A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Grande-Terre vs. Medellin for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Grande-Terre or Medellin?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Grande-Terre 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: Grande-Terre or Medellin?

Grande-Terre

Grande Terre is an island that makes up the eastern half of the Guadeloupe 'mainland.' It is divided from the other half of the main Guadeloupe island, Basse Terre, by a narrow channel called Rivière Salee (or the Salt River). The island itself is characterized by rolling hills, white sand beaches, and cliffs, and its indented coastline is surrounded by coral reefs. It is home to most of Guadeloupe's farmlands and tourist resorts.

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 Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.


Which place is cheaper, Medellin or Grande-Terre?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Grande-Terre is €145, while the average daily cost in Medellin is €21. 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 Grande-Terre and Medellin in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Grande-Terre 82
    Medellin 4.37
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Grande-Terre 164
    Medellin 8.74
Compare Hotels in Grande-Terre and Medellin

Looking for a hotel in Grande-Terre 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.

Hotels in Grande-Terre


Hotels in Medellin


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: Grande-Terre Hotel Prices and Medellin Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Grande-Terre 9.00
    Medellin 3.81

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grande-Terre

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Grande-Terre:

  • Arrival Private Transfer Pointe a Pitre Airport PTP to Pointe a Pitre by SUV: $41
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Pointe a Pitre Airport PTP to Le Gosier by SUV: $50
  • Departure Private Transfer from Le Gosier to Pointe a Pitre Airport by SUV: $51
  • Departure Private Transfer from Pointe a Pitre to Pointe a Pitre Airport by SUV: $41
  • Departure Private Transfer from Saint-Francois to Pointe a Pitre Airport by SUV: $92
  • Departure Private Transfer from Sainte-Anne to Pointe a Pitre Airport by SUV: $60
  • Pointe-a-Pitre Airport (PTP) to Guadeloupe island - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $159
  • Pointe-a-Pitre Airport (PTP) to Guadeloupe island hotel-Arrival Private Transfer: $79
  • Pointe-a-Pitre Airport (PTP) to Pointe-a-Pitre - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $46
  • Pointe-a-Pitre Airport to Pointe-a-Pitre Hotels Arrival Transfer: $23
  • Pointe-a-Pitre to Pointe-a-Pitre Airport (PTP) - Departure Private Transfer: $23
  • Private Transfer from Pointe a Pitre Airport to Deshaies or Trois Riviers by SUV: $91

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Medellin

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Medellin:


  • Taxi
    1.52

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Medellin

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Medellin:

  • Airport Transfers : $120
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Medellin Airport to City by MiniSuv: $98
  • Arrival Transfer Medellin Airport MDE to Medellin City by Minivan: $129
  • Medellín Airport shuttle - Airport Transfer: $25
  • Medellín Private Transfer from Olaya Herrera (EOH) Airport to Medellín City: $44
  • Medellin Airport (EOH) to Medellin hotels - Round-Trip Transfer: $55
  • Medellin Airport (MDE) to Downtown hotels - Arrival Transfer: $21
  • Medellin hotels to Medellin Airport (EOH) - Departure Transfer: $27
  • Medellin to Olaya Herrera Airport(EOH)-Departure Private Transfer: $27
  • Minibus Departure Transfer from Medellin to Medellin Airport MDE: $182
  • Night-time Private transfer service from or to Medellín Airport: $47
  • Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH) to Medellin -Arrival Private Transfer: $27

Is it cheaper to fly into Grande-Terre or Medellin?

Prices for flights to both Medellin and Grande-Terre 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Grande-Terre 48
    Medellin 8.84

Typical Food Prices in Medellin

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Medellin:


  • Lunch
    1.93

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Medellin

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Medellin.

  • Homemade Paisa Dinner at a Local's Home in Medellín: $69
  • Homemade Paisa Dinner at a Local's Home in Medellín: $71
  • Sabor Colombiano Cooking Studio: $100
  • Combo Tour: Street Art, Christmas Lights and Food Tour in Medellin: $131
  • Comuna 13, Fruit & Street Food Tour: $166
  • Private tour: Medellin City – Pablo Escobar and Food Tour: $166
  • Combo Tour: Metro System, Christmas Lights and Food Tour of Medellin: $166
  • A Night Out in Medellin with Dinner and Drinks Included: $175
  • ATV Adventure Including Medellin City and Food Tour: $185

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Grande-Terre 45
    Medellin 12

Tours and Activities in Grande-Terre

Here are a few actual costs in Grande-Terre for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Cruise stopover - Plage du Gosier Round trip: $15
  • Cruise Stopover at Village Sainte Anne and its Beach: $31
  • Guided tour by electric tuk-tuk: $49
  • Stand Up Paddle Adventure in Guadeloupe: $49
  • Stopover Cruise - Valombreuse Botanical Garden + Sainte-Anne Beach: $49
  • *Cruise Stopover* - Tropical Forest - Sainte-Anne Beach: $60
  • Private Surf Lessons Tour in Guadeloupe: $97
  • Photoshoot + Drone on a Caribbean paradise beach or day tour : $100
  • Full Day Tour of Guadeloupe: $157
  • Private Ultralight Seaplane Experience in Guadeloupe: $169
  • Full Day Private Boat Tour to the Lagoon of Guadeloupe: $232

Tours and Activities in Medellin

Here are a few actual costs in Medellin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Skip the Line: Museum of Antioquia Admission Ticket: $7.20
  • Comuna 13 GraffiTour with Spray Painting and Typical Food C13: $11
  • Graffitour Medellín: History, Transformation and Overcoming": $13
  • Shared Tour of the Historical and Cultural Center of Medellín: $13
  • Post-conflict and Violence Tour (after Pablo) in Medellin: $13
  • GRAFITOUR COMUNA 13 more than a tour an EXPERIENCE: $15
  • Walking Historical tour of Medellín, walking reality.: $15
  • 90 Minute Walking Tour of Guatapé: $16
  • From violence to innovation (Virtual Guided Tour): $19
  • Comuna 13 History and Graffiti Tour with Cable Car: $20
  • Storytellers Tours: $21
  • Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour with Street Food: $22

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Grande-Terre 12
    Medellin 6.63

Sample the Local Flavors in Medellin

Also in Medellin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • 4 Hours Pub Crawl Nightlife in Medellin: $41
  • 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 Grande-Terre and Medellin, we can see that Grande-Terre is more expensive. And not only is Medellin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Grande-Terre is in Caribbean Islands and Medellin 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 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 Grande-Terre would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Grande-Terre 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 Grande-Terre Expensive? and Is Medellin Expensive?.