Which place is cheaper, Bogota or Medellin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Medellin or Bogota?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Medellin or Bogota? 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: Medellin or Bogota?
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.
Bogota
Sprawling across a high altitude in the Columbian Andes region, Bogota is the capital city of Columbia. It is a mix of the old and new with century-old plazas and churches shadowed by towering skyscrapers, museums representing the history, art, and culture of the region, as well as a mix of distinct neighborhoods from quaint and historic to trendy and contemporary.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia, and The Best Luxury Tours to Colombia.
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Medellin Prices
Colombia PricesBogota Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMedellin $27Bogota $57
The average daily cost (per person) in Medellin is $27, while the average daily cost in Bogota is $57. 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 Medellin and Bogota in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMedellin $4.30Bogota $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMedellin $8.60Bogota $48
Compare Hotels in Medellin and Bogota
Looking for a hotel in Medellin or Bogota? 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: Medellin Hotel Prices and Bogota Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Medellin $3.74Bogota $7.94
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Medellin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Medellin:
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Taxi$1.49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Medellin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Medellin:
- Transfer airport JMC - Medellin or vice versa - Private : $39
- Transfer Jose Maria Cordoba Airport -Hotel or Accommodation: $51
- Sedan Departure Transfer from Medellin City to Medellin Airport: $137
- Roundtrip Private Airport Transfer Medellin (MED) to City: $53
- Private Transfer from Medellín City to José María Córdova (MDE) Airport: $66
- Private Transfer Jose Marie Cordova Airport to Medellin Bello: $100
- Private Medellin Airport Transfer with English-Speaking Driver: $150
- Private Medellín Airport Arrival Transfer: Comfort & Reliability: $39
- Private Arrival Transfer : From Airport to Medellín Hotels : $68
- Private Airport Transfer in Medellín: Arrival Service: $39
- Pereira to or from Salento Private Transfer: $38
- PRIVATE Transfer Jose Maria Cordova Airport - Up to 10 People: $90
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Bogota
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Bogota are as follows:
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Taxi from Airport$6.84
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Taxi Ride$0.36
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2 Bus Passes$0.81
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bogota
Also for Bogota, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Andres Carne de Res Chia: Premium Private Transfer Service: $19
- Arrival Private Transfer Bogota Airport BOG to Bogota by Sedan: $110
- Arrival Transfer from Bogota Airport BOG to Bogota by Car: $86
- Bogotá Private Airport Transfer (BOG) to City: $11
- Bogotá to or from Villa de Leyva Private Transfer: $94
- Bogota Airport (BOG) to Bogota - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $34
- Bogota Airport BOG to Downtown Hotels Arrival Private Transfer: $22
- Bogota Premium private transfer: $10
- Bogota to Bogota Airport (BOG) - Departure Private Transfer: $17
- Bogota to or from Villavicencio Private Transfer: $94
- Layover Bogotá Private Tour + Transfer in & Out (4 Hrs.) : $179
- Minivan Arrival Transfer from Bogota Airport BOG to Bogota City: $125
Is it cheaper to fly into Medellin or Bogota?
Prices for flights to both Bogota and Medellin 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 dayMedellin $15Bogota $21
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$1.90
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Medellin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Medellin.
- Medellín: Comuna 13 True Story and Street Food Tour: $12
- A night in Medellín: food tour and bars in El Poblado!: $29
- Laureles Food Tour: $35
- Medellín: Guided Street Food Tour with Tastings (El Poblado): $43
- Street Food Tour in Medellín with 10 + Tastings in El Poblado: $45
- Medellin Night E-Bike Tour with Gourmet Dinner Included: $54
- City Tour by Electric Bicycle + Gourmet Dinner: $59
- Community project cooking class and Medellin social transformation tour: $64
- Homemade Paisa Dinner at a Local's Home in Medellín: $69
- Homemade Paisa Dinner at a Local's Home in Medellín: $71
- Private Street Food Tour, Eat like a Local in Medellin!: $75
- MEDELLÍN: PRIVATE FOOD TOUR WITH THE BEST VIEWPOINTS!: $80
Typical Food Prices in Bogota
For Bogota, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$1.42
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Hot Dog$0.83
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bogota
For Bogota, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Viejo Bogota Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $49
- Bogota Private Food Tour: Fruits, Arepas, Cacao, Lunch, Beer, 8hr: $54
- Food Tour in La Candelaria Bogotá: $60
- Bogotá Food Tour - La Candelaria: $61
- Food Tour in Historic Downtown with a Food Scholar and Tastings: $75
- Dinner and party at Andres Carne de Res DC: $100
- Bogotá Food Tour. Exotic Fruits and local Cuisine.: $180
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Medellin $12Bogota $12
Tours and Activities in Medellin
Here are a few actual costs in Medellin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Atv or quats Tour adventure Quads tour in MEDELLÍN : $90
- Historical Tour in Pablo Escobar : $35
- Medellin City Private Tour: $85
- 1 Hour ATV Adventure Tour in Medellin : $140
- 2 Day Private Jardin Tour with Activities from Medellin: $260
- 2-Hours Street Art Walking Tour in Medellin Comuna 13: $24
- 3 Hours City Tour in Medellin Colombia: $27
- 3-Hour Private Guided Tour in Medellin: $60
- 360 guided tour of Medellín + Comuna 3: $62
- 4-Hour Medellin, Envigado & Sabaneta Three County Tour: $79
- ATV Adventure in Medellin's Mountains: $88
- ATV Private Tour in Medellin: $166
Typical Entertainment Prices in Bogota
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Bogota's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Beer$1.18
Tours and Activities in Bogota
For Bogota, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Theatron Party-Tour, 20 Clubs, Map, cocktail, bottle, After-party: $5.00
- Learn About Emeralds in a Virtual Experience: $5.00
- Survival Spanish Class with Walking Tour of Old Town Bogotá: $5.25
- Bogotá: La Macarena to Parque Nacional Walking Audio Tour: $5.99
- Traditional Bogotá: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Colonial Bogotá: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of La Candelaria: $5.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - El Dorado Expedition, Part I : $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - El Dorado Expedition, Part II: $6.99
- Tour de fantasmas /GhosTour LaCandelaria Bogotá : $8.00
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Paranormal Candelaria: $10
- Shared Walking Tour in Bogotá, Historic Center and Graffiti Tour: $11
- Tour stories Candelarias, voice to voice heritage: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMedellin $6.52Bogota $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Medellin
Also in Medellin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- The Medellin Pub Crawl: $20
- Medellín Nightlife: Rooftop Bar Crawl: $85
- Medellín Pub Crawl Tour with Drinks: $119
- All-Inclusive Comuna 13 Nightlife Bar Crawl with Locals: $130
- Medellin Pub Crawl Including Food and City Tour: $166
- Night Out Gay Bar Crawl in Medellin: $175
Sample the Local Flavors in Bogota
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Bogota:
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Bogotá, Colombia: $25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Medellin and Bogota, we can see that Bogota 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 Bogota would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bogota 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 Medellin Expensive? and Is Bogota Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Medellin or Bogota?
Bogota has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Medellin. When comparing the sizes of Medellin and Bogota, 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.