Which place is cheaper, Cartagena or Edinburgh?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh 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: Edinburgh or Cartagena?
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the moderately sized capital of Scotland. It is a medieval city that has managed to perfect the combination of Georgian architecture and medieval relics with a cosmopolitan population and avant-garde atmosphere. The city's population is quite young, in large part because of the University of Edinburgh. This youthful vibe gives this city a lot of vitality. There's a thriving nightlife, many restaurants, theatres, galleries and museums.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, The Best 10-Day Tours from London, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEdinburgh £142Cartagena £37
The average daily cost (per person) in Edinburgh is £142, while the average daily cost in Cartagena is £37. 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 Edinburgh and Cartagena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEdinburgh £74Cartagena £21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEdinburgh £148Cartagena £42
Compare Hotels in Edinburgh and Cartagena
Looking for a hotel in Edinburgh 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: Edinburgh Hotel Prices and Cartagena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Edinburgh £17Cartagena £5.89
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Edinburgh:
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Local Bus£3.60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Edinburgh
Also for Edinburgh, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer to/from Edinburgh City, St'Andrews etc.: $113
- Airport Transfer: Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Business Car: $135
- Airport Transfer: Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Luxury Car: $163
- Airport Transfer: Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Luxury Van: $163
- Airport Transfer: Edinburgh to Airport EDI by Business Car: $135
- Airport Transfer: Edinburgh to Airport EDI by Luxury Van: $163
- Arrival Transfer Edinburgh Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Minivan: $96
- Central Edinburgh Hotels to Edinburgh Airport Transfers 1-3: $256
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Glasgow - Arrival Private Transfer: $60
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Kinbuck - Arrival Private Transfer: $103
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Kinbuck - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $206
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Lecht Ski Resort - Arrival Transfer: $76
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 HTL-APT(CTG): $17
- Transportation / Transfers: $27
- 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 Vehicle from Cartagena Airport (CTG) - City Center: $13
- 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 in Private Minivan Cartagena Airport (CTG) - Manzanillo del Mar: $18
- Transfer from the airport to hotels in Boquilla: $13
- Transfer Private Vehicle Cartagena Airport (CTG) -City Cent: $27
Is it cheaper to fly into Edinburgh or Cartagena?
Prices for flights to both Cartagena and Edinburgh 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 dayEdinburgh £39Cartagena £7.72
Typical Food Prices in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast£8.50
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Dinner at Filling Station£10
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Lunch for Two£15
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Sandwich£1.85
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Cheese & bread£7.23
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Thai Restaurant Dinner (for 2)£25
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2 Coffees and Scones£5.80
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Turkish Delight£1.40
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Soup at the Pub£5.90
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $31
- Hard Rock Cafe Edinburgh with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $33
- Scottish Dinner and Folk Music Experience: $88
- Edinburgh Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $90
- Edinburgh Holiday Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $90
- Edinburgh Food Tour: $100
- 'Scotland meets Sardinia' - 8-course Dinner in Leith, Edinburgh: $110
- 3-Hour Guided Secret Food Tour: $116
- Edinburgh Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $121
- The 10 Tastings of Edinburgh With Locals: Private Food Tour: $162
- Edinburgh Food Tour with a Local Foodie Custom & Private: $188
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Edinburgh £20Cartagena £17
Typical Entertainment Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Edinburgh's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Show Tickets£32
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Movie Tickets for Two£12
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Donation for Storytellers£6.00
Tours and Activities in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Escape Game and Tour: $3.77
- Edinburgh Stand Up Comedy Ticket Show in Scotland: $5.08
- Audio Tour Royal Mile: del Castillo hasta "The Tron Kirk": $5.37
- Edinbourgh, Royal mile: walking tour with audio guide: $5.38
- Edinburgh Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & City Tour: $5.60
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Audio Tour through History of Crime: $7.00
- Edinburgh Royal mile: Self-guided walking tour: $7.20
- Must-See In App Audio Tour: $7.61
- Harry Potter’s A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Edinburgh Royal Mile (New Self Guided Tour) : $8.02
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEdinburgh £15Cartagena £7.24
Typical Alcohol Prices in Edinburgh
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Edinburgh from other travelers:
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Beer & Wine£14
