How much does Cartagena cost per day in 2026?

Budget $30/day in Cartagena is realistic if you stay in Getsemaní. A hostel dorm at Media Luna or Mamallena runs 30,000-45,000 COP ($7-11) per night, and both include breakfast. Lunch from a corrientazo spot on Calle de la Media Luna costs 12,000-15,000 COP ($3-4) for soup, rice, beans, plantain, and a protein. Dinner might be a 6,000 COP arepa de huevo from the carts on Plaza de la Trinidad, where you sit on the stone steps and eat while cumbia rattles from a nearby speaker. Local buses cost 2,800 COP per ride. The Walled City and Getsemaní are walkable in 20 minutes. Skip the 50,000 COP horse-carriage tours. Walking the 11 km of city walls yourself is free and better.

Midrange $85/day opens up air-conditioned rooms and proper restaurant meals. A 3-star in Getsemaní or San Diego runs 180,000-280,000 COP ($43-67) on Booking.com. AC matters when Cartagena's heat index sits above 33°C for 8 months of the year. Lunch at La Cocina de Pepina in Getsemaní costs 35,000-50,000 COP ($8-12) for traditional Cartagenera dishes like arroz con coco and fried mojarra. Dinner at La Cevichería on Calle Stuart runs 45,000-70,000 COP ($11-17) for coconut ceviche and a Club Colombia beer. Taxis within the city center charge 8,000-15,000 COP ($2-4). Uber and InDriver both work here and tend to be 20-30% cheaper than street-flagged cabs.

Luxury $250+ per day means sleeping inside the walls. A restored colonial hotel like Casa San Agustín or Tcherassi starts around 900,000 COP ($215) per night. Dinner at Carmen on Calle del Santísimo runs 150,000-250,000 COP ($36-60) per person with wine. A private boat to the Rosario Islands costs 1,200,000+ COP ($285) for a group of 4. That said, Cartagena's luxury tier still runs 40-50% cheaper than comparable stays in Tulum or along the Amalfi Coast.

A Club Colombia beer costs 5,000 COP ($1.20) at a tienda in Getsemaní and 18,000 COP ($4.30) at a bar on Plaza de Santo Domingo. That is a 260% markup for sitting 800 meters closer to the cathedral. Restaurants inside the walls add an 8-10% servicio charge that appears on the bill without explanation. Beach vendors at Playa Blanca on Isla Barú quote 80,000 COP ($19) for a lobster lunch, then tack on 20,000 COP for the drink and 15,000 COP for the table. The real total comes to 115,000 COP ($27). Bottled water at 3,000-5,000 COP adds up fast in 33°C heat with 87% humidity. Buy a 15,000 COP reusable bottle and refill at your hostel's filtered station.

Free things in Cartagena tend to be better than the paid ones. The Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, where construction began in 1536, charges 33,000 COP ($8) admission, but the walk along its outer walls costs nothing and the view is identical. The Walled City ramparts stay open at sunset, when the stone radiates stored heat and the sky turns pink over the container port. Getsemaní's street-art murals cover 3 blocks along Calle de la Sierpe. Bazurto Market on the southeast edge smells like raw fish and overripe mango at 7 AM. Loud. Zero tourists before 8. Worth noting, the Iglesia de San Pedro Claver on Plaza de San Pedro is free to enter, though the adjacent museum costs 18,000 COP ($4).