Which place is cheaper, Cartagena or Venice?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Venice 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 Venice and Cartagena can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Venice or Cartagena?
Venice
The canals of Venice are one of the most popular and emulated destinations in the world. In it's hay day, Venice was at the center of politics, exploration, arts and architecture. Today that history is still very much alive and well. The city is unlike any other in the world. The best way to immerse yourself in Venice is to get yourself lost in the alleyways. It's actually quite easy to do and you'll find yourself stumbling into the most interesting places, hidden away from the crowds of Piazzo San Marco.
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 Sightseeing Tours in Italy, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Italy, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVenice €229Cartagena €44
The average daily cost (per person) in Venice is €229, 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 Venice and Cartagena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVenice €120Cartagena €25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVenice €240Cartagena €50
Compare Hotels in Venice and Cartagena
Looking for a hotel in Venice 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: Venice Hotel Prices and Cartagena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Venice €27Cartagena €6.97
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Venice
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Venice:
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Venice 12 Hour Transport Pass€16
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Vaporetto Ride€6.50
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1 Day Travel Card€18
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7 Day Transport Card (for Two)€101
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Venice
Also for Venice, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Venice, Сruise Port to Verona Airport (VRN) - Departure Private Transfer: $85
- Airport Marco Polo (VCE) to Chioggia - Arrival Private Transfer: $60
- Arrival Transfer from Venice Airport to Piazzale Roma by Sedan: $49
- Arrival Transfer: Marco Polo Airport VCE to Venice (Luxury Van): $196
- Bologna Airport:1-Way Private Transfer to Venice+water taxi: $836
- Burano + water taxi to Ravenna or Cruise Port -Departure Transfer: $164
- Burano + water taxi to Venice Airport (VCE) - Departure Transfer: $99
- Burano +water taxi to Trieste or port -Departure Private Transfer: $164
- Chioggia Cruise Port to Malpensa Milan Airport (MXP) -Departure Private Transfer: $208
- Chioggia Port : One Way Transfer to Venice, Piazzale Roma: $431
- Departure Transfer: Venice to Marco Polo Airport VCE (Luxury Van): $196
- Departure Transfer: Venice to Marco Polo Airport VCE in Sedan Car: $191
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cartagena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cartagena:
- 15. Transfer to SANTA MARTA from Cartagena Private or vice versa.: $290
- Cartagena to Santa Marta Private Transfer Service: $268
- Cartagena to Santa Marta (or vice versa) Private Transfer : $265
- 8. Transfer to BARRANQUILLA from Cartagena Private or vice versa: $160
- San Diego to Long Beach Airport (LGB) - Departure Private Transfer: $157
- Cartagena to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $156
- 20. Transfer Rafael N. Airport-HOTEL LAS ISLAS-CALABLANCA: $142
- Cartagena to or from Tayrona Park Private Transfer: $136
- Cartagena to or from Santa Marta Private Transfer: $125
- Full-Day in Isla del Encanto with Lunch and Transfer to the Pier: $114
- Walking Tour with Transfers - Gabriel García Márquez & Cartagena Walled City: $110
- Cartagena Rafael Nunez Airport (CTG): Transfer to Cartagena: $109
Is it cheaper to fly into Venice or Cartagena?
Prices for flights to both Cartagena and Venice 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 dayVenice €65Cartagena €9.13
Typical Food Prices in Venice
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Venice:
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Panini Sandwich€4.00
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Gelato€6.00
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Artichoke & Mushroom Pizza€7.90
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Expresso€1.95
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Slice of Pizza€2.23
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Three Course Dinner (for Two)€79
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Venice
For Venice, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $30
- Hard Rock Cafe Venice with Set Lunch or Dinner: $32
- Tiramisu Cooking Class on Line from Venice: $35
- Street Food Tour with a Local Guide and Tastings: $47
- Small Group Venice Street Food Tour with Expert Local Guide: $48
- Venice Street Food Tour with Local Guide with Local Food Market Visit: $48
- Street Food Tour of Venice in 2.5 hours: $48
- Eating Venice Street Food Tour with Guided Tasting and Sightseeing: $48
- Guided City Highlights and Street Food Tour: $52
- Venetian Dinner: $62
- Twilight Food Tour with Cicchetti and Spritz Tasting: $64
- Venetian Dinner: $68
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.Venice €101Cartagena €20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Venice
For Venice, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Venice Boat Ride€15
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Bell tower of St. Mark Entrance Fee€8.00
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Gondola Ride (for Group)€80
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Secret Itinerary Tour- Doge's Palace€16
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The Jewish Museum Admission€3.00
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The Glass Museum in Murano€8.00
Tours and Activities in Venice
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Venice.
