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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,480 per month in Barranquilla vs $676 in Shantou, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,301 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,098 in Shantou, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,122 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,520 in Shantou, rent included.

Barranquilla costs about 119% more than Shantou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Barranquilla sits 8% above the global median, while Shantou is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.43 COP 26.6K

$2.22 ¥14.89

279.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 COP 197.2K

$23.97 ¥161

160.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.66 COP 40.0K

$5.34 ¥35.83

137.08%

Cappuccino

$2.78 COP 8,783

$3.39 ¥22.75

-17.99%

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

$1.34 COP 4,215

$0.47 ¥3.15

185.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 COP 4,084

$0.33 ¥2.25

290.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.05 COP 12.8K

$0.85 ¥5.73

376.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 COP 25.1K

$2.27 ¥15.23

249.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 COP 2,780

$1.64 ¥11.04

-46.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$1.47 ¥9.88

-12.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,106

$0.76 ¥5.11

113.16%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 6,612

$1.66 ¥11.16

26.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.97 COP 15.7K

$13.69 ¥91.9

-63.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 COP 56.6K

$3.56 ¥23.86

404.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 COP 22.5K

$13.04 ¥87.5

-45.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,160

$2.04 ¥13.66

11.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,933

$1.51 ¥10.16

-38.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 COP 1,904

$1.80 ¥12.07

-66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 COP 5,841

$1.36 ¥9.14

36.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,943

$0.83 ¥5.60

50.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,089

$1.02 ¥6.84

-3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 COP 3,950

$0.57 ¥3.85

119.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 2,947

$0.44 ¥2.94

111.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 COP 16.1K

$3.62 ¥24.30

40.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 COP 40.6K

$12.02 ¥80.7

6.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 COP 4,855

$0.83 ¥5.59

85.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 COP 15.4K

$1.83 ¥12.26

166.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 COP 3,800

$0.35 ¥2.38

242.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.72 ¥159

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 COP 10.9K

$1.46 ¥9.81

136.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 COP 10.2K

$0.36 ¥2.41

794.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.59 COP 49.2K

$7.11 ¥47.72

119.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,230

$1.18 ¥7.95

13.56%

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

$22.1K COP 69.7M

$19.6K ¥131.7K

12.51%

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

$29.2K COP 92.2M

$18.5K ¥124.2K

57.81%

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

$151 COP 475.8K

$57.1 ¥383

164.25%

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

$14.54 COP 45.9K

$9.04 ¥60.7

60.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.67 COP 103.1K

$13.90 ¥93.3

135.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.51 COP 108.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 COP 15.2K

$7.21 ¥48.39

-33.15%

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

$323 COP 1.0M

$525 ¥3,522

-38.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,682 COP 14.8M

$24.4K ¥163.9K

-80.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 COP 353.1K

$49.58 ¥333

125.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.13 COP 148.7K

$40.37 ¥271

16.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$190 COP 599.2K

$68.8 ¥462

175.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$255 COP 804.8K

$88.4 ¥593

188.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 COP 2.5M

$293 ¥1,964

171.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 COP 1.6M

$151 ¥1,017

232.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 COP 2.5M

$598 ¥4,010

34.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 COP 2.9M

$299 ¥2,004

206.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,882 COP 5.9M

$2,201 ¥14.8K

-14.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 COP 2.0M

$4,417 ¥29.6K

-85.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$513 COP 1.6M

$1,039 ¥6,972

-50.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

194.12%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: August 29, 2026

Last update for Shantou: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $794 in Barranquilla versus $293 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 102% 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 $63.0 in Barranquilla versus $24.00 in Shantou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $256 vs $216 – making Shantou 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 Shantou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barranquilla costs about 119% more than Shantou, 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 $2,220 per month in Barranquilla and $1,014 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,480 in Barranquilla and $676 in Shantou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $323 per month in Barranquilla and $525 in Shantou. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shantou, where all-in costs run around $676, than in Barranquilla at $1,480. In Shantou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barranquilla it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.