Which place is cheaper, Cartagena or Florence?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Florence or Cartagena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Florence or Cartagena, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Florence or Cartagena?
Florence
Florence is the capital of Tuscany and one of the most well known cities in Italy for its art and cultural scenes. The city is rooted in history and you can see this in the architecture, statues, gardens, and art that are everywhere around town. This city truly is a living museum. You should allow yourself at least a couple of days to explore Florence and if you can afford more, it is well worth the time. In particular, if art history is your passion then you will need a week or more to satisfy your interest as the museums and architecturally impressive buildings throughout the city are endless.
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 Italy, The Best Budget Tours to Italy, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFlorence €154Cartagena €44
The average daily cost (per person) in Florence is €154, while the average daily cost in Cartagena is €44. 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 Florence and Cartagena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFlorence €87Cartagena €25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFlorence €174Cartagena €50
Compare Hotels in Florence and Cartagena
Looking for a hotel in Florence 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: Florence Hotel Prices and Cartagena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Florence €22Cartagena €6.97
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Florence
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Florence:
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Taxi Ride Within City€8.00
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Taxi from Airport€25
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In City Parking (Full Day)€30
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Bus Pass (Full Day)€5.00
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Bus From Airport€5.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Florence
Also for Florence, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Florence to Pisa Airport (PSA) - Departure Private Transfer: $74
- Private Oneway Transfer Florence Airport to Florence Hotels: $66
- Private Transfer from Florence to Milan: $216
- Arrival Private Transfer: Florence Airport FLR to Florence in Luxury Van: $202
- Chianti Wine Tastings and Visit to 3 Cellars with Lunch&Transfer: $236
- Florence Airport (FLR) to Florence hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $40
- Florence Airport (FLR) to Montecatini Terme - RoundTrip Transfer: $184
- Florence Airport (FLR) to Siena or Sovicille - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $210
- Florence Airport (FLR): One-Way/Roundtrip Private Transfer: $316
- Florence Airport Private Departure Transfer: $48
- Florence Airport to Chianciano Arrival Private Transfer: $146
- Florence Airport(FLR) to Chianciano - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $293
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Florence or Cartagena?
Prices for flights to both Cartagena and Florence 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 dayFlorence €36Cartagena €9.13
Typical Food Prices in Florence
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Florence:
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Panini Sandwich€6.50
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Casual Lunch (for Two)€17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Florence
For Florence, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe Florence with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Florence Street Food Tour: Market & City Center: $29
- Florence Street Food Tour, Market and City Center: $31
- Walking Food Tour at Sunset with Tastings: $33
- Virtual Live Cooking Class What Do You Have in Your Pantry: $35
- Virtual Cooking Class: Bruschetta & Tiramisù: $35
- Virtual Italian Meatballs Cooking Class, Live from Tuscany: $37
- Street Food Tour with Local Expert Guide: $41
- Street Food Tour and Sightseeing with Local Expert Guide in 2.5 hours : $41
- Pasta and Tiramisu Cooking Class with Wine: $59
- Cooking Art Brunelleschi : $59
- 3- Cooking Making Spaghetti & Lasagna: $59
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.Florence €30Cartagena €20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Florence
For Florence, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Admission to Uffizi€11
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Phone Booking Fee for Uffizi€4.00
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Firenze Card (for Two)€100
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Audioguides at Uffizi (for Two)€20
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Giotto's Tower Entrance Fee€6.00
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Boboli Gardens Entrance Fee€7.00
Tours and Activities in Florence
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Florence.
