Which place is cheaper, Cartagena or Curitiba?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Curitiba or Cartagena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Curitiba and Cartagena can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Curitiba or Cartagena?
Curitiba
Curitiba is a relatively large city that is convenient to visit if you're traveling to Iguazu Falls from either Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. It is worth a day or two stop over because it has a great old city that has been restored. It's also the capital of Parana, Brazil. Curitiba is one of the more wealthy cities in the southern region of Brazil. It has a diverse population with many immigrants and some interesting cultural events.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Brazil, The Best Budget Tours to Brazil, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCuritiba $73Cartagena $48
The average daily cost (per person) in Curitiba is $73, while the average daily cost in Cartagena is $48. 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 Curitiba and Cartagena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCuritiba $30Cartagena $27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCuritiba $60Cartagena $54
Compare Hotels in Curitiba and Cartagena
Looking for a hotel in Curitiba or Cartagena? 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: Curitiba Hotel Prices and Cartagena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Curitiba $16Cartagena $7.64
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Curitiba
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Curitiba:
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Taxi Ride$1.95
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Curitiba
Also for Curitiba, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Afonso Pena Airport (CWB) to Beach Resorts - Round-Trip Transfer: $87
- Afonso Pena Airport CWB to Beach Resorts : Arrival Transfer: $43
- Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Downtown - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $33
- Curitiba Airport CWB to Downtown hotels- Arrival Private Transfer: $16
- Curitiba Airport PrivateTransfers Round Trip or One Way: $110
- Curitiba to Afonso Pena Airport (CWB)- Departure Private Transfer: $17
- Curitiba to Curitiba Airport (CWB) - Departure Private Transfer: $16
- Private Transfer from Curitiba Airport: $106
- Private Transfer from Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Porto Belo Port : $75
- Private Transfer from Curitiba City Hotels to Porto Belo Port: $75
- Private Transfer from Curitiba City to Curitiba Airport (CWB): $35
- Shared Transfer: Curitiba International Airport: $39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cartagena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cartagena:
- 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: $159
- San Diego to Long Beach Airport (LGB) - Departure Private Transfer: $155
- 20. Transfer Rafael N. Airport-HOTEL LAS ISLAS-CALABLANCA: $142
- Cartagena to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $136
- Arrival Private Transfer Cartagena Airport CTG to Cartagena City by Minibus: $129
- Departure Private Transfer Cartagena City to Cartagena Airport CTG by Minibus: $129
- 8. Transfer to BARRANQUILLA from Cartagena Private or vice versa: $128
- 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: $107
Is it cheaper to fly into Curitiba or Cartagena?
Prices for flights to both Cartagena and Curitiba 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 dayCuritiba $28Cartagena $10
Typical Food Prices in Curitiba
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Curitiba:
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Chips$0.88
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Curitiba
For Curitiba, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bar-hopping and Food Tour in Curitiba: $31
- Curitiba's History Food Tour: $70
- Curitiba's History Food Tour: $77
- Curitiba Tour by Night with Dinner: $94
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: $45
- 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
- Cartagena Gourmet: Cooking Class with a View, Elegance & Flavor: $59
- Street food tour: $61
- Street Food & Local Food Tour: $67
- Street Food Tour in Cartagena Walled City and Getsemani: $74
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Curitiba $19Cartagena $22
Tours and Activities in Curitiba
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Curitiba.
- Ticket MAI - Museum of Indigenous Art - Curitiba: $4.94
- Walking tour from past to present: $12
- Arte Bike Tour - Bike Tour with Kuritbike: $25
- Half Day Curitiba Sightseeing Tour: $31
- Historic City Tour in Curitiba with Jens Tours: $40
- Private City Tour - Top Postcards from Curitiba by Pinheiro Turismo: $40
- Interparks Cycling Tour Curitiba for small groups: $50
- Curitiba City Tour: $58
- 4-Hour Private Tour of Curitiba City: $70
- A private city tour: $71
- CRAFT BREWERS TOUR By Jens Tours: $72
- Full-day tour in Curitiba: $79
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
- Eco cultural Historical Tour beyond Old City! + Pool: $98
- 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
- "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 hrs Tour in Cartagena Bay with Sunset View: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCuritiba $14Cartagena $9.39
Typical Alcohol Prices in Curitiba
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Curitiba:
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Beer$0.44
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
- Pub Crawl: $70
- Nightlife Pub crawl in Cartagena: $73
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Curitiba and Cartagena, we can see that Curitiba 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 Curitiba would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Curitiba 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 Curitiba Expensive? and Is Cartagena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Curitiba or Cartagena?
Curitiba has a larger population, and is about 81% larger than the population of Cartagena. When comparing the sizes of Curitiba and Cartagena, 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.
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.