Which place is cheaper, Medellin or Florianopolis?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Florianopolis or Medellin?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Florianopolis or Medellin? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Florianopolis or Medellin?
Florianopolis
With a population of almost 500,000, Florianopolis is the capital city of the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. The city is split between mainland Brazil and Santa Catarina Island.
Florianopolis has grown in popularity with tourists recently because of its wonderful scenery, beautiful beaches, and fascinating culture. Many Brazilians have also moved here, leaving behind the big cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Florianopolis has a warm humid subtropical climate. There are summer, winter, spring and fall seasons. Frosts are rare but do occur occasionally. Highs during the warmest months are usually in the high 70s Fahrenheit. Rain is evenly distributed throughout the year and there is no distinct dry season.
Medellin
In addition to big improvements in public safety, Medellin has witnessed a huge surge in urban development projects, including Colombia's first metro system and cable cars to service poorer neighborhoods located high on the mountain sides. There is an abundance of parks, libraries, museums and public spaces with many cultural events taking place. Many travelers also enjoy visiting the surrounding villages, where life is simple and landscapes and nature reserves are wonderful. Medellin has now become one of the "it" cities in the world, with tons of tourists visiting and foreigners settling and retiring here. Beautiful mountains, warm weather, friendly locals, and a vibrant culture are just a few of the reasons why you should visit Medellin.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Brazil, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFlorianopolis $62Medellin $23
The average daily cost (per person) in Florianopolis is $62, while the average daily cost in Medellin is $23. 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 Florianopolis and Medellin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFlorianopolis $26Medellin $4.75
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFlorianopolis $52Medellin $9.50
Compare Hotels in Florianopolis and Medellin
Looking for a hotel in Florianopolis or Medellin? 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: Florianopolis Hotel Prices and Medellin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Florianopolis $13Medellin $4.14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Florianopolis
Also for Florianopolis, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Florianópolis Airport Transfer anywhere on the island by Floripa Nativa: $39
- Hercilio Luz Airport - North Island Transfer: $14
- One Way Transfer : Florianopolis Airport to or from Florianopolis: $64
- Private Transfer Florianópolis Airport to City Center: $31
- Private Transfer Florianopolis Airport to Bal. Camboriu: $96
- Private Transfer from FLN Airport to the City Balneario Camboriú : $83
- Private Transfer from Florianópolis Airport to Bombinhas: $97
- Roundtrip transfer from Florianópolis Airport to Bombinhas: $168
- Shared transfer from Florianópolis airport to Balneário Camboriú: $35
- Transfer Florianópolis Airport / Costão do Santinho: $76
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Medellin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Medellin:
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Taxi$1.65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Medellin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Medellin:
- Transfer in Private Car from Guatape- Medellin airport (MDE): $34
- Transfer from or to Medellin's airport: $55
- Transfer Private Car from Medellin city - Medellin Airport (MDE): $23
- Transfer Jose Maria Cordoba Airport -Hotel or Accommodation: $79
- Transfer JMC airport - Medellin or Medellin - JMC airport - Private!!: $39
- Santa Marta Airport to Santa Marta (or vice versa) Private Transfer : $16
- Private transfer service from or to Medellín Airport: $43
- Private Transfer Jose Marie Cordova Airport to Medellin Bello: $100
- Private Transfer Aerop Jose Maria Cordova - Up to 3 people: $33
- Private Medellin Airport Transfer with English-Speaking Driver: $50
- Private Medellín Hotel to Airport transfer service: $35
- Private Arrival Transfer : From Airport to Medellín Hotels : $54
Is it cheaper to fly into Florianopolis or Medellin?
Prices for flights to both Medellin and Florianopolis 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 dayFlorianopolis $22Medellin $9.61
Typical Food Prices in Florianopolis
For Florianopolis, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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A Quick Snack$0.44
Typical Food Prices in Medellin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Medellin:
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Lunch$2.10
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Medellin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Medellin.
- Street Food Tour in Medellín: $45
- Private tour: Street food tour, Eat like a Local in Medellin!: $85
- Authentic Colombian Cooking Class in Medellin with a Local Family: $99
- Medellin Historical and Food Tour with Fernando Botero´s Plaza: $140
- Full Day Private Medellin City, Street Art and Food Tour: $145
- Best Food Tour and Horseback Adventure in Medellin: $163
- Private tour: Medellin City – Pablo Escobar and Food Tour: $166
- A Night Out in Medellin with Dinner and Drinks Included: $175
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Florianopolis $26Medellin $13
Typical Entertainment Prices in Florianopolis
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Florianopolis's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Internet$0.59
Tours and Activities in Florianopolis
For Florianopolis, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Walking Tour Historic Center of Florianópolis: $12
- Historic Center Walking Tour in Florianopolis with Local Bar Hop: $14
- Bombinhas Beach and 4 Islands Tour: $22
- Shared Shuttle between Florianópolis Airport and Hotel with optional City Tour: $23
- Florianópolis Full Day City Tour: $25
- Rafting Adventure in Apuama - Rio Cubatão in Greater Florianópolis: $29
- Floripa City Tour by Bus - Whole Island - The Most Complete City Tour: $31
- Balneário Camboriú City Tour from Florianópolis: $35
- Tour Balneario Camboriu and Laranjeiras Beach TELEFERICO INCLUDED: $36
- Blumenau City Tour - departing from Florianópolis: $37
- Blumenau City Tour from Florianópolis: $38
- Lagoinha do Leste Hiking and Photography Adventure : $41
Tours and Activities in Medellin
Here are a few actual costs in Medellin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Comuna 13 + Medellin City Tour: $230
- Medellin City Private Tour: $83
- Medellin City Walking Tour plus Metro Cable Cars: $83
- Private tour Guatapé Peñol stone and coffee farm: $139
- 2 Hour Medellin Off Road ATV Experiences: $160
- 3 Hours City Tour in Medellin Colombia: $27
- 3 Towns Colonial Private Tour Leaving from Medellin: $130
- 4 Hours Private Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour: $60
- 5-Hour Coffee and Pablo Express Mix Tour in Medellín: $110
- 90 Minute Walking Tour of Guatapé: $16
- ATV Quad Tour from Medellin with Transportation : $132
- ATV Tour 3 Mountains Medellin: $170
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFlorianopolis $8.68Medellin $7.21
Typical Alcohol Prices in Florianopolis
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Florianopolis from other travelers:
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Beer$0.59
Sample the Local Flavors in Medellin
Also in Medellin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Live the Nightlife Rooftop Pub Crawl : $49
- All-Inclusive Comuna 13 Nightlife Bar Crawl with Locals: $130
- Medellin Pub Crawl Including Food and City Tour: $139
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Florianopolis and Medellin, we can see that Florianopolis is more expensive. And not only is Medellin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Medellin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Medellin 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 Florianopolis would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Florianopolis than you might in Medellin.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Florianopolis Expensive? and Is Medellin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Florianopolis or Medellin?
Medellin has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Florianopolis. When comparing the sizes of Florianopolis and Medellin, 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.