Prices and budget
Budget & Prices in general
By American and European standards, Colombia is a cheap country. There are places to sleep for every budget and transportation is cheap. Many activities you can arrange yourself and in the larger cities, there are free tours you can join. Food and drink are cheap, except for imported items, such as cheese and wine. Certain cosmetics and electronics can also be pricey.
How much you spend during your trip depends, among other things, on the destination. Tourist destinations such as Bogotá, Medellín and Cartagena, are generally more expensive than the less touristy Cali and Barranquilla, for example.
In this article, we want to give you an idea of what you will spend approximately per day in Colombia. First, you will find a low budget, medium and high budget. Afterwards, you will find a breakdown with specified prices for lodging, food and drink, tours and activities and transportation.
As the exchange rate, we used COP4000 = $1 USD
The exchange rate of the peso fluctuates around 4000COP. For the current exchange rate, check Exchange Rate.com
Estimated budget per day
This is an indication, based on average prices in Colombia. Prices may vary by region or season. Costs for any domestic flights/long distance buses are not included.
Backpacker budget: 25-30$
You’ll sleep in a hostel, have breakfast out the door, join a free city tour, catch the city bus, buy your beer at the supermarket and eat at a local restaurant at night
Average budget: 40-50$
You will stay in a room in a mid-range hotel, where your breakfast is included. Occasionally you’ll catch a cab and do an organized tour. In the evening, you will have dinner at a local restaurant and drink your beer on a terrace.
Large budget: 80-100$
You stay in a more expensive hotel, where your breakfast is included. You do an organized tour during the day and in the evening you catch a cab to a luxury restaurant, where you order a bottle of wine with dinner.
Accommodation
In Colombia you can find a place to sleep for every budget and comfort level: from a bed in a hostel or hammock, to a cabaña in the jungle or a luxury room in a coffee finca.
Prices
- Bed in hostel: 8$-15$
- 2-person room in budget hotel 15$-25$
- 2-bed room in mid-range hotel 25$-50$
- 2-bed room in more expensive hotel: from 50$
Prices are higher during busy periods such as December-February (especially around Christmas and New Year’s Eve) and semana santa (Easter week).
Food and drink
- Breakfast in restaurant COP12000/$3
- Comida corriente (lunch daily menu) at local restaurant: COP15000/$3.75
- Dinner at local restaurant COP22000-30000/$5.50-7.50
- 3 course dinner with wine in luxury international restaurant COP100,000/$25
- Empanada on the street COP2000/$0.50
- Cappuccino on terrace COP4000/$1
- Beer (Colombian) in bar COP4000/$1
- Beer (import) in bar COP8000/$2
- Bottle of cola in restaurant 33cl COP3000/$0.75
- Bottle of water in restaurant 33cl COP2000/$0.50
Supermarket
- Bottle of water 1.5 liters COP3000/$0.70
- Beer (Colombian) COP2700/$0.70
- Beer (Import) COP5500/$1.50
- Bottle of cola 2-liter COP4000/$1
- Bottle of wine COP40,000/$10
-
Tours and activities
Colombia has a wide range of tours, from free community tours, to coffee workshops and multi-day treks. You can make it as expensive as you want.
Free tours
in every major city there is a free tour to do, such as a graffiti tour in Bogota, a bicycle tour in Cartagena or a city tour in Medellín. The tours are not completely free; you are expected to make a contribution in the form of a tip. Tipping guideline is COP20,000-30,000 / $5 -$7.50 per person
Coffee Tours
There are big price differences here, from a 1.5-hour “basic” tour of COP20000/€5 – to an extensive coffee workshop of around COP150,000/$37.50
Entrance parks
Tayrona National Park COP 73,500-COP 87,000/$18.50-$22 (2024)
Trekking Ciudad Perdida COP2,150,000/ $538 (2024)
Extreme sports
- Paragliding COP160000/$40
- Abseiling COP120000/$30
- Rafting COP175000/$44
Museums
Some museums in Colombia, such as the Museo del Oro in Bogotá are free to visit on Sundays. If you go on Mon-Sat, the price is COP5000 / $1.25 (2024). Other museums, such as Museo Botero in Bogotá and Museo del Oro Zenú in Cartagena, are free to visit every day of the week.
Transportation
Prices 2024
- City bus: ride COP3200/$0.80
- Metro: ride 3650COP/$0.90
- Transmilenio: ride 2950COP/$0.75
- Cab: short ride COP10000/ $2.50
- Mototaxi: short ride COP5000/$1.25
- Private transport ride 2 hours, COP 220,000/$55
- Bus Bogotá-Salento:(one way) COP90,000 / $22.50
- Airline ticket Bogotá-Medellin (return) from $50
- Willy Jeep Salento to Valle de Cocora COP4000/$1
- Look here for more information on transportation in Colombia
