A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Vienna vs. Cartagena for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Vienna or Cartagena?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Vienna or Cartagena, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Vienna or Cartagena?

Vienna

Vienna is the largest city and capital of Austria. It has a population of over 1.7 million and is a cultural, political and economic center for the country. The historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and some complain that it feels more like a museum than a real city. Outside of the historical center though, is a young and vibrant city with a huge music scene, many street performers, and eclectic and fun restaurants and nightclubs.

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 2-Week Tours in Austria, The Best Tours for Seniors to Austria, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.


Which place is cheaper, Cartagena or Vienna?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Vienna is €151, 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 Vienna and Cartagena in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Vienna 94
    Cartagena 25
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Vienna 188
    Cartagena 50
Compare Hotels in Vienna and Cartagena

Looking for a hotel in Vienna 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.

Hotels in Vienna


Hotels in Cartagena


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: Vienna Hotel Prices and Cartagena Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Vienna 19
    Cartagena 6.97
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vienna

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Vienna:


  • Bus to Airport
    30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vienna

Also for Vienna, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • 2-in-1 Jewish Museums in Vienna Private Tour with Transfers: $363
  • Airport Transfer: Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna by Business Car: $79
  • Airport Transfer: Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna by Luxury Car: $105
  • Airport Transfer: Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna by Luxury Van: $106
  • Airport Transfer: Vienna to Vienna Airport VIE by Business Car: $79
  • Airport Transfer: Vienna to Vienna Airport VIE by Luxury Van: $106
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna City by Luxury Car: $96
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna City by Luxury Van: $66
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna City by Minibus: $220
  • Arrival Private Transfer: Vienna Airport VIE to Vienna City by Business Car: $55
  • Belvedere Palace: Tour with Skip-the-Line/Transfer Options: $55
  • Bratislava: Bus Transfer to/from Vienna: $9.58

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cartagena

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cartagena:

  • Walking Tour with Transfers - Gabriel García Márquez & Cartagena Walled City: $110
  • Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cartagena HTL-APT(CTG): $17
  • Transportation / Transfers: $27
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Manzanillo del Mar - Cartagena Airport (CTG): $23
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Cartagena Airport (CTG) - Manzanillo del Mar: $23
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Cartagena Airport (CTG) - City Center: $13
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from Manzanillo del Mar - Cartagena Airport (CTG): $29
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from City Center - Cartagena Airport (CTG): $20
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from Cartagena Airport (CTG) - City Center: $20
  • Transfer in Private Minivan Cartagena Airport (CTG) - Manzanillo del Mar: $18
  • Transfer from the airport to hotels in Boquilla: $13
  • Transfer Private Vehicle Cartagena Airport (CTG) -City Cent: $27

Is it cheaper to fly into Vienna or Cartagena?

Prices for flights to both Cartagena and Vienna 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Vienna 33
    Cartagena 9.13

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vienna

For Vienna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $28
  • Hard Rock Cafe Vienna with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $29
  • 1 Hour Tradtional Kaiserschmarrn Cooking Class & Tasting in Wien: $41
  • Performance Of The Lipizzans At Spanish Riding School: $44
  • Naschmarkt Food Tour: $64
  • Traditional Vienna Tasting Dinner With Folk Music: $69
  • Vienna Evening Sightseeing Cruise With Music and Dinner: $74
  • Naschmarkt Guided Food Tour: $74
  • 3-Course Evening Dinner Cruise: $76
  • Traditional Dinner Show at the Wiener Rathauskeller: $85
  • Kursalon New Year's Day Concert with optional Dinner: $87
  • Schnitzel cooking class with Nicole: $98

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Vienna 38
    Cartagena 20

Tours and Activities in Vienna

For Vienna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Escape Game and Tour: $3.23
  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
  • Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and Tour: $4.84
  • City Tour with Audio Guide: $5.38
  • Self-guided Walking Tour of the Vienna City: $5.46
  • City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
  • Cultural Heart of the City Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
  • Vienna Cultural Heritage: Self-Guided Walking Tour with Audio: $7.27
  • Top of Vienna in One Day: An English Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.95
  • Vienna Emperor Route: Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07
  • Vienna Historic Center: Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07
  • MAK - Geymüllerschlössel Entry Ticket: $8.07

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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Vienna 17
    Cartagena 8.56

