My Colombia Travel Budget & Costs
One of the questions I get asked the most when divulging my current travel plans is about the cost of it.
How can you afford it? Are you rich? Did you win the lottery? Would you marry me?
My answer to most of these questions (3 out of 4) is that yes, I did work for a while to be able to afford to travel for as long as I plan to, but at the same time travel is not as expensive as it might first seem.
Through my Colombia trip I kept track of all my costs down to every single penny. And now in the hopes of proving that travel is indeed affordable, here is in excruciating detail, the travel budget and cost of the 5 weeks I spent in Colombia.
Number of Days Spent in Colombia: 36 days / 35 nights
Total Money Spent: 3618447 COP ($1670.12 CAD / $1248 USD / €1156.51)
Average Money Spent Per Day: 100512 COP ($46.39 CAD / $34.68 USD / €32.13)
Accommodation: 841000 COP ($384.21 CAD / $288.16 USD / €266.97)
Transportation: 602000 ($277.94 CAD / $207.77 USD / €192.51)
Food: 787743 COP ($363.65 CAD / $271.88 USD / €251.89)
Activities & Tours: 235000 COP ($107.18 CAD / $80.45 USD / €74.55)
Entrance Fees: 61000 COP ($27.80 CAD / $20.84 USD / €19.33)
Entrance to Colombia (for Canadians): 171000 COP ($78.39 CAD / $58.73 USD / €54.44)
Flight from Bogotá to Mexico City: 559584 COP ($256.07 CAD / $191.74 USD / €177.84)
Miscellaneous: 361120 COP ($166.75 CAD / $124.64 USD / €115.45)
Cities Where I Stayed: 8
These include all costs incurred in the city, including accommodation, food, activities and entrance fees.
Average Cost Per City & Per Night:
Pasto (3 nights): 81417 COP($37.25 CAD / $27.90 USD / €25.87)
Popayán (3 nights): 89066 COP ($40.79 CAD / $30.55 USD / €28.33)
Tierradentro (2 nights): 53550 COP ($24.50 CAD / $18.35 USD / €17.02)
Salento (8 nights): 58675 COP ($26.85 CAD / $20.11 USD / €18.65)
Medellín (6 nights): 85965 COP ($39.33 CAD / $29.46 USD / €27.32)
San Gil (5 nights): 101980 COP ($46.67 CAD / $34.94 USD / €32.41)
Sogamoso (4 nights): 56750 COP ($25.97 CAD / $19.45 USD / €18.04)
Villa de Leyva (3 nights): 36783 COP ($16.98 CAD / $12.69 USD / €11.75)
The most expensive city was San Gil, however this is mainly due to the fees of the activities I did while there (bungee jumping and water rafting).
The least expensive city was Tierradentro, which is mainly a cause of how remote this city is and how little there is to do other than hiking. Also I did not have to pay for the “passport” to do the hike (click here to know why). Had I paid, Sogamoso would have been the least expensive city.
Cities Visited on Day Tours: 10
These costs include the price of the bus ticket back-and-forth from the city I left from (e.g. Pasto – Tuquerres – Pasto), as well as all expenses of spending the day in the city.
Average Cost Per City Per Day:
Ipiales: 48000 COP ($21.96 CAD / $16.45 USD / €15.25)
Tuquerres (from Pasto): 39500 COP ($18.07 CAD / $13.53 USD / €12.55)
Silvia (from Popayán): 28600 COP ($13.10 CAD / $9.81 USD / €9.10)
Filandia (from Salento): 48400 COP ($22.14 CAD / $16.58 USD / €15.38)
Manizales (from Salento): 80550 COP ($36.85 CAD / $27.60 USD / €25.60)
Guatapé (from Medellín): 50000 COP ($22.88 CAD / $17.13 USD / €15.89)
Barichara / Guane (from San Gil): 20750 COP ($9.50 CAD / $7.11 USD / €6.59)
Playa Blanca / Iza (from Sogamoso): 38500 COP ($17.92 CAD / $13.19 USD / €12.23)
Accommodation
Total Cost Of Accommodation: 841000 COP ($384.21 CAD / $288.16 USD / €266.97)
Accommodation here refers to mainly hostel dorm rooms with shared bathroom (I say “mainly” as I booked a private room for 3 nights in Pasto and 2 nights in Tierradentro, the difference on the overall is less than 1 CAD/USD/€ on the average per night).
Accommodation Avg. Per Night: 24735 COP ($11.31 CAD / $8.49 USD / €7.87)
The average per night above was divided by 34 nights instead of 35, as I took one overnight bus during my stay in Colombia, and therefore did not need to pay for accommodation that night.
