Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Cartago Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Cartago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $839 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $1,282 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,725 in Cartago.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 181% more expensive than in Cartago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Cartago is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$3.71 COP 11.7K

362.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$29.46 COP 92.8K

131.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$7.24 COP 22.8K

88.40%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$1.65 COP 5,179

68.48%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 €2.44

$0.87 COP 2,753

224.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.61 COP 1,913

221.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$1.01 COP 3,193

338.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$2.47 COP 7,774

86.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.29 COP 4,052

-1.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.54 COP 4,847

38.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.21 COP 3,821

64.46%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$2.47 COP 7,786

36.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$4.13 COP 13.0K

359.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$5.58 COP 17.6K

70.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$7.79 COP 24.5K

140.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$2.45 COP 7,726

8.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$0.97 COP 3,068

142.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.16 COP 3,650

80.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$1.27 COP 4,004

114.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.83 COP 2,598

136.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.05 COP 3,315

72.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$0.71 COP 2,250

112.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.68 COP 2,149

30.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$2.84 COP 8,949

138.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$12.78 COP 40.2K

-38.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.12 COP 3,522

22.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$1.91 COP 6,018

25.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.69 COP 2,167

321.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$30.38 COP 95.7K

-5.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$1.59 COP 5,017

188.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$1.91 COP 6,011

6.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$9.72 COP 30.6K

195.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$0.93 COP 2,927

95.70%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$39.3K €34.0K

$21.7K COP 68.3M

81.37%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.5K €28.1K

$29.5K COP 93.0M

9.99%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$187 €162

$81.3 COP 256.0K

129.56%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.29 €19.30

$8.61 COP 27.1K

158.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$24.85 COP 78.3K

46.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$23.75 COP 74.8K

142.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$4.75 COP 15.0K

126.74%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$725 €628

$229 COP 721.5K

216.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$6,018 COP 18.9M

151.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$64.6 COP 203.4K

35.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$44.43 COP 139.9K

-17.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$77.8 COP 245.0K

32.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$89.4 COP 281.3K

32.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$285 COP 896.6K

435.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$234 COP 736.3K

424.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$529 COP 1.7M

415.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$431 COP 1.4M

360.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$2,040 COP 6.4M

266.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$1,273 COP 4.0M

312.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$360 COP 1.1M

563.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

11.58

-70.73%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cartago: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $285 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 564% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $29.00 in Cartago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $186 per month, with Cartago cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Barcelona vs Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Cartago differ by about 181% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $839 including rent). Cartago is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 564% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $285 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $229 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $839 in Cartago versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cartago but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Cartago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Cartago are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cartago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 181% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.