Cost of Living Comparison Between Barranquilla and Shantou Cost of Living Comparison Between Barranquilla and Shantou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Barranquilla vs $682 in Shantou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,363 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,079 in Shantou, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,859 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,475 in Shantou, rent included.

Barranquilla costs about 27% more than Shantou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barranquilla and Shantou are more affordable than the global median – Barranquilla 35% lower, Shantou 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$2.04 ¥13.80

142.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.96 COP 110.6K

$16.77 ¥113

84.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 COP 25.6K

$4.85 ¥32.80

47.63%

Cappuccino

$1.75 COP 6,267

$3.25 ¥22.00

-46.15%

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

$0.92 COP 3,296

$0.47 ¥3.20

95.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,146

$0.30 ¥2.05

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 COP 4,886

$0.85 ¥5.77

61.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 COP 6,877

$2.62 ¥17.72

-26.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,360

$1.64 ¥11.10

-42.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 COP 4,749

$1.41 ¥9.50

-5.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 COP 3,667

$0.68 ¥4.63

51.47%

Eggs

$2.03 COP 7,266

$1.91 ¥12.93

6.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.51 COP 16.1K

$12.68 ¥85.8

-64.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 COP 18.6K

$3.74 ¥25.27

39.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 COP 25.5K

$12.23 ¥82.7

-41.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 COP 10.3K

$1.82 ¥12.28

58.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,852

$1.47 ¥9.94

-7.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,434

$1.67 ¥11.32

-8.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 COP 3,037

$1.23 ¥8.35

-30.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,226

$0.81 ¥5.51

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,361

$0.98 ¥6.64

53.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,909

$0.64 ¥4.31

26.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 COP 2,202

$0.41 ¥2.75

51.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 COP 10.0K

$3.52 ¥23.79

-20.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 COP 34.1K

$12.35 ¥83.5

-22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 COP 3,179

$0.82 ¥5.58

8.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,694

$1.87 ¥12.63

-29.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 COP 2,732

$0.37 ¥2.48

105.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.20 COP 115.0K

$22.53 ¥152

42.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 6,848

$1.56 ¥10.53

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.82 COP 10.1K

$0.33 ¥2.22

754.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$6.81 ¥46.03

-27.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,584

$1.14 ¥7.69

-12.28%

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

$15.0K COP 53.6M

$20.9K ¥141.0K

-28.08%

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

$22.1K COP 78.9M

$19.4K ¥130.9K

14.08%

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

$139 COP 495.3K

$54.3 ¥367

155.24%

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

$8.13 COP 29.0K

$8.22 ¥55.6

-1.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.37 COP 76.3K

$12.89 ¥87.1

65.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.44 COP 76.6K

$42.13 ¥285

-49.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 51.3K

$14.10 ¥95.4

1.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 COP 14.8K

$7.11 ¥48.09

-41.49%

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

$61.2 COP 218.5K

$450 ¥3,046

-86.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,837 COP 6.6M

$20.7K ¥139.9K

-91.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 COP 219.1K

$49.52 ¥335

23.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 COP 187.8K

$30.31 ¥205

73.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 COP 286.7K

$75.8 ¥512

5.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 COP 255.3K

$79.5 ¥537

-10.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 838.4K

$281 ¥1,901

-16.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 COP 800.1K

$138 ¥932

62.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 COP 1.9M

$550 ¥3,722

-1.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 COP 1.6M

$274 ¥1,853

66.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,574 COP 5.6M

$3,174 ¥21.5K

-50.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$605 COP 2.2M

$1,799 ¥12.2K

-66.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 COP 1.7M

$1,043 ¥7,054

-53.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

147.52%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: June 1, 2026

Last update for Shantou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Barranquilla versus $281 in Shantou. 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 114% higher in Shantou, 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 $17.00 in Shantou. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Barranquilla vs $209 in Shantou – so Barranquilla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Shantou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barranquilla costs about 27% more than Shantou, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,023 in Shantou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shantou, 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 $17.00 in Shantou. 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 $682 in Shantou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Barranquilla and $682 in Shantou, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Shantou – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Shantou. 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.