Accommodation Prices Per Night Per City:
Pasto – Casa Hospedaje La Bohemia (private room): 40000 COP ($18.32 CAD / $13.71 USD / €12.73)
Popayán – HostelTrail (dorm): 27000 COP ($12.37 CAD / $9.25 USD / €8.59)
Tierradentro – Hospedaje Tierradentro (private room): 25000 COP ($11.45 CAD / $8.57 USD / €7.96)
Salento – Casa La Eliana (private room, price of a dorm): 27000 COP ($12.37 CAD / $9.25 USD / €8.59)
Medellín – Hostal Panela 2 (dorm): 20000 COP ($9.18 CAD / $6.86 USD / €6.38)
San Gil – Bacaregua Hostel (dorm): 23000 COP ($10.55 CAD / $7.89 USD / €7.33)
Sogamoso – Guaque Hostel (dorm): 30000 COP ($13.76 CAD / $10.30 USD / €9.56)
Villa de Leyva – Family Host World (dorm): 17000 COP ($7.80 CAD / $5.83 USD / €5.42)
Transportation
1958 Kms between each destination, 100% of my movements through Colombia were done by bus (intercity buses and colectivos). I did not look for plane ticket prices as most of my destinations were within a few hours distance by bus, and because I love to see the scenery 🙂
The below prices include buses I took when changing locations (e.g. Ipiales to Pasto), as well as buses I took for one-day visits (e.g. Salento – Manizales – Salento).
Total Cost Of Buses: 499100 COP ($230.30 CAD / $172.23 USD / €159.36)
Number Of Buses Taken: 41
Average Cost Per Bus Ride: 12173 COP ($5.62 CAD / $4.20 USD / €3.89)
Intercity buses are not necessarily cheap in Colombia. Although there are many companies servicing similar routes, the prices vary little between them. On average, expect to pay between 7000 to 8000 per hour of travel.
Total Cost Of Taxis: 82700 COP ($38.17 CAD / $28.54 USD / €26.38)
Number Of Taxis Taken: 12
Average Cost Per Taxi: 6891 COP ($3.18 CAD / $2.38 USD / €2.20)
I only took taxis when the distance between a bus terminal and my hostel warranted it. I’m putting these prices apart as not everyone will take them.
Total Cost of Metro (Medellín): 20200 COP ($9.21 CAD / $6.90 USD / €6.40)
Food
Eating out is quite cheap in Colombia, with most regular eateries charging close to 10000 COP per meal. For fancier restaurants, expect to pay between 20000 COP and 30000 COP, while street food keeps being the cheapest option at less than 10000 COP per meal.
Total Cost Of Food: 787743 COP ($363.65 CAD / $271.88 USD / €251.89)
Total Cost Of Eating Out: 665350 COP ($307.10 CAD / $229.61 USD / €212.67)
Total Cost Of Groceries (7 days worth): 122393 COP ($55.83 CAD / $41.90 USD / €38.83)
Average Cost of Food Per Day: 21881 COP ($10.10 CAD / $7.55 USD / €6.99)
I could have further lowered the costs by preparing my own meals more, but life is too short for me to eat my own food.
Activities & Tours
Total Cost of Activities & Tours: 235000 COP ($107.18 CAD / $80.45 USD / €74.55)
Bungee Jumping (San Gil): 70000 COP ($31.93 CAD / $23.96 USD / €22.21)
Water Rafting (San Gil): 130000 COP / ($59.30 CAD / $44.51 USD / €41.24)
Páramo de Sicumsi (Sogamoso): 35000 COP ($15.97 CAD / $11.98 USD / €11.10)
I managed to keep these costs down by avoiding doing tour groups as much as I could and heading to sites on my own (see my article on Medellín for an example of what I’m talking about).
Entrance Fees
Total Cost of Entrance Fees: 61000 COP ($27.80 CAD / $20.84 USD / €19.33)
Cocora Valley (Salento): 2000 COP ($0.91 CAD / $0.68 USD / €0.63)
Acaime Hummingbird Sanctuary (Salento): 5000 COP ($2.28 CAD / $1.71 USD / €1.59)
Don Elias Coffee Farm (Salento): 8000 COP ($3.64 CAD / $2.74 USD / €2.54)
Mirador “Colina Iluminada” (Filandia): 8000 COP ($3.64 CAD / $2.74 USD / €2.54)
Mirador “Catedral Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Rosario” (Manizales): 10000 COP ($4.56 CAD / $3.42 USD / €3.17)
Peñón de Guatapé: 18000 COP ($8.21 CAD / $6.16 USD / €5.71)
Casa Terracota (Villa de Leyva): 10000 COP ($4.56 CAD / $3.42 USD / €3.17)
Entrance to Colombia
Canadians are required to pay an entrance fee of 171000 COP / $78.00 CAD when coming into Colombia.