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Half Pint at Tollbooth Tavern£1.65
Sample the Local Flavors in Edinburgh
Also in Edinburgh, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl with Free Shots & Discounts: $11
- Edinburgh Bar Crawl: 5+ Venues, Free Shots, Free Club Entry: $19
- Pub Crawl in Edinburgh: $19
- Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour with "Real-Actors": $25
- East Lothian: Glenkinchie Whisky Distillery Tour & Tasting: $26
- Guided Gin Tasting at 56 North Distillery: $28
- Pub Crawl 7 Bars with 6 Shots: $31
- Whisky Tasting and Tales at Summerhall Distillery: $31
- Lind & Lime Gin Distillery Tour & Tasting: $31
- Pickering's Gin Jolly Distillery Tasting Tour: $31
- Visit a Working South Loch Gin Distillery: $32
- The Original Edinburgh Pub Crawl: $32
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Edinburgh and Cartagena, we can see that Edinburgh is more expensive. And not only is Cartagena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Edinburgh is in Europe and Cartagena is in South 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 Edinburgh would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh Expensive? and Is Cartagena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Edinburgh or Cartagena?
Cartagena has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Edinburgh. When comparing the sizes of Edinburgh 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.
When is the best time to visit Edinburgh or Cartagena?
Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh or Cartagena in the Summer?
Both Cartagena and Edinburgh during the summer are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Edinburgh in the summer for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cartagena year-round.
Edinburgh is much colder than Cartagena in the summer. The daily temperature in Edinburgh averages around 14°C (58°F) in July, and Cartagena fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).
In Cartagena, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Edinburgh often gets less sunshine than Cartagena. Edinburgh gets 163 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 207 hours of full sun.
Edinburgh usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Cartagena. Edinburgh gets 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyEdinburgh 14°C (58°F)Cartagena 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Edinburgh or Cartagena in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Edinburgh and Cartagena. Most visitors come to Edinburgh for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months. Cartagena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the autumn, Edinburgh is much colder than Cartagena. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Edinburgh in October average around 10°C (49°F), and Cartagena averages at about 27°C (81°F).
Edinburgh usually receives less sunshine than Cartagena during autumn. Edinburgh gets 90 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 175 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Cartagena receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Edinburgh usually receives less rain than Cartagena. Edinburgh gets 67 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberEdinburgh 10°C (49°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Edinburgh or Cartagena in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Edinburgh as well as Cartagena. The winter months attract visitors to Edinburgh because of the museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cartagena throughout the year.
The weather in Edinburgh can be very cold. In January, Edinburgh is generally much colder than Cartagena. Daily temperatures in Edinburgh average around 3°C (38°F), and Cartagena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cartagena. In the winter, Edinburgh often gets less sunshine than Cartagena. Edinburgh gets 48 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 278 hours of full sun.
Edinburgh usually gets more rain in January than Cartagena. Edinburgh gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryEdinburgh 3°C (38°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Edinburgh or Cartagena in the Spring?
Both Cartagena and Edinburgh are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The activities around the city and the natural beauty are the main draw to Edinburgh this time of year. Plenty of visitors come to Cartagena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Edinburgh is much colder than Cartagena in the spring. The daily temperature in Edinburgh averages around 7°C (45°F) in April, and Cartagena fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
It's quite sunny in Cartagena. Edinburgh usually receives less sunshine than Cartagena during spring. Edinburgh gets 132 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 209 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Edinburgh usually receives more rain than Cartagena. Edinburgh gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilEdinburgh 7°C (45°F)Cartagena 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Cartagena and Edinburgh
| Edinburgh | Cartagena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (38°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 3°C (38°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Mar | 5°C (41°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 7°C (45°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 10°C (49°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 13°C (55°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Jul | 14°C (58°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 14°C (58°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (54°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Oct | 10°C (49°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Nov | 5°C (42°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Dec | 4°C (39°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 30 mm (1.2 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.