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Travel budget

How much does a trip to Cartagena cost?

What a trip to Cartagena costs, worked out for your days and your party, with every price traced to where it comes from. And then the part most budgets skip: how to actually pay once you are there.

Food, getting around and sights in Cartagena come to COP 150,000–200,000 per person per day. Accommodation, flights and the airport transfer are on top. Prices reviewed: October 2026.

Full Cartagena guide

Your trip

How much money you still need

Days, people and how you like to travel decide almost everything. Flights are left out: they depend on where you start.

6 nights

Counted at the child fares each operator publishes.

Travel style

Set meals and the odd sit-down dinner, and one paid sight a day.

Accommodation

We have no sample of hotel prices for this city yet, so we will not guess one. Type what you have seen and the lodging tax is worked out from it.

Adjust accommodation, food and the rest

In local currency. We do not estimate this: nobody knows what you will buy.

Already paid for

You still need, flights aside

COP 2,100,000–2,800,000

≈ $640 – $870 · rate of October 6, 2026

COP 150,000–200,000 per person per day · 7 days and 2 people

Expected
COP 2,100,000–2,800,000
Most trips land in here
Set aside
COP 2,800,000
With this you are unlikely to run short
Cushion, kept apart
COP 360,000
15% of the trip
  • FoodCOP 1,100,000–1,800,000
  • Getting aroundCOP 220,000–330,000
  • Sights and activitiesCOP 340,000–530,000
  • Nights outCOP 120,000–180,000
  • Lodging tax and odds and endsCOP 83,000–130,000

Of that, in cash: COP 500,000–1,000,000

The cash share is our reading of how each kind of place takes payment, not a measurement. Your own bank may charge on top; this page cannot know that.

  • Accommodation is not in this figure. Add your price per night to include it.
  • Flights are not included.
  • You probably will not spend the cushion. Having it to hand covers a night you had not planned, a taxi, or a changed ticket.
Styles

What a day in Cartagena costs, by how you travel

Per person per day, two travelling, without accommodation, flights or the airport transfer. A style is not a figure: it is a way of eating, getting around and seeing things, and each one is spelled out below.

Budget

COP 120,000–170,000 per person per day

Set meals and the odd sit-down dinner, public transport and the odd paid sight.

FoodMixed: set meals and one sit-down dinner
COP 79,000–130,000
Getting aroundPublic transport
COP 16,000–23,000
Sights and activitiesThe odd paid sight
COP 12,000–19,000
Sundries: luggage storage, laundry, water
COP 5,300–8,600

Mid-range

COP 150,000–200,000 per person per day

Set meals and the odd sit-down dinner, and one paid sight a day.

FoodMixed: set meals and one sit-down dinner
COP 79,000–130,000
Getting aroundPublic transport
COP 16,000–23,000
Sights and activitiesOne paid sight a day
COP 24,000–38,000
Nights outNow and then
COP 8,600–13,000
Sundries: luggage storage, laundry, water
COP 5,900–9,500

Comfort

COP 250,000–370,000 per person per day

The best food level we can price, public transport, two paid sights a day.

FoodRestaurants most of the time
COP 140,000–260,000
Getting aroundPublic transport
COP 16,000–23,000
Sights and activitiesTwo paid sights a day
COP 48,000–76,000
Nights outNow and then
COP 8,600–13,000
Sundries: luggage storage, laundry, water
COP 10,000–18,000

A style's total is not the sum of the extremes of its lines: nobody has a trip where everything comes out cheap, or everything dear. “Sundries” is an assumption of ours, 5% of food, transport and sights, not a measurement.

By length of trip

How much money for 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 days in Cartagena

Per person, two travelling together, without accommodation or flights.