Miscellaneous
Internet (SIM Card + 3G of data): 72000 COP ($32.82 CAD / $24.59 USD / €22.81)
Movie Theater (2): 18800 COP ($8.57 CAD / $6.42 USD / €5.96)
Postcards (4): 7500 COP ($3.42 CAD / $2.56 USD / €2.38)
Mail (4): 12000 COP ($5.47 CAD / $4.10 USD / €3.80)
Laundry (5): 46000 COP ($20.96 CAD / $15.71 USD / €14.57)
Shampoo, Soap (2), Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Deodorant (3): 82750 COP ($38.20 CAD / $28.56 USD / €26.40)
Meds: 41000 COP ($18.69 CAD / $14.00 USD / €12.99)
Gifts: 10000 COP ($4.56 CAD / $3.41 USD / €3.18)
Haircut: 10000 COP ($4.56 CAD / $3.41 USD / €3.18)
Bag check, using a washroom, tipping a waiter: 5700 COP ($2.63 CAD / $1.97 USD / €1.82)
Blog Promotion: 55370 COP ($25.34 CAD / $18.97 USD / €17.60)
In Summary
At less than $35 USD per day, Colombia is one of the most affordable countries I have been to.
I did not starve, did not stay in the cheapest or the worst hostels (8.0 or more score on booking.com), or stopped myself from doing the things I wanted to do, and I still managed to keep costs low.
I mentioned somewhere above that the price tag could have been much lower had I decided to cook more for myself instead of eating out. I could’ve also used public transportation 100% of the time, and lowered the amount of money I spent on miscellaneous things. But even with all of these things, the price tag was very low.
Was this useful? Did these numbers surprise you? Do tell!
Why You Shouldn’t Travel to Cartagena, Colombia on the Cheap
It’s no wonder why Cartagena is on everyone’s must-see list while visiting Colombia. The lively Caribbean culture, Spanish colonial architecture, bright flowers spilling from balconies and the old wall encasing the historic area will make you feel like you’re in a postcard.
Even though the beautiful city can be appreciated on a backpacker’s budget, you are going to miss out on many of the things that make Cartagena wonderful if you’re too frugal. Here are some areas where you should treat yourself while traveling in Cartagena:
Travel Cartagena, Colombia
Restaurants
Dishes in Cartagena compared to dishes in the Unites States or Europe are a wee bit cheaper. But if you compare them to the rest of Colombia, you’re going to notice you’re spending more at restaurants. Don’t let that tarnish your opinion of Cartagena, though. The coastal city is known for its delicious variety of fresh seafood you have to try while you’re there.
Be sure to chow down on cazuela de marisco while in Cartagena, which has been described as a hearty seafood stew. You also can’t miss out on arroz con coco (coconut rice) and fresh trout. These dishes aren’t going to be cheap, but they’ll be worth it!
Travel Cartagena, Colombia
Hotels
If you ask anyone who has ever been to Cartagena, they’ll tell you it’s hot! Being frugal during a trip to Cartagena could mean you’re stuck in a hostel room with a little fan instead of the air conditioning you will most definitely appreciate after walking around in the sweltering heat. Be sure to book a hotel in Cartagena with reliable A/C, even if that means forking over a few extra bucks a night.
Another perk of staying at a nice hotel is the pool. You will definitely want lodging that has a pool so you can take a quick dip to cool off or just work on your vacation tan.
Tours
You can see most of the noteworthy places in Cartagena such as the San Felipe Castle and main square during a walking tour. But don’t be afraid to spend a little more money on other activities and tours outside of Cartagena.
Travel Cartagena, Colombia
Consider a visit to Islas del Rosario, a chain of 27 small islands off the coast of Cartagena. Coral reefs surround these islands and the whole area has been declared a natural park to preserve the ecosystem. Taking a tour to these islands will not only allow you to enjoy turquoise water and the warm sun, your guide will also teach you more about Colombian culture, history and nature.
Sleeping in a hostel and eating food from the street for every meal doesn’t do Cartagena justice. Although you might have enjoyed Southeast Asia using that travel style, you won't get the full experience here in Cartagena.
At the end of the day, allotting more of your travel budget to Cartagena is going to let you truly enjoy this uniquely wonderful Colombian city!
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