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

Should you visit Medellin or Cafayate?

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

Should I visit Medellin or Cafayate? 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 Cafayate?

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.

Cafayate

Cafayate is located in the province of Salta, in the central zone of the Valles Calchaquies. The small town has about 12,000 residents and is 1,329 kilometers from Buenos Aires.

People head to the small town of Cafayate to explore its vineyards and unique rock formations. It has become an important tourist destination in the area and there is a large golf course under construction just outside of town.

Cafayate is an important wine production center. The wines in the area thrive from the low humidity mild weather of the valleys. The town receives less than 250 millimeters of precipitation a year.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires.


Which place is cheaper, Cafayate or Medellin?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Medellin is $22, while the average daily cost in Cafayate is $12. 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 Cafayate in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Medellin $4.66
    Cafayate $4.50
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Medellin $9.32
    Cafayate $9.00
Compare Hotels in Medellin and Cafayate

Looking for a hotel in Medellin or Cafayate? 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 Medellin


Hotels in Cafayate


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 Cafayate Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Medellin $4.06
    Cafayate $2.44
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Medellin

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


  • Taxi
    $1.62

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Medellin

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Medellin:

  • Private Transfer from MDE Airport to Hotels and City of Medellín: $120
  • PRIVATE Transfer Jose Maria Cordova Airport - Up to 13 People: $119
  • MiniSuv Departure Transfer from Medellin City to Medellin Airport: $98
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Medellin Airport to City by MiniSuv: $98
  • PRIVATE Transfer Jose Maria Cordova Airport - Up to 10 People: $90
  • Medellín to or from Guatapé Private Transfer: $63
  • Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH) to Medellin - Round-trip transfer: $55
  • Transfer from or to Medellin's airport: $55
  • Transfer Jose Maria Cordoba Airport -Hotel or Accommodation: $55
  • Private Arrival Transfer : From Airport to Medellín Hotels : $54
  • Transfer José María Córdova Airport - Medellin - Private Ride Airport .. !!: $45
  • Transfer in private minivan Guatape- Medellin airport (MDE): $42

Is it cheaper to fly into Medellin or Cafayate?

Prices for flights to both Cafayate 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Medellin $9.43
    Cafayate $4.91
Typical Food Prices in Medellin

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


  • Lunch
    $2.06

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Medellin

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

  • Cooking Class Preparing Colombian Empanadas: $39
  • Sabor Colombiano Cooking Studio: $60
  • Community project cooking class and Medellin social transformation tour: $66
  • Homemade Paisa Dinner at a Local's Home in Medellín: $69
  • Half-Day Food Tour Visiting the Best Viewpoints in Medellín!: $75
  • Private tour: Street food tour, Eat like a Local in Medellin!: $85
  • Combo Tour: Street Art, Christmas Lights and Food Tour in Medellin: $131
  • Medellin Historical and Food Tour with Fernando Botero´s Plaza: $140
  • Comuna 13, Fruit & Street Food Tour: $166
  • Private tour: Medellin City – Pablo Escobar and Food Tour: $166
  • Combo Tour: Dark days & Christmas tour Including Lunch or Dinner: $166
  • A Night Out in Medellin with Dinner and Drinks Included: $175

Typical Food Prices in Cafayate

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Cafayate:


  • Dinner (Empanadas)
    $0.02
  • Sandwich
    $0.01
  • Pizza
    $0.02

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Medellin $13
    Cafayate $5.28

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 Full Day Tour in Guatape: $40
  • Private tour Guatapé Peñol stone and coffee farm: $139
  • 1 Hour ATV Adventure Tour in Medellin : $140
  • 2 Days Medellin Coffee Farm Experience : $195
  • 2 Hour Medellin Off Road ATV Experiences: $160
  • 3 Hours City Tour in Medellin Colombia: $27
  • 3-Hour Private Guided Tour in Medellin: $57
  • 4 Hours Private Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour: $60
  • ATV Private Tour in Medellin: $138

Tours and Activities in Cafayate

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cafayate.

  • Tour Quebrada De Las Conchas - Cafayate - Salta: $25
  • From Salta: Full-Day Wine and Valley Tour to Cafayate: $67
  • Half-Day Wine Road Premium Tour From Cafayate: $68
  • From Salta: Cafayate, Humahuaca & Salinas Grandes 3-Day Tour: $106
  • From Salta: Cafayate, Salinas Grandes, & Hornocal Tour: $128
  • From Salta: Local Landscape, Winery, and Culture Tour: $134
  • From Salta: Cafayate, Cachi, & Hornocal 3-Day Tour: $136

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Medellin $7.07
    Cafayate $4.96

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
  • Medellin Private Bar Crawl: $89
  • Medellin Pub Crawl Including Food and City Tour: $139


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Medellin and Cafayate, we can see that Medellin is more expensive. And not only is Cafayate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cafayate would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cafayate 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 Medellin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Medellin than you might in Cafayate.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Medellin Expensive? and Is Cafayate Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Medellin or Cafayate?

Medellin has a larger population, and is about 170 times larger than the population of Cafayate. When comparing the sizes of Medellin and Cafayate, 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.