Which place is cheaper, Cartagena or Nice?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Nice 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 Nice 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: Nice or Cartagena?
Nice
Nice, in the French Riviera, is one of the most popular destinations in France. It's located on the southeast coast along the Mediterranean Sea and is the second largest French city on the Mediterranean. It is an energetic city that attracts all types of vacationers from every age group and demographic. It's the 5th largest city in the country and is the capital of the Alpes Maritimes departement. The metropolitan area has a population of about 1 million.
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 10-Day Tours in France, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in France, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNice €131Cartagena €45
The average daily cost (per person) in Nice is €131, 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 Nice and Cartagena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNice €59Cartagena €25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNice €118Cartagena €50
Compare Hotels in Nice and Cartagena
Looking for a hotel in Nice 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: Nice Hotel Prices and Cartagena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nice €25Cartagena €7.03
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nice
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nice:
- Arrival Transfer from Côte d'Azur Airport NCE to Nice City in Private Car: $44
- Arrival Transfer from Nice Airport NCE to Nice city by Sedan: $59
- Arrival Transfer: Nice Airport NCE to Cannes in Luxury Van: $116
- Cruise Port Hercule to Monaco hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
- Day Trip / transfer to and from aéroport Nice Côte d'Azur: $93
- Departure Transfer: Monaco to Nice Airport NCE in Business Car: $110
- Departure Transfer: Monaco to Nice Airport NCE in Luxury Van: $131
- Departure Transfer: Nice to Nice Airport NCE in Business Car: $68
- Departure Transfer: Villefranche Port to Nice Airport: $53
- Ferry Transfer to Sainte Marguerite Island from Nice: $57
- From Nice Airport: 1-Way Private Transfer to Monaco: $151
- From Nice Airport: Private Transfer to Cannes: $129
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cartagena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cartagena:
- Transfer from the Airport - Hotels in Marbella: $7.97
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Cartagena: $7.97
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Morros: $7.97
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Getsemani: $7.97
- Transfer aeropuerto-centro: $8.19
- Air Conditioning Bus transfer: $10
- Shared Transfer from the Airport to Cartagena City or Vice Versa: $10
- Cartagena Airport: Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: $10
- Cartagena:Transfer from the Airport - Hotels in the Bosque: $11
- Transfer from the Airport to Hotels in Laguito: $11
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Castillogrande: $11
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Manga: $11
Is it cheaper to fly into Nice or Cartagena?
Prices for flights to both Cartagena and Nice 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 dayNice €49Cartagena €9.21
Typical Food Prices in Nice
Some typical examples of dining costs in Nice are as follows:
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Slushee€2.50
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Strawberries€4.00
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Loaf of Bread€3.20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nice
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nice.
- Nice Small-Group Walking Food Tour with Local Specialties & Wine Tasting: $84
- Viator Exclusive: Organic French Dinner in the Garden of Nice: $95
- Old Nice Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience: $104
- Viator Exclusive: Local Cooking Class & Dinner with View of Nice: $107
- 3.5-Hour Original Old Town Food Tour: $108
- Private French Cooking Class with a Fun Local Noel: $108
- Half-Day Walking Food Tour in Nice with Lunch: $115
- Half Day Afternoon Walking Food Tour with Dinner: $147
- Dinner in the vineyard French Riviera: $193
- Dinner in the Vineyard French Riviera: $206
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nice €12Cartagena €20
Tours and Activities in Nice
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nice are as follows:
- Nice : Discovery Stroll and Reading Walking Tour: $2.14
- Vieux Nice : Discovery Stroll and Reading Walking Tour: $2.14
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Ticket to Musée National du Sport: $6.46
- Nice Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Monaco Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.58
- Navigating A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Nice's Old Town Highlights: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $7.00
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $7.00
- Nice city tour: audio guide app in your smartphone: $7.53
Tours and Activities in Cartagena
Here are a few actual costs in Cartagena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Emeralds Tour: $0.03
- Into the Walls of The City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Cartagena de Indias: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Artists' Quarter Getsemani Self-guided Tour: $6.35
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - The Great Battle: Fort of San Felipe: $6.99
- Old Town Highlights Self-guided Tour: $8.50
- Tour the city on a rumba in a typical bus: $9.42
- Old Town & Getsemani Quarter Self-guided Tour: $9.58
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: Pirate Tales in Cartagena: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Legends of the Streets of Downtown : $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Getsemaní Neighborhood: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: The Rise of the Wall City Part II: $10
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNice €17Cartagena €8.63
Sample the Local Flavors in Nice
Also in Nice, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Nice Bar Crawl | Best Bars In 1 Night! VIP + FREE SHOTS: $6.03
- Pub Crawl Party with VIP Entry and Free Shots: $16
- Nice : International Party Pub / Bar Crawl Unlimited Ticket: $17
- Pub Crawl Nice with Drinking Games and Optional Drink special: $22
- Riviera Bar Crawl Party with Free Shots and VIP Entry: $25
- Nice Bar Crawl | Infamous International Party!: $27
- Nice Walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $45
- New Year's Eve Pub Crawl with Shots and VIP Club Entry: $53
- New Year’s Eve Bar Crawl Nice France: $54
- Provence Organic Wine Tasting Half Day Tour from Nice: $66
- Half-Day Saint Paul de Vence and Wine Tasting Tour: $83
- Half-Day Wine Tasting and Saint Paul de Vence Tour from Nice: $84
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 Nice and Cartagena, we can see that Nice is more expensive. And not only is Cartagena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Nice 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 Nice would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nice 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 Nice Expensive? and Is Cartagena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nice or Cartagena?
Cartagena has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Nice. When comparing the sizes of Nice 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 Nice or Cartagena?
Nice 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 Nice or Cartagena in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Nice and Cartagena. Many visitors come to Nice in the summer for the beaches, snorkeling, and the family-friendly experiences. Cartagena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Nice is cooler than Cartagena in the summer. The daily temperature in Nice averages around 23°C (73°F) in July, and Cartagena fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).
In July, Nice usually receives less rain than Cartagena. Nice gets 16 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyNice 23°C (73°F)Cartagena 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Nice or Cartagena in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Nice as well as Cartagena. Most visitors come to Nice for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area during these months. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cartagena throughout the year.
In the autumn, Nice is much colder than Cartagena. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Nice in October average around 17°C (63°F), and Cartagena averages at about 27°C (81°F).
It's quite rainy in Cartagena. Nice receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Nice usually gets less rain in October than Cartagena. Nice gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberNice 17°C (63°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Nice or Cartagena in the Winter?
Both Cartagena and Nice are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The winter months attract visitors to Nice because of the shopping scene and the cuisine. Plenty of visitors come to Cartagena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In January, Nice is generally much colder than Cartagena. Daily temperatures in Nice average around 9°C (48°F), and Cartagena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
In January, Nice usually receives more rain than Cartagena. Nice gets 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryNice 9°C (48°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Nice or Cartagena in the Spring?
Both Cartagena and Nice during the spring are popular places to visit. The beaches and the natural beauty are the main draw to Nice this time of year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cartagena year-round.
Nice is much colder than Cartagena in the spring. The daily temperature in Nice averages around 13°C (56°F) in April, and Cartagena fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
Nice usually gets more rain in April than Cartagena. Nice gets 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilNice 13°C (56°F)Cartagena 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Cartagena and Nice
| Nice | Cartagena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 9°C (48°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 9°C (49°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Mar | 11°C (51°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 13°C (56°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 16°C (62°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 20°C (68°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (73°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 21°C (69°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Oct | 17°C (63°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Nov | 12°C (54°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Dec | 10°C (49°F) | 78 mm (3.1 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.