- Relive the Renaissance on a Guided Walking Tour: $2.69
- Dark Mysteries and Legends Guided Walking Tour: $2.69
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- The Best tour in Renaissance & Medici Tales - guided by a STORYTELLER: $3.26
- Florence Walking Tour: $3.26
- Private Tour to the Laboratory of Artistic Ceramics in Tuscany: $3.28
- Sunset Walking Tour: $3.28
- Smartphone self guided Tour: $4.29
- Florence Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.50
- Uffizi Gallery Highlights Audio Guide (Ticket NOT included): $5.99
- Galleria dell' Accademia Audio Guide (Ticket NOT included): $5.99
- Florence and Pisa self guided tour: $6.45
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 dayFlorence €18Cartagena €8.56
Typical Alcohol Prices in Florence
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Florence from other travelers:
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Glass of Chianti€4.20
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Bottle of Wine€7.50
Sample the Local Flavors in Florence
Also in Florence, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wine Tasting by CarusVini in San Casciano in val di Pesa: $16
- Wine Tasting Activity at Chianti Rufina: $23
- Great wine tasting at Tenuta Moriano: $25
- Sip, Savor, Save! Youth Wine Tasting Tour with Appitisers: $28
- Wine Tasting Experience with Three Types of Tuscan Wine: $29
- Discover Artimino wine tasting, a few steps from Florence: $33
- Private Wine Tasting Experience in the heart of Tuscany: $33
- Classic Wine Tasting in Montalcino: $33
- Wine Tasting and Pairing Class Guided Tour in Florence: $43
- Wine Tasting and Paring Class Guided Tour in Florence: $43
- Wine Tasting and Pairing Class Guided Tour in Florence: $43
- Wine Tasting Experience in Florence city centre: $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 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 Florence and Cartagena, we can see that Florence is more expensive. And not only is Cartagena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Florence 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 Florence would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Florence 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 Florence Expensive? and Is Cartagena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Florence or Cartagena?
Cartagena has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Florence. When comparing the sizes of Florence 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 Florence or Cartagena?
Florence 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 Florence or Cartagena in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Florence as well as Cartagena. Most visitors come to Florence for the family-friendly experiences during these months. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cartagena throughout the year.
Florence is cooler than Cartagena in the summer. The daily temperature in Florence averages around 25°C (77°F) in July, and Cartagena fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cartagena. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Florence this time of the year. In the summer, Florence often gets more sunshine than Cartagena. Florence gets 316 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 207 hours of full sun.
Florence usually gets less rain in July than Cartagena. Florence gets 31 mm (1.2 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 JulyFlorence 25°C (77°F)Cartagena 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Florence or Cartagena in the Autumn?
Both Cartagena and Florence are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Florence because of the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area. Plenty of visitors come to Cartagena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the autumn, Florence is much colder than Cartagena. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Florence in October average around 16°C (61°F), and Cartagena averages at about 27°C (81°F).
Florence usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Cartagena during autumn. Florence gets 177 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 175 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Cartagena. In October, Florence usually receives less rain than Cartagena. Florence gets 96 mm (3.8 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 OctoberFlorence 16°C (61°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Florence or Cartagena in the Winter?
Both Cartagena and Florence during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Florence this time of year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cartagena year-round.
In January, Florence is generally much colder than Cartagena. Daily temperatures in Florence average around 7°C (45°F), and Cartagena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
In Cartagena, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Florence often gets less sunshine than Cartagena. Florence gets 105 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 278 hours of full sun.
Florence usually gets more rain in January than Cartagena. Florence gets 63 mm (2.5 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 JanuaryFlorence 7°C (45°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Florence or Cartagena in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Florence and Cartagena. Many travelers come to Florence for the natural beauty. Cartagena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Florence is much colder than Cartagena in the spring. The daily temperature in Florence averages around 14°C (57°F) in April, and Cartagena fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cartagena this time of the year. Florence usually receives less sunshine than Cartagena during spring. Florence gets 192 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 209 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Florence usually receives more rain than Cartagena. Florence gets 78 mm (3.1 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 AprilFlorence 14°C (57°F)Cartagena 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Cartagena and Florence
| Florence | Cartagena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 7°C (45°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 8°C (46°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Mar | 10°C (50°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 14°C (57°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 22°C (72°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 21°C (70°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Nov | 11°C (52°F) | 102 mm (4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Dec | 8°C (46°F) | 72 mm (2.8 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.