The Ultimate Guide to Saving Money on Your Trip to Colombia

Last updated on June 27th, 2023 at 06:15 pm

Dear reader

My name is Frank and I run a travel agency in Bogota, Colombia. Have fun while reading!

Content

How much does it cost to travel to Colombia on a budget?

Colombia is and has always been a relatively inexpensive travel destination. As a backpacker you can get by on a low budget for a long time and thereby extend the travel time considerably. Prices and costs in Colombia vary widely and you can travel from cheap to very cheap but also expensive.

You can also travel very cheaply if you don’t want to stay in luxury hotels. Many good standard hotels can already be booked cheaply.

In the following I will give all prices in COP (Colombian Pesos) because the exchange rates fluctuate strongly. The COP exchange rate has dropped 30% against the USD in the past 3 months. However, to find a timely exchange rate, easy enter “USD COP” in Google and you get straight to a conversion machine with current rates. For other currencies, simply replace the “USD” with the abbreviation of the corresponding currency, for example “EUR COP”.

However, if we assume a target price for USD/COP of 1/4,000, then the following applies:

10,000 pesos = USD 2.5

How to find cheap flights to Colombia from anywhere

Flights from the USA to Colombia can already be booked for USD 200.—. Flights from Europe are available from EUR 500.—. A list of all flight connections to Colombia can also be found in my Colombia Travel Guide.

But how can you find cheap flights to Colombia from anywhere in the world? Here are some tips to help you save money on your airfare.

Compare different websites and airlines. There are many online platforms that can help you find the best deals on flights to Colombia, such as Expedia.com, Skyscanner.com, and Kayak.com. You can compare prices, dates, routes, and airlines to find the cheapest option for your trip. You can also sign up for price alerts or newsletters to get notified of any discounts or promotions.
Be flexible with your dates and destinations. If you have some wiggle room in your travel plans, you can save a lot of money by flying on less popular days or times, such as weekdays, early mornings, or late nights. You can also look for alternative airports or cities that may have lower fares than your preferred ones. For example, you may find cheaper flights to Cali than to Bogota, or to Barranquilla than to Medellin.
Book in advance or at the last minute. Generally speaking, the best time to book your flights to Colombia is either several months in advance or at the last minute. Booking early can help you secure lower prices and more availability, while booking late can help you take advantage of last-minute deals and cancellations. However, this strategy may vary depending on the season, demand, and availability, so it’s always good to do some research before you book.
Use a VPN to change your location. Another way to find cheap flights to Colombia is to use a VPN (virtual private network) to change your IP address and appear as if you are browsing from a different country. This can help you access lower prices that may be available only in certain regions or currencies. However, be careful when using this method, as some airlines may have strict policies or terms and conditions that may prevent you from booking or boarding your flight.

Cost of flights within Colombia

The flight connections within the country are extremely good. There are numerous flights by various airlines between the country’s major cities every day. There are also low-cost airlines with reduced services. These generally have cheaper airfares, but not always. It is therefore advisable to always check the prices of the other airlines and do this directly on the corresponding company website. Bargain hunters should compare the prices on their cell phones and computers as well as in different browsers. The following prices are the cheapest guide prices. Depending on the season and demand, these can of course also multiply. Connections between major cities are usually cheaper than flights to smaller destinations.

Bogotá – Medellin:
COP 150.000
Bogotá – Cartagena:
COP 200.000
Bogota – Yopal:
COP 200.000
San Andrés – Providencia:
COP 350.000
Medellín – Bahía Solano:
COP 400.000
Bogotá – Pereira:
COP 120.000

Accommodation costs

As already mentioned, accommodations in Colombia are generally cheap. There are also destinations where hotels are cheaper than hostels, with a private room, private bathroom and breakfast. There are also premium hostels in some destinations where a bed in a dormitory is expensive.

It is important to mention here that in some hotels there is no advantage in booking directly on site. I have been there several times and then booked through a booking platform because negotiations did not lead to lower prices and the prices through a booking platform were ultimately 10-30% cheaper.

Hammock in La Guajira from:
COP 15.000
Hostel in major cities from:
COP 35.000
Hostel in peripheral regions from:
COP 40.000
Premium Hostel from:
COP 60.000
Cheap hotels from:
COP 35.000
Medium and good hotels from:
COP 100.000
Expensive hotels from:
COP 150.000

Terrestrial transportation costs

Costs of terrestrial transportation in Colombia are expensive and cheap. Public transport in the cities, as well as collectivos and taxis as well as bus connections are generally cheap. However, as soon as you want to move outside of these routes in a private transport, the costs increase massively. This has to do with the topography on the one hand, and the lack of infrastructure on the other. In some areas you need a potent 4×4. In addition, there are road tariffs in many regions of Colombia.

In any case, you should always ask the price in advance.

Private transportation including driver per day:
COP 350.000
Private transportation from Bogotá Airport to City:
COP 120.000
Taxi Bogotá airport to the city:
COP 20.000-30.000
Public transport Bogotá per trip:
COP 3.000
Bus Bogotá to Medellín:
COP 120.000
Taxi within Bogotá:
COP 10.000-20.000
Mototaxi:
COP 5.000

You can also buy tickets online directly via RedBus.

Food, meal and alcohol costs

Colombia is an absolute paradise and food is generally cheap. As a backpacker, you sometimes have to ask yourself whether it is worth shopping in the supermarket to cook yourself. For fruits and vegetables you should also go to the public market. For COP 30,000 you get a huge carrier bag full with a considerable weight.

Various food prices

Black coffee (Tinto) on the street:
COP 1000
Coffee with milk on the street:
COP 1.500
Coffee in chic coffee:
COP 7.000
Dish in public market:
COP 10.000
Dish in restaurant:
COP 20.000
Dish in a good restaurant:
COP 40.000
Menu in the best restaurant of Bogotá:
COP 200.000

Prices in the supermarket

Coffee 500g:
COP 10.000
Premium coffee 500g:
COP 20.000
Milk 1l:
COP 4.000
Minced meat 500g:
COP 15.000
Flour 500g:
COP 3.400

Alcohol prices

Bottle of wine in the restaurant:
COP 60.000
Beer in the supermarket 0.33ml:
COP 2.500
Beer on the street:
COP 3.000
Beer at Club:
COP 6.000
Cocktail in bar:
COP 20.000
Bottle of booze at the club:
COP 60.000

Costs for various activities

The prices vary depending on the location and activity. In some places, prices for Colombian residents are also somewhat cheaper than for foreigners. Generally, the prices for not too exclusive activities are not that high, but there are exceptions as well.

Travel on Monserrate Bogota (prices vary):
COP 20.000
Entry into El Peñol:
COP 18.000
Tayrona National Park Native:
COP 31.000
Tayrona National Park Foreigners:
COP 68.000
Gold Museum Bogota:
COP 4.000/SUNDAY FREE
Botero Museum Bogota:
FREE
Tourist tax for San Andres and Providencia:
COP 120.000
Lost City:
COP 1.200.000
Sim card & 1GB:
COP 20.000

Tours

In the larger cities there are free tours that work on tip basis. Otherwise, local travel agencies usually offer group tours, which are cheap. However, you should keep in mind that you get what you pay for.

Colombia Travel Guides

Here you will find travel guides for the most popular regions in Colombia, which we have put together during our extensive travels around the country.

Travel Guides to Colombia’s Small Towns

Here you will find travel guides for less popular destinations in Colombia. Some of these destinations are even real insider tips and not even known to the Colombians as travel destinations.

Dear Reader,

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