DaysBudgetMid-rangeComfort
3COP 360,000–510,000
COP 120,000–170,000 a day		COP 440,000–600,000
COP 150,000–200,000 a day		COP 750,000–1,100,000
COP 250,000–370,000 a day
5COP 600,000–860,000
COP 120,000–170,000 a day		COP 720,000–980,000
COP 140,000–200,000 a day		COP 1,200,000–1,800,000
COP 240,000–370,000 a day
7COP 840,000–1,200,000
COP 120,000–170,000 a day		COP 1,000,000–1,400,000
COP 150,000–200,000 a day		COP 1,700,000–2,600,000
COP 250,000–370,000 a day
10COP 1,200,000–1,700,000
COP 120,000–170,000 a day		COP 1,500,000–2,000,000
COP 150,000–200,000 a day		COP 2,500,000–3,700,000
COP 250,000–370,000 a day
14COP 1,700,000–2,400,000
COP 120,000–170,000 a day		COP 2,100,000–2,800,000
COP 150,000–200,000 a day		COP 3,500,000–5,200,000
COP 250,000–370,000 a day

Add your accommodation in the calculator above: it is the largest line and the one we cannot source yet.

Prices

What things cost in Cartagena

Eating and drinking: no official statistic measures what eating out costs here, so these are prices from the menu each place publishes on its own website, and each row says where it comes from. It is a sample, not an average: there are cheaper and dearer places, and tourist areas cost more.

WhatPriceSource
Eating and drinking
Americano, Ábaco Libros y CaféCOP 9,000From the source Oct 2026
Cappuccino, Ábaco Libros y CaféCOP 12,000From the source Oct 2026
Cappuccino, Mila PasteleríaCOP 15,000From the source Oct 2026
Eggs any style with two slices of sourdough, Mila PasteleríaCOP 21,000From the source Oct 2026
Arepa de choclo (sweetcorn arepa) with melted cheese and suero costeño, Mila PasteleríaCOP 24,000From the source Oct 2026
Grilled chicken breast with chips, Mila PasteleríaCOP 38,000From the source Oct 2026
Seafood burger, La CevicheríaCOP 39,000From the source Oct 2026
Fish sandwich, La CevicheríaCOP 48,000From the source Oct 2026
Colombian fish ceviche with mango and sweet plantain, La CevicheríaCOP 59,000From the source Oct 2026
Catch of the day, La CevicheríaCOP 75,000From the source Oct 2026
Grilled sea bass in creole sauce with coconut rice and patacones, Fuerte del PastelilloCOP 119,000From the source Oct 2026
Fresh fruit juice made with water (corozo, lulo, mango, passion fruit…), Ábaco Libros y CaféCOP 10,000From the source Oct 2026
Lemonade, Mila PasteleríaCOP 15,000From the source Oct 2026
Fresh lemonade, Fuerte del PastelilloCOP 15,000From the source Oct 2026
Águila beer, Ábaco Libros y CaféCOP 10,000From the source Oct 2026
Club Colombia beer, Ábaco Libros y CaféCOP 12,000From the source Oct 2026
Club Colombia or Águila beer, Fuerte del PastelilloCOP 15,000From the source Oct 2026
Club Colombia beer, Mila PasteleríaCOP 19,500From the source Oct 2026
Getting around
TransCaribe bus, one trip (contactless Visa or TransCaribe card)COP 3,900From the source Oct 2026
Sights
Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, full fare (children 6–13 reduced, under 6 free)COP 38,000From the source Oct 2026
Museo Histórico de Cartagena (Palace of the Inquisition), adultCOP 24,000From the source Oct 2026

From the source means we read it where it is set: the operator, the bank, the city or the statistics office. Reported means a guide or the press says so and we have not seen the original. Where sources disagree we show both figures and leave the price out of every sum.

What each food level is made of

A food level is not a number we chose. It is two lists of dishes from the table above, a cheap day and a dear one, and the price is the sum.

