Which place is cheaper, Cartagena or Rome?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Rome 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 Rome 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: Rome or Cartagena?
Rome
Rome is the capital and largest city in Italy. It is also a common entry point for most visitors flying into the country. Rome has been a center of power, culture, and religion for the last millenium, making it one of the most famous and popular destinations in not only Europe, but the world. The influence of the Roman Empire can be seen across continents.
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 Italy, The Best Budget Tours to Italy, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRome €170Cartagena €44
The average daily cost (per person) in Rome is €170, while the average daily cost in Cartagena is €44. 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 Rome and Cartagena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRome €89Cartagena €25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRome €178Cartagena €50
Compare Hotels in Rome and Cartagena
Looking for a hotel in Rome 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: Rome Hotel Prices and Cartagena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rome €21Cartagena €6.97
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rome
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rome:
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Metro Ride (for Two)€2.00
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Train to the Airport€15
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Taxi to Airport€45
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Bicycle Rental (Full Day)€10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rome
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rome:
- Transfer from Civitavecchia port to Fco Rome airport or Rome : $251
- Transfer from and to Airport - from and to Port - from and to hotel: $165
- All Italy: Private Premium Transfers in Rome: $77
- Arrival Private Transfer: Ciampino Airport CIA to Rome City in Business Car: $95
- Arrival Private Transfer: Ciampino Airport CIA to Rome City in Luxury Van: $102
- Arrival Private Transfer: Fiumicino Airport FCO to Rome in Business Car: $115
- Arrival in Airport Transfer & Exclusive City Introduction: $245
- Arrival in Seamless Private Hotel Transfer: $81
- Catacombs Rome Tour with Private Transfer and Tickets: $175
- Catacombs guided tour and Capuchin Crypt with Transfer: $85
- Catacombs in Rome Tour with Private Transfer : $218
- Catacombs in Rome with private transfer: $104
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cartagena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cartagena:
- Private Transfer from Bocagrande to Port of Cartagena: $25
- 15. Transfer to SANTA MARTA from Cartagena Private or vice versa.: $290
- 18.Transfer (Rafael N-Hotel Decameron Baru Airport) or vice versa: $90
- 2. Transfer from the Airport to the Cartagena Hotel (or vice versa): $29
- 20. Transfer Rafael N. Airport-HOTEL LAS ISLAS-CALABLANCA: $142
- 8. Transfer to BARRANQUILLA from Cartagena Private or vice versa: $160
- Air Conditioning Bus transfer: $10
- Airport Hotel Transfer: $19
- Airport Transfer - Hotel Cartagena: $23
- Airport Transfer Hotel: $35
- Airport Transfers Cartagena: $38
- Arrival Private Transfer Cartagena Airport CTG to Cartagena City by Minivan: $92
Is it cheaper to fly into Rome or Cartagena?
Prices for flights to both Cartagena and Rome 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 dayRome €47Cartagena €9.13
Typical Food Prices in Rome
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rome:
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Casual Lunch (for Two)€14
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4 Ice Cream Sandwiches€2.99
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Cafe e doce€4.00
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Pizza (Fast Food)€2.65
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Sitdown Lunch (for Two)€32
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Cheese and bread€10
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Espresso€2.00
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Dinner€58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rome
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rome.
