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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $850 per month in Barranquilla vs $705 in Shantou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,103 in Shantou, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,852 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,500 in Shantou, rent included.

Barranquilla costs about 21% more than Shantou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barranquilla and Shantou are more affordable than the global median – Barranquilla 36% lower, Shantou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 COP 15.6K

$2.03 ¥13.73

135.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.41 COP 102.1K

$16.87 ¥114

86.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 COP 23.8K

$4.97 ¥33.62

47.08%

Cappuccino

$1.76 COP 5,718

$3.24 ¥21.96

-45.68%

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

$0.85 COP 2,761

$0.47 ¥3.21

80.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,096

$0.30 ¥2.05

113.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 COP 4,378

$0.80 ¥5.43

68.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 COP 6,132

$2.67 ¥18.10

-29.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,216

$1.69 ¥11.41

-41.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,107

$1.37 ¥9.27

-8.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,477

$0.71 ¥4.83

50.70%

Eggs

$2.06 COP 6,709

$1.86 ¥12.60

10.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.70 COP 15.3K

$12.66 ¥85.7

-62.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 COP 16.9K

$3.76 ¥25.44

38.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 COP 23.3K

$12.25 ¥82.9

-41.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 COP 9,330

$1.88 ¥12.74

52.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,394

$1.43 ¥9.67

-5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,919

$1.68 ¥11.35

-10.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,676

$1.28 ¥8.64

-35.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,084

$0.78 ¥5.28

21.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,653

$0.95 ¥6.43

50.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 COP 2,795

$0.68 ¥4.59

26.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 1,868

$0.43 ¥2.92

32.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 COP 8,890

$3.39 ¥22.93

-19.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 COP 36.6K

$12.39 ¥83.9

-9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,963

$0.83 ¥5.63

9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 COP 4,346

$1.82 ¥12.34

-26.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 COP 2,319

$0.36 ¥2.46

97.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.39 COP 105.3K

$22.01 ¥149

47.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 6,236

$1.54 ¥10.43

24.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 COP 9,614

$0.36 ¥2.41

722.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 COP 16.1K

$6.69 ¥45.31

-26.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,262

$1.14 ¥7.72

-12.28%

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

$14.9K COP 48.3M

$21.1K ¥142.9K

-29.61%

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

$22.4K COP 72.8M

$19.5K ¥131.7K

15.12%

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

$139 COP 451.9K

$53.3 ¥361

160.92%

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

$8.09 COP 26.3K

$8.53 ¥57.7

-5.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.84 COP 71.0K

$12.89 ¥87.2

69.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.43 COP 69.7K

$41.05 ¥278

-47.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 47.7K

$14.13 ¥95.6

3.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 COP 13.6K

$6.78 ¥45.92

-38.05%

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

$61.7 COP 200.7K

$450 ¥3,043

-86.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,834 COP 6.0M

$20.2K ¥136.7K

-90.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 COP 201.5K

$49.29 ¥334

25.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 COP 174.8K

$29.86 ¥202

80.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 COP 260.1K

$75.6 ¥512

5.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 COP 233.3K

$77.8 ¥527

-7.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 765.8K

$280 ¥1,897

-15.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 COP 713.8K

$139 ¥938

58.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 COP 1.7M

$567 ¥3,835

-6.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 COP 1.5M

$281 ¥1,904

62.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,791 COP 5.8M

$2,249 ¥15.2K

-20.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$686 COP 2.2M

$4,385 ¥29.7K

-84.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 COP 1.8M

$1,037 ¥7,020

-47.52%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shantou: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $236 in Barranquilla versus $280 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 91% 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 – $175 in Barranquilla vs $210 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 21% 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 $1,276 per month in Barranquilla and $1,057 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 $850 in Barranquilla and $705 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 $850 in Barranquilla and $705 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.