Sample the Local Flavors in Vienna

Also in Vienna, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Pub Crawl Vienna: $16
  • Vienna Nights Pub Crawl: $16
  • City Center Pub Crawl: $27
  • Wine Tasting at Traditional Cellar: $34
  • Guided Wine Tasting in a Private Wine Cellar: $39
  • Viennese Wine Tasting in a Private Hidden Wine Cellar: $39
  • Wine Tasting at Schönbrunn Palace: $48
  • Austrian Wine Tasting Experience: $64
  • Vienna Historical Highlight City Tour + Wine Tasting: $74
  • Skip-the-Line Schönbrunn Palace Entry & Wine Tasting: $83
  • Wine Tasting E-Bike Tour: $91
  • Romantic Old Vienna City Walk and Wine Tasting: $96

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 Vienna and Cartagena, we can see that Vienna is more expensive. And not only is Cartagena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vienna 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 Vienna would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vienna 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 Vienna Expensive? and Is Cartagena Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Vienna or Cartagena?

Vienna has a larger population, and is about 78% larger than the population of Cartagena. When comparing the sizes of Vienna 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 Vienna or Cartagena?

Vienna 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 Vienna or Cartagena in the Summer?

Both Cartagena and Vienna during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Vienna for the music scene and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cartagena year-round.

Vienna is cooler than Cartagena in the summer. The daily temperature in Vienna averages around 23°C (73°F) in July, and Cartagena fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).

In Cartagena, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Vienna. In the summer, Vienna often gets more sunshine than Cartagena. Vienna gets 255 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 207 hours of full sun.

Vienna usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Cartagena. Vienna gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Vienna 23°C (73°F) 
    Cartagena 29°C (84°F)

Should I visit Vienna or Cartagena in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Vienna and Cartagena. The autumn months attract visitors to Vienna because of the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area. Cartagena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In the autumn, Vienna is much colder than Cartagena. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Vienna in October average around 12°C (54°F), and Cartagena averages at about 27°C (81°F).

Vienna usually receives less sunshine than Cartagena during autumn. Vienna gets 140 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 175 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Cartagena receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Vienna usually receives less rain than Cartagena. Vienna gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Vienna 12°C (54°F) 
    Cartagena 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Vienna or Cartagena in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Vienna as well as Cartagena. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Vienna this time of year. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cartagena throughout the year.

It's quite cold in Vienna in the winter. In January, Vienna is generally much colder than Cartagena. Daily temperatures in Vienna average around 2°C (36°F), and Cartagena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cartagena. In the winter, Vienna often gets less sunshine than Cartagena. Vienna gets 65 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 278 hours of full sun.

Vienna usually gets more rain in January than Cartagena. Vienna gets 38 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Vienna 2°C (36°F) 
    Cartagena 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Vienna or Cartagena in the Spring?

Both Cartagena and Vienna are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Vienna for the natural beauty. Plenty of visitors come to Cartagena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

Vienna is much colder than Cartagena in the spring. The daily temperature in Vienna averages around 13°C (55°F) in April, and Cartagena fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).

It's quite sunny in Cartagena. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Vienna. Vienna usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Cartagena during spring. Vienna gets 202 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 209 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Vienna usually receives more rain than Cartagena. Vienna gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Vienna 13°C (55°F) 
    Cartagena 28°C (82°F)

Typical Weather for Cartagena and Vienna

Vienna Cartagena
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 2°C (36°F) 38 mm (1.5 in) 27°C (81°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Feb 4°C (38°F) 42 mm (1.7 in) 27°C (81°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Mar 8°C (46°F) 41 mm (1.6 in) 27°C (81°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Apr 13°C (55°F) 51 mm (2 in) 28°C (82°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
May 17°C (63°F) 61 mm (2.4 in) 29°C (84°F) 50 mm (2 in)
Jun 20°C (69°F) 74 mm (2.9 in) 29°C (84°F) 70 mm (2.8 in)
Jul 23°C (73°F) 63 mm (2.5 in) 29°C (84°F) 60 mm (2.4 in)
Aug 22°C (72°F) 58 mm (2.3 in) 28°C (82°F) 80 mm (3.1 in)
Sep 18°C (64°F) 45 mm (1.8 in) 29°C (84°F) 80 mm (3.1 in)
Oct 12°C (54°F) 41 mm (1.6 in) 27°C (81°F) 150 mm (5.9 in)
Nov 7°C (45°F) 50 mm (2 in) 28°C (82°F) 60 mm (2.4 in)
Dec 3°C (37°F) 43 mm (1.7 in) 27°C (81°F) 30 mm (1.2 in)