Which place is cheaper, Cartagena or Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)?
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 Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) or Cartagena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Cartagena can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) or Cartagena?
Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)
Situated in the Golfo Dulce, Puerto Jiminez has grown from a logging and gold mining town in the 1960s to become the largest town on Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula. Today, it serves as a main gateway to Corcovado National Park, a last stopping point before visitors enter the park. Puerto Jiminez also has a lively night life, a beach, and easy access to a number of outdoors activities.
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 Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.
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Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) Prices
Costa Rica PricesCartagena Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $140Cartagena $55
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is $140, while the average daily cost in Cartagena is $55. 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 Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Cartagena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $49Cartagena $27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $98Cartagena $54
Compare Hotels in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Cartagena
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) 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: Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) Hotel Prices and Cartagena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) -Cartagena $7.46
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cartagena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cartagena:
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Getsemani: $9.29
- Transfer from the Airport - Hotels in Marbella: $9.29
- Transfer airport - old city (walled city /center): $9.53
- Transfers from the Airport to Hotels in Cartagena: $10
- Airport Transfer to Cartagena Hotels: $10
- Transfer from Cartagena hotels to the airport: $10
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Manga: $10
- Private Transfer from Cartagena Airport (CTG): $11
- Private Transfer to Cartagena Airport (CTG): $11
- Private Airport Transfers in air conditioning buses: $12
- Airport Private Transfer to Hotel in the urban City : $12
- Transfer from the Airport to Hotels in Laguito: $12
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) or Cartagena?
Prices for flights to both Cartagena and Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) 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 dayPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $60Cartagena $17
Typical Food Prices in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)
Some typical examples of dining costs in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) are as follows:
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Dinner at Finca Exotica$54
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cartagena
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cartagena.
- Cartagena Fritters Cooking Class – by Lunático Experience: $23
- Street food tour Cartagena: $40
- Local Flavors Food Tour with Native Chef: $42
- Street Food Tour in Cartagena: $44
- Traditional cooking class in a restaurant in the historic center: $45
- Guided Street Food Tour with Tastings: $47
- Flavors of Colombia: Cooking Class with Chef Andrés: $52
- Private Dinner at a Local Chef's House in Cartagena: $52
- Cruise by the Bay with Dinner and Wine: $55
- Food Tour of the Old City Flavors and Culture: $59
- Dinner Cruise Along Cartagena's Bay: $60
- Cartagena Island Dinner (Island of Tierra Bomba): $60
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) $119Cartagena $21
Tours and Activities in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park)
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) are as follows:
- Gold Panning Private Adventure in Puerto Jimenez: $35
- Puerto Jimenez Birdwatching Tour Osa Peninsula Golfo Dulce: $60
- Kayak experience on Playa Blanca in Puerto Jiménez: $65
- Bio-Luminescence and Sunset Kayak Tour: $67
- Corcovado La Leona Day Tour from Puerto Jimenez - All Inclusive: $120
- Isla del Caño snorkel tour from Drake Bay (Cano island) : $125
- Sirena Day Tour - Corcovado NP All Inclusive from Puerto Jimenez: $145
- One Day Tour To Caño Island From Drake Bay: $145
- Corcovado National Park - Day Tour from Drake Bay: $145
- 4 Hour Private Guided Tour in Osa Jungle : $163
- Corcovado National Park - Private Siren Day Tour: $190
- Scuba Diving Tour at Cano Island (Isla del Caño) from Drake Bay: $195
Tours and Activities in Cartagena
Here are a few actual costs in Cartagena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cartagena de Indias: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: Ghost of Downtown: Fear in the streets. : $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: The Rise of the Wall City Part II: $10
- Republican Architecture Self-Guided Audio Tour in Cartagena: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Legends of the Streets of Downtown : $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: Pirate Tales in Cartagena: $10
- Self Guided Audio Tour The Great Battle Fort of San Felipe: $11
- Shared Walking Tour of the Colonial Old Town: $11
- CITY TOUR OVERVIEW of the city Boots castle chiva: $11
- CITYTOUR of Cartagena Monuments, Walls and Castles : $11
- Historic Center & Getsemaní Shared Tour in Cartagena : $12
- Cartagena Sunset Walking Tour: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) -Cartagena $9.17
Sample the Local Flavors in Cartagena
Also in Cartagena, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Open Bar Sunset Cruise with Bar Crawl After Party: $16
- Group Night Experience: Cartagena's Best Pub Crawl all included!: $21
- Pub Crawl with Dancing Lessons and Free Shots: $21
- Getsemaní Pub Crawl with Shots and Dance Class: $22
- Thursday Night Bar Crawl in Cartagena, Colombia: $24
- Cartagena Pub Crawl: Let's Party & Matching in Getsemaní: $24
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Cartagena, Colombia: $25
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Cartagena, Colombia: $25
- Centro Histórico Bar Crawl with a Local Guide: $29
- Pub Crawl Only Locals Have Fun In The Walled City: $35
- Pub Crawl-Last Call For Alcohol-Cartagena Night Tour (Bar/Club) : $50
- Pub Crawl Nightlife in Cartagena : $60
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) and Cartagena, we can see that Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is more expensive. And not only is Cartagena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) is in Central America 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 Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) 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 Puerto Jimenez (Corcovado National Park) Expensive? and Is Cartagena Expensive?.
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.