Which place is cheaper, Cartagena or Helsinki?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Helsinki 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 Helsinki 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: Helsinki or Cartagena?
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital of Finland and dates back to 1550. Helsinki is an international metropolis with a diverse population, but also a small town vibe. The city itself has a population of just over 600,000 but the metropolitan area, including Espoo and Vantaa, has a population of more than 1.3 million. There are many outdoor bars and cafes that take advantage of the warmer summer months. During this time there are long days, and the population floods into the street after a long and cold winter, so visiting during the summer is a fun and lively experience.
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 Budget Tours to Finland, The Best Tours for Seniors to Finland, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHelsinki €139Cartagena €45
The average daily cost (per person) in Helsinki is €139, while the average daily cost in Cartagena is €45. 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 Helsinki and Cartagena in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHelsinki €73Cartagena €25
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHelsinki €146Cartagena €50
Compare Hotels in Helsinki and Cartagena
Looking for a hotel in Helsinki 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: Helsinki Hotel Prices and Cartagena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Helsinki €22Cartagena €7.03
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Helsinki
Also for Helsinki, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer from Helsinki airport HEL to Helsinki by luxury van: $76
- Arrival Transfer: Airport HEL to Helsinki in Business Car: $97
- Departure Private Transfer Helsinki City to Helsinki Airport HEL by business car: $64
- Guided Tallinn Day Tour from Helsinki / Include hotel transfers: $218
- Helsinki Airport (HEL) to Helsinki City hotel Round-Trip Transfer: $83
- Helsinki Airport (HEL) to Helsinki City hotels - Arrival Transfer: $41
- Helsinki Airport (HEL) to Helsinki West Terminal - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $81
- Helsinki Airport (HEL): One-Way Transfer to/from Helsinki: $145
- Helsinki Airport (HEL): Transfer to Helsinki Cruise Terminal: $130
- Helsinki Airport VIP Transfers: Exclusive Comfort&Efficiency: $135
- Helsinki Private Airport & City Transfer: $82
- Helsinki Private Transfer: $158
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 Helsinki or Cartagena?
Prices for flights to both Cartagena and Helsinki 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 dayHelsinki €34Cartagena €9.21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Helsinki
For Helsinki, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- FOOD Tour with Rooftop Bar Visit in Helsinki: $107
- FOOD Tour with Roof Top Bar in Helsinki: $108
- Helsinki Food Tour Including Tastings: $164
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
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Helsinki €27Cartagena €20
Tours and Activities in Helsinki
For Helsinki, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Tip-Based City Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $2.15
- Free Evening Helsinki Tour - A Walk through Centuries: $2.61
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Tip-based Free Walking Tour Helsinki - RED UMBRELLA TOURS: $5.13
- Escape Game and Tour: $7.00
- Helsinki Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and City Tour: $7.00
- A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Helsinki's Historical Highlights: $7.99
- Temppeliaukio Church Entrance Ticket: $8.61
- From Round-Trip Ferry Ticket to Suomenlinna: $8.70
- Helsinki Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Suomenlinna: Museum Ticket: $9.69
- Historical Highlights Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
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
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayHelsinki €16Cartagena €8.63
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 Helsinki and Cartagena, we can see that Helsinki is more expensive. And not only is Cartagena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Helsinki 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 Helsinki would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Helsinki 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 Helsinki Expensive? and Is Cartagena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Helsinki or Cartagena?
Cartagena has a larger population, and is about 70% larger than the population of Helsinki. When comparing the sizes of Helsinki 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 Helsinki or Cartagena?
Helsinki 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 Helsinki or Cartagena in the Summer?
Both Cartagena and Helsinki during the summer are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Helsinki in the summer for the family-friendly experiences. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cartagena year-round.
Helsinki is much colder than Cartagena in the summer. The daily temperature in Helsinki averages around 17°C (62°F) in July, and Cartagena fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).
In Cartagena, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Helsinki. In the summer, Helsinki often gets more sunshine than Cartagena. Helsinki gets 275 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 207 hours of full sun.
Helsinki usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Cartagena. Helsinki gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulyHelsinki 17°C (62°F)Cartagena 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Helsinki or Cartagena in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Helsinki and Cartagena. Most visitors come to Helsinki for the shopping 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, Helsinki is much colder than Cartagena. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Helsinki in October average around 6°C (42°F), and Cartagena averages at about 27°C (81°F).
Helsinki usually receives less sunshine than Cartagena during autumn. Helsinki 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, Helsinki usually receives less rain than Cartagena. Helsinki gets 71 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberHelsinki 6°C (42°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Helsinki or Cartagena in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Helsinki as well as Cartagena. The winter months attract visitors to Helsinki because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cartagena throughout the year.
The weather in Helsinki can be very cold. In January, Helsinki is generally much colder than Cartagena. Daily temperatures in Helsinki average around -6°C (21°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, Helsinki often gets less sunshine than Cartagena. Helsinki gets 39 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 278 hours of full sun.
Helsinki usually gets more rain in January than Cartagena. Helsinki gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryHelsinki -6°C (21°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Helsinki or Cartagena in the Spring?
Both Cartagena and Helsinki are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The natural beauty are the main draw to Helsinki this time of year. Plenty of visitors come to Cartagena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It's quite cold in Helsinki in the spring. Helsinki is much colder than Cartagena in the spring. The daily temperature in Helsinki averages around 3°C (37°F) in April, and Cartagena fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
It's quite sunny in Cartagena. Helsinki usually receives less sunshine than Cartagena during spring. Helsinki gets 183 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 209 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Helsinki usually receives more rain than Cartagena. Helsinki gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilHelsinki 3°C (37°F)Cartagena 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Cartagena and Helsinki
| Helsinki | Cartagena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -6°C (21°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | -7°C (20°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Mar | -3°C (27°F) | 34 mm (1.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 3°C (37°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 9°C (49°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 15°C (59°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Jul | 17°C (62°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 16°C (60°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 11°C (51°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Oct | 6°C (42°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Nov | 1°C (33°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Dec | -4°C (26°F) | 58 mm (2.3 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.