- Venezia: Digital Guide made by a Local for your walking tour: $2.15
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Venice self guided audio tour: $4.29
- Exclusive Self-Guided Audio Tour in Jewish Ghetto: $4.63
- Self Guided Audio Tour to The Jewish Ghetto of Venice : $4.70
- From Italy eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.84
- Venezia Walking Tour with Audio and Written Guide by a Local: $5.24
- From 1-Way Bus Ticket to Florence or Vice Versa: $5.35
- Digital Audio Guide Tour of The Jewish Ghetto: $5.38
- independent walking tour with an audio guide: $5.38
- walking tour with audio guide in French: $5.38
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Venice: $5.47
Tours and Activities in Cartagena
Here are a few actual costs in Cartagena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Beach Buggy ATV Adventure Tour CARTAGENA: $135
- Eco cultural Historical Tour beyond Old City! + Pool: $98
- Exciting Beach Buggy ATV Tour in Cartagena : $165
- Palenque Native Guide, free entrance tickets, dance show & lunch: $110
- Playa Morena Beach Club Whith Lunch And Walking tour of fort San Fernando: $39
- Private Beach Tour in Barú and Optional Bird Aviary: $120
- Private Tour & the best coffee of the world in Cartagena (Also for cruisers): $250
- Private city tour: $197
- Shore excursion Accessible sightseeing tour : $250
- Tour around the Rosario Islands 4 islands: $65
- "Essential Cartagena" Private Tour. : $70
- 16. Punta Arena Tour (Tierra Bomba Island): $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVenice €24Cartagena €8.56
Typical Alcohol Prices in Venice
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Venice:
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1/2 Liter Wine€5.20
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Beer€4.90
Sample the Local Flavors in Venice
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Venice:
- Venice Food and Wine Tasting Tour with a Local Guide: $8.74
- Guided Tour and wine tasting 5 wines to discover the Conegliano Valdobbiadene: $27
- Guided Visit and Wine Tasting at the Winery in Veneto: $27
- Wine Tasting in Venice: $38
- private tour in the city and wine tasting: $51
- Wine tasting Asolo Prosecco at Tenuta Baron: $59
- Food and Wine Tasting Bar Tour & Evening Guided Tour: $72
- Venetian Style Carnival Pub Crawl: $80
- Venetian Style Carnival Pub Crawl: $82
- Eat, drink and repeat: Wine tasting tour in Venice: $98
- Authentic Neighborhood Cicchetti Food & Wine Tour: $106
- A Venetian Evening - Wine Tasting & Tapas tour with a Local guide: $109
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 Venice and Cartagena, we can see that Venice is more expensive. And not only is Cartagena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Venice 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 Venice would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Venice 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 Venice Expensive? and Is Cartagena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Venice or Cartagena?
Cartagena has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Venice. When comparing the sizes of Venice 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 Venice or Cartagena?
Venice 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 Venice or Cartagena in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Venice as well as Cartagena. The summer months attract visitors to Venice because of the family-friendly experiences. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cartagena throughout the year.
In July, Venice is generally cooler than Cartagena. Daily temperatures in Venice average around 23°C (73°F), and Cartagena fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cartagena. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Venice this time of the year. In the summer, Venice often gets more sunshine than Cartagena. Venice gets 287 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 207 hours of full sun.
Venice usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Cartagena. Venice gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyVenice 23°C (73°F)Cartagena 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Venice or Cartagena in the Autumn?
Both Cartagena and Venice are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Venice this time of year. Plenty of visitors come to Cartagena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Venice is much colder than Cartagena in the autumn. The daily temperature in Venice averages around 14°C (57°F) in October, and Cartagena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
Venice usually receives less sunshine than Cartagena during autumn. Venice gets 134 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 175 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Cartagena. In October, Venice usually receives less rain than Cartagena. Venice gets 67 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberVenice 14°C (57°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Venice or Cartagena in the Winter?
Both Cartagena and Venice during the winter are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Venice for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cartagena year-round.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Venice. In the winter, Venice is much colder than Cartagena. Typically, the winter temperatures in Venice in January average around 3°C (37°F), and Cartagena averages at about 27°C (81°F).
In Cartagena, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Venice often gets less sunshine than Cartagena. Venice gets 88 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 278 hours of full sun.
Venice usually gets more rain in January than Cartagena. Venice gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryVenice 3°C (37°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Venice or Cartagena in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Venice and Cartagena. Many visitors come to Venice in the spring for the natural beauty. Cartagena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In April, Venice is generally much colder than Cartagena. Daily temperatures in Venice average around 13°C (55°F), and Cartagena fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cartagena this time of the year. Venice usually receives less sunshine than Cartagena during spring. Venice gets 154 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 209 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Venice usually receives more rain than Cartagena. Venice gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilVenice 13°C (55°F)Cartagena 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Cartagena and Venice
| Venice | Cartagena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (37°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 5°C (41°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Mar | 8°C (47°F) | 57 mm (2.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 13°C (55°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 17°C (63°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 77 mm (3 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (73°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 19°C (67°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Oct | 14°C (57°F) | 67 mm (2.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Nov | 8°C (47°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Dec | 4°C (38°F) | 50 mm (1.9 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.