Cost of Living Comparison Between Barranquilla and Bucaramanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Barranquilla and Bucaramanga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Barranquilla vs $762 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,363 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,138 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,859 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,514 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Barranquilla costs about 14% more than Bucaramanga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Barranquilla and Bucaramanga are more affordable than the global median – Barranquilla 35% lower, Bucaramanga 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$3.19 COP 11.4K

54.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.96 COP 110.6K

$19.71 COP 70.4K

57.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 COP 25.6K

$6.85 COP 24.5K

4.53%

Cappuccino

$1.75 COP 6,267

$1.36 COP 4,869

28.68%

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

$0.92 COP 3,296

$0.77 COP 2,734

19.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,146

$0.58 COP 2,088

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 COP 4,886

$1.37 COP 4,891

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 COP 6,877

$2.10 COP 7,514

-8.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,360

$1.19 COP 4,243

-21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 COP 4,749

$1.10 COP 3,930

20.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 COP 3,667

$1.20 COP 4,274

-14.17%

Eggs

$2.03 COP 7,266

$2.17 COP 7,752

-6.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.51 COP 16.1K

$4.04 COP 14.4K

11.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 COP 18.6K

$5.67 COP 20.3K

-8.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 COP 25.5K

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 COP 10.3K

$2.59 COP 9,239

11.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,852

$1.22 COP 4,341

11.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,434

$0.84 COP 2,982

80.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 COP 3,037

$0.86 COP 3,086

-1.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,226

$1.24 COP 4,426

-27.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,361

$1.03 COP 3,661

45.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,909

$0.94 COP 3,368

-13.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 COP 2,202

$0.79 COP 2,825

-21.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 COP 10.0K

$1.71 COP 6,109

64.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 COP 34.1K

$8.03 COP 28.7K

18.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 COP 3,179

$0.85 COP 3,020

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,694

$1.51 COP 5,389

-13.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 COP 2,732

$0.74 COP 2,653

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.20 COP 115.0K

$39.23 COP 140.1K

-17.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 6,848

$1.69 COP 6,051

13.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.82 COP 10.1K

$1.58 COP 5,646

78.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$6.21 COP 22.2K

-20.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,584

$0.97 COP 3,469

3.09%

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

$15.0K COP 53.6M

$19.2K COP 68.7M

-22.07%

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

$22.1K COP 78.9M

$28.2K COP 100.8M

-21.76%

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

$139 COP 495.3K

$73.4 COP 262.2K

88.89%

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

$8.13 COP 29.0K

$8.79 COP 31.4K

-7.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.37 COP 76.3K

$21.11 COP 75.4K

1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.44 COP 76.6K

$23.11 COP 82.5K

-7.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 51.3K

$15.71 COP 56.1K

-8.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 COP 14.8K

$3.81 COP 13.6K

9.19%

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

$61.2 COP 218.5K

$239 COP 853.2K

-74.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,837 COP 6.6M

$2,416 COP 8.6M

-23.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 COP 219.1K

$65.1 COP 232.6K

-5.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 COP 187.8K

$33.05 COP 118.0K

59.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 COP 286.7K

$84.2 COP 300.8K

-4.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 COP 255.3K

$37.79 COP 134.9K

89.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 838.4K

$289 COP 1.0M

-18.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 COP 800.1K

$235 COP 839.9K

-4.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 COP 1.9M

$478 COP 1.7M

13.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 COP 1.6M

$368 COP 1.3M

23.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,574 COP 5.6M

$1,033 COP 3.7M

52.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$605 COP 2.2M

$1,357 COP 4.8M

-55.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 COP 1.7M

$492 COP 1.8M

-1.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.25

-34.43%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Barranquilla versus $289 in Bucaramanga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Bucaramanga, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Barranquilla versus $20.00 in Bucaramanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $169 – making Bucaramanga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Barranquilla vs Bucaramanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barranquilla costs about 14% more than Bucaramanga, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,299 per month in Barranquilla and $1,143 in Bucaramanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bucaramanga, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Barranquilla and $20.00 in Bucaramanga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Barranquilla and $762 in Bucaramanga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Barranquilla and $762 in Bucaramanga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $762 versus $866 in Barranquilla. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bucaramanga. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barranquilla makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.