Mixed: set meals and one sit-down dinner
From Americano, Ábaco Libros y Café + Eggs any style with two slices of sourdough, Mila Pastelería + Seafood burger, La Cevichería + Fresh fruit juice made with water (corozo, lulo, mango, passion fruit…), Ábaco Libros y Café (COP 79,000) to Cappuccino, Mila Pastelería + Arepa de choclo (sweetcorn arepa) with melted cheese and suero costeño, Mila Pastelería + Catch of the day, La Cevichería + Lemonade, Mila Pastelería (COP 129,000).
Restaurants most of the time
From Americano, Ábaco Libros y Café + Eggs any style with two slices of sourdough, Mila Pastelería + Fish sandwich, La Cevichería + Grilled chicken breast with chips, Mila Pastelería + Lemonade, Mila Pastelería + Club Colombia beer, Ábaco Libros y Café (COP 143,000) to Cappuccino, Mila Pastelería + Arepa de choclo (sweetcorn arepa) with melted cheese and suero costeño, Mila Pastelería + Catch of the day, La Cevichería + Grilled sea bass in creole sauce with coconut rice and patacones, Fuerte del Pastelillo + Fresh lemonade, Fuerte del Pastelillo + Club Colombia or Águila beer, Fuerte del Pastelillo (COP 263,000).
Accommodation

What the night costs, and the tax on top

There is no open source of hotel prices, and we have not sampled this city yet. So the calculator asks you for the price you have seen instead of printing one that looks plausible.

Lodging tax

No lodging tax is charged here. From the source Oct 2026

Which area to stay in Cartagena: the neighbourhood comparison

Saving

What saves money in Cartagena

Each line is a subtraction done with the prices on this page. No tricks: just the sum.

What saves

  • Eating “Mixed: set meals and one sit-down dinner” instead of “Restaurants most of the time”: COP 64,000–130,000 less per person per day.
  • “Club Colombia beer, Ábaco Libros y Café” (COP 12,000) instead of “Club Colombia beer, Mila Pastelería” (COP 19,500): COP 7,500 less each time.
  • “Cappuccino, Ábaco Libros y Café” (COP 12,000) instead of “Cappuccino, Mila Pastelería” (COP 15,000): COP 3,000 less each time.
Questions

Questions about money in Cartagena

How much money do you need for a week in Cartagena?

For seven days, COP 1,000,000–1,400,000 per person on the “Mid-range” style with two travelling. Accommodation and flights are not included.

How much money do you need for 3 days in Cartagena?

For 3 days, COP 440,000–600,000 per person on the “Mid-range” style with two travelling. Accommodation and flights are not included.

What is a realistic daily budget in Cartagena?

Per person per day, without accommodation or flights: COP 120,000–170,000 on the “Budget” style, COP 150,000–200,000 on the “Mid-range” style, and COP 250,000–370,000 on the “Comfort” style.

Can you travel to Cartagena on a budget?

The cheapest style we work out is “Budget”: COP 120,000–170,000 per person per day, without accommodation or flights. Set meals and the odd sit-down dinner, public transport and the odd paid sight.

How much does food cost in Cartagena?

From COP 79,000 per person per day (“Mixed: set meals and one sit-down dinner”) to COP 260,000 (“Restaurants most of the time”). The price table has what each dish costs.

How much does transport cost in Cartagena?

A ride on public transport costs COP 3,900.

Is there a lodging tax in Cartagena?

None on record as of October 2026.

How much cash should you carry in Cartagena?

For a week on the “Mid-range” style, about COP 250,000–520,000 per person, two travelling. It is our reading of how each kind of place takes payment, not a measurement.

Is it better to use cash or card in Cartagena?

By card: major hotels; department stores and shopping centres; restaurants in cities. In cash: small shops; markets and stalls; rural areas.

Do you tip in Cartagena?

Restaurants: optional. Bars and cafés: optional.

Sources

Where every figure comes from

Each price on this page carries its source. These are all of them. Prices reviewed: October 2026.

The rest of Cartagena

In the app

This page tells you how much to take. The app keeps count of what you spend.

Joru works out the budget of your itinerary day by day and sets it against what you actually spend, by category and with the exchange rate. On your phone, with no account.

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