- Award-Winning Roman Food Tours: $16
- Eat Pasta in Rome, Testaccio - Self-Guided Walking Food Tour: $17
- Vatican and Trionfale Farmers Market Food tour and Wine tasting : $32
- Vatican Street Food Tour around the Biggest Fresh Market in Rome: $32
- Roman Master Chef Cooking Class with Wine: $37
- Roman Dinner & History Tour: An Epic Journey Through Time: $37
- Tasty Trionfale Farmers Market Food Tour and Local Wines Tasting: $38
- Campo dei Fiori & Jewish Ghetto area Street Food Tour: $42
- Rome Food Tour : Street Food Testings with Local Guide: $43
- Painting and Pizza Party in Rome: $43
- Pub Crawl and Ultimate Party with Open Bar and Pizza: $43
- Tiber River Urban Rafting Tour with Roman Pizza: $43
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.Rome €36Cartagena €20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Rome
Here are a few typical costs in Rome for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Rome Museum Vaticano (for 2)€69
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Coliseum Tickets (for Two)€33
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Roma Pass€30
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Hop on Hop Off Bus (All Day)€20
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Segway Tour€75
Tours and Activities in Rome
Here are a few actual costs in Rome for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cambridge: Discovery Walk & Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Bergamo Old Town: Discovery Walk & Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Self-Guided Audio Tour: $3.26
- Shared 4 Hours Guided tour of the House of the Emperor Hadrian: $5.11
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Rome: $5.34
- Bergamo Old Town: City Exploration Game and Tour: $5.38
- Rome Walking Tour Including the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain: $5.45
- Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Tour Rome: $5.45
- Vatican Night Tour - Rome: $5.45
- Twilight Treasures: An Evening Tour Through Rome's Rich History: $5.45
- Civitavecchia's Stories and Secrets: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.50
- An insider's look at A Self-Guided Audio Tour : $5.61
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 dayRome €18Cartagena €8.56
Typical Alcohol Prices in Rome
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Rome:
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Bottle of Wine€6.50
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Pint of Beer€6.34
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Beer€10
Sample the Local Flavors in Rome
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rome:
- Cabaret & Burlesque Show: $32
- Vatican Street Food and Wine Tour with Farmers Market: $38
- The Best Wine Tasting in Trastevere with food pairing and Gelato: $49
- Bar Crawl with Local Guide & Drinks: $53
- Roman Night Life and Burlesque Show Tour: $54
- Wine Tour in Historic Center of Rome: $55
- Agricultural Brewery Tour in the Roman Countryside: $55
- Small-Group Exclusive Winery and Wine Tasting Tour in Frascati: $60
- Pasta Making Class & Wine Tasting in a Trasteve Villa: $68
- E-Bike Night Tour with Food and Wine Tasting: $69
- Rome by Night-Ebike tour with Food and Wine Tasting: $70
- Taste of Tuscany: Food & Wine tour with Florentine Steak: $74
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 Rome and Cartagena, we can see that Rome is more expensive. And not only is Cartagena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Rome 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 Rome would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rome 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 Rome Expensive? and Is Cartagena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Rome or Cartagena?
Rome has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Cartagena. When comparing the sizes of Rome 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 Rome or Cartagena?
Rome 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 Rome or Cartagena in the Summer?
Both Cartagena and Rome are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Rome in the summer for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences. Plenty of visitors come to Cartagena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In July, Rome is generally cooler than Cartagena. Daily temperatures in Rome average around 25°C (77°F), and Cartagena fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).
It's quite sunny in Cartagena. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Rome. Rome usually receives more sunshine than Cartagena during summer. Rome gets 338 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 207 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Rome usually receives less rain than Cartagena. Rome gets 19 mm (0.7 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 JulyRome 25°C (77°F)Cartagena 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Rome or Cartagena in the Autumn?
Both Cartagena and Rome during the autumn are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Rome for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cartagena year-round.
Rome is much colder than Cartagena in the autumn. The daily temperature in Rome averages around 17°C (63°F) in October, and Cartagena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
In the autumn, Rome often gets more sunshine than Cartagena. Rome gets 198 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 175 hours of full sun.
Cartagena gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Rome usually gets less rain in October than Cartagena. Rome gets 94 mm (3.7 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 OctoberRome 17°C (63°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Rome or Cartagena in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Rome and Cartagena. The winter months attract visitors to Rome because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Cartagena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the winter, Rome is much colder than Cartagena. Typically, the winter temperatures in Rome in January average around 8°C (47°F), and Cartagena averages at about 27°C (81°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cartagena this time of the year. Rome usually receives less sunshine than Cartagena during winter. Rome gets 127 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 278 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Rome usually receives more rain than Cartagena. Rome gets 81 mm (3.2 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 JanuaryRome 8°C (47°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Rome or Cartagena in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Rome as well as Cartagena. The activities around the city and the natural beauty are the main draw to Rome this time of year. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cartagena throughout the year.
In April, Rome is generally much colder than Cartagena. Daily temperatures in Rome average around 14°C (57°F), and Cartagena fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cartagena. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Rome this time of the year. In the spring, Rome often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Cartagena. Rome gets 204 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 209 hours of full sun.
Rome usually gets more rain in April than Cartagena. Rome gets 50 mm (2 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 AprilRome 14°C (57°F)Cartagena 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Cartagena and Rome
| Rome | Cartagena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 8°C (47°F) | 81 mm (3.2 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 (52°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 14°C (57°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 42 mm (1.6 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 22°C (71°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 19 mm (0.7 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 25°C (77°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (71°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Oct | 17°C (63°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Nov | 12°C (54°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Dec | 9°C (49°F) | 94 mm (3.7 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.