Which place is cheaper, Bogota or Salento?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Salento or Bogota?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Salento 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: Salento or Bogota?
Salento
Founded in 1850, Salento is one of the oldest towns in Quindio. This colonial Colombian town has retained much of its old world charm, with its colorful buildings, large square and, of course, the obligatory church. Because the main route between Cali and Bogota which used to pass through Salento was diverted, the town didn't develop as quickly as others in the Quindio region. This gave Salento the opportunity to evolve into a thriving community of craftsmen and artisans as well as remaining one of the region's most prolific coffee producers. Salento is located 24 km northeast of the departmental capital Armenia. However, unlike its colorful neighbor, Armenia itself has very little to offer tourists. Salento attracts those wishing to learn about the coffee regions and for those who simply admire breathtaking scenery, and especially the stunning Cocora Valley.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Colombia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySalento $33Bogota $53
The average daily cost (per person) in Salento is $33, while the average daily cost in Bogota is $53. 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 Salento and Bogota in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSalento $11Bogota $26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSalento $22Bogota $52
Compare Hotels in Salento and Bogota
Looking for a hotel in Salento 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: Salento Hotel Prices and Bogota Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Salento $14Bogota $8.77
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salento
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Salento:
- Pereira Airport Private Transfer Service: $55
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Bogota
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Bogota are as follows:
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Taxi from Airport$7.56
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Taxi Ride$0.39
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2 Bus Passes$0.89
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bogota
Also for Bogota, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: El Dorado Airport (One Way): $13
- Transfer from El Dorado Airport to Hotels in Bogota (one way): $15
- Transfer in private SUV from Bogota City - Bogota Airport (BOG): $18
- Private Transfer El Dorado Airport to Hotels in Bogotá: $20
- Downtown to Bogota Airport (BOG) Departure Private Transfer: $24
- Private Transfer from Bogotá-El Dorado (BOG) Airport to Bogotá City: $33
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Bogota Airport (BOG)-Bogota City: $36
- Salt Cathedral Zipaquira • Premium Private Transfer: $39
- Andres Carne de Res Chia • Premium Private Transfer: $39
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Minivan Bogota City Airport (BOG) - Bogota City: $40
- Bogota Airport BOG to Downtown Hotels Round Trip Private Transfer: $48
- Private Bogota Airport drop-off Transfer: $59
Is it cheaper to fly into Salento or Bogota?
Prices for flights to both Bogota and Salento 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 daySalento $9.56Bogota $14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Salento
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Salento.
- Cooking Stories - Cocinando Historias: $46
Typical Food Prices in Bogota
For Bogota, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$1.57
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Hot Dog$0.92
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bogota
For Bogota, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Peruvian cooking workshop: $26
- Bogotá Bites: Guided Street Food Tour with Tastings: $45
- Viejo Bogota Food Tour with 13+ Tastings: $49
- Food Tour in La Candelaria Bogotá: $55
- Bogota Food Tour • Private Car • Fruits Cacao Lunch Coffee Beer: $59
- Bogotá Food Tour - La Candelaria: $61
- Private Colombian Cooking Class and Market Tour In Bogota: $90
- Dinner and party at Andres Carne de Res DC: $100
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Salento $12Bogota $13
Tours and Activities in Salento
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Salento are as follows:
- Book a Private Tourist Guide through the Coffee Region: $140
- Cocoa and Coffee Farm Tours from Pereira or Armenia: $187
- Cocora Valley and Salento Hike Tour: $79
- Cocora Valley and Salento Horseback Riding Day Tour: $137
- Cocora Valley, Salento and Coffee Farm Day Tour : $124
- Cocora, Salento and Filandia Tour: $100
- Coffe Experience: Daily departure from Salento: $90
- Coffee Farm and Salento Walking Tour with Lunch: $87
- Coffee Tour and Salento Walking Tour with lunch: $95
- Coffee tour in the heart of the coffee region: $28
- Filandia and Salento Coffee Towns Tour: $62
- Filandia and Salento Coffee Towns Tour: $105
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$1.31
Tours and Activities in Bogota
For Bogota, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - El Dorado Expedition, Part II: $6.99
- Tour of the Colombian Armed Conflict: war, drug trafficking and peace: $13
- Graffiti Tour: a fascinating walk through a street art City: $13
- Shared Tour of the Historic Candelaria in Bogotá: $13
- Graffiti Tour in La Candelaria Bogotá: $13
- Walking Tour in La Candelaria Bogotá: $14
- Full Day Tour to the Colonial Town of Villa de Leyva: $15
- Walking tour La Candelaria bogotá: $15
- Cycling tour in Simon Bolivar Park and Virgilio Barco Library: $17
- Historical Tour Bogotá: $18
- Alternative tour of Bogotá: gastronomic and cultural: $18
- Bike Tour through Bogotá: $19
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySalento $12Bogota $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Bogota
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Bogota:
- Thursday Bar Crawl in Bogotá: $25
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Bogotá : $25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Salento and Bogota, we can see that Bogota is more expensive. And not only is Salento much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Salento would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salento 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 Salento.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Salento Expensive? and Is Bogota Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Salento or Bogota?
Bogota has a larger population, and is about 1720 times larger than the population of Salento. When comparing the sizes of Salento 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.