142
- 3-Hour Bowen Island Boat Cruise with Dinner: $153
- Evening Cruise with Dinner Buffet: $153
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cartagena $21Vancouver $36
Tours and Activities in Cartagena
Here are a few actual costs in Cartagena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Beach Buggy ATV Adventure Tour CARTAGENA: $135
- Eco cultural Historical Tour beyond Old City! + Pool: $98
- Exciting Beach Buggy ATV Tour in Cartagena : $165
- Palenque Native Guide, free entrance tickets, dance show & lunch: $110
- 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 Tour & the best coffee of the world in Cartagena (Also for cruisers): $250
- Private city tour: $197
- Shore excursion Accessible sightseeing tour : $250
- Tour around the Rosario Islands 4 islands: $65
- "Essential Cartagena" Private Tour. : $70
- 16. Punta Arena Tour (Tierra Bomba Island): $25
Tours and Activities in Vancouver
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Vancouver.
- Vancouver self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.31
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.75
- Self-Guided Smartphone Walking Tour of Gastown: $4.83
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.11
- Discover Stanley Park with a Smartphone Audio Tour: $5.19
- Fort Langley: a Film & Television Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $5.20
- Cycling the Seawall: A Self-Guided Audio Tour Along the Stanley Park Seawall: $5.46
- Vancouver Tips-Based Walking Tour | 3-Hour: $5.47
- Historic Walking Tours of Vancouver with Then & Now Images!: $6.68
- Walking Tour Along Stanley Park's Seawall: $6.69
- Vancouver Downtown: Espionage Adventure Outdoor Escape Game: $6.99
- Self-Guided Smartphone Tour of Stanley Park: $7.31
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCartagena $9.21Vancouver $16
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: $19
- Cartagena's Best Pub Crawl all included!: $23
- Cartagena Pub Crawl: Let's Party & Matching in Getsemaní: $24
- Pub Crawl Only Locals Have Fun In The Walled City: $35
- Nightlife Pub crawl in Cartagena: $72
Sample the Local Flavors in Vancouver
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Vancouver:
- Vancouver - Granville Pub Crawl ROUTE B: $18
- Gastown Pub Crawl: $22
- Vancouver - Granville Pub Crawl: $26
- 3.5-Hour Craft Brewery Tour: $88
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour Led by a Local: $89
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour: $89
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour with a light Lunch from Vancouver: $134
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $134
- Vancouver Wine Tour (Fraser Valley): $134
- From Half-Day Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $138
- From Fraser Valley Wine Tour with Local Tastings: $139
- Taste of the Valley Wine Tour: $148
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cartagena and Vancouver, we can see that Vancouver is more expensive. And not only is Cartagena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cartagena is in South America and Vancouver is in North 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 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 Vancouver would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vancouver 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 Vancouver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cartagena or Vancouver?
Vancouver has a larger population, and is about 93% larger than the population of Cartagena. When comparing the sizes of Cartagena and Vancouver, 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 Vancouver?
Vancouver has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Cartagena experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Cartagena or Vancouver in the Summer?
Both Vancouver and Cartagena during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Cartagena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In July, Cartagena is generally much warmer than Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Cartagena average around 29°C (84°F), and Vancouver fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
In Vancouver, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Cartagena. In the summer, Cartagena often gets less sunshine than Vancouver. Cartagena gets 207 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 296 hours of full sun.
Cartagena usually gets more rain in July than Vancouver. Cartagena gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyCartagena 29°C (84°F)Vancouver 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Cartagena or Vancouver in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Cartagena and Vancouver. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cartagena year-round.
Cartagena is much warmer than Vancouver in the autumn. The daily temperature in Cartagena averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Vancouver fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
Cartagena usually receives more sunshine than Vancouver during autumn. Cartagena gets 175 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 124 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Vancouver receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Cartagena gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Cartagena usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Cartagena gets 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberCartagena 27°C (81°F)Vancouver 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Cartagena or Vancouver in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Cartagena as well as Vancouver. Cartagena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
It's quite cold in Vancouver in the winter. In the winter, Cartagena is much warmer than Vancouver. Typically, the winter temperatures in Cartagena in January average around 27°C (81°F), and Vancouver averages at about 4°C (40°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cartagena this time of the year. In the winter, Cartagena often gets more sunshine than Vancouver. Cartagena gets 278 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 55 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Vancouver. Cartagena usually gets less rain in January than Vancouver. Cartagena gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryCartagena 27°C (81°F)Vancouver 4°C (40°F)
Should I visit Cartagena or Vancouver in the Spring?
Both Vancouver and Cartagena are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cartagena throughout the year.
In April, Cartagena is generally much warmer than Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Cartagena average around 28°C (82°F), and Vancouver fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cartagena. Cartagena usually receives more sunshine than Vancouver during spring. Cartagena gets 209 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 172 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Vancouver. In April, Cartagena usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Cartagena gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilCartagena 28°C (82°F)Vancouver 9°C (49°F)
Typical Weather for Vancouver and Cartagena
| Cartagena | Vancouver | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 179 mm (7.1 in) |
| Mar | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) |
| Apr | 28°C (82°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| May | 29°C (84°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jun | 29°C (84°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jul | 29°C (84°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Sep | 29°C (84°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Nov | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 198 mm (7.8 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.