Cost of Living Comparison Between Bogota and Cartago Cost of Living Comparison Between Bogota and Cartago

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,312 per month in Bogota vs $1,232 in Cartago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,108 per month in Bogota vs $1,965 in Cartago, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,904 per month in Bogota vs $2,699 in Cartago, rent included.

Bogota costs about 7% more than Cartago, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Bogota and Cartago are more affordable than the global median – Bogota 5% lower, Cartago 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.95 COP 25.0K

$7.66 COP 24.1K

3.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.12 COP 129.2K

$38.34 COP 120.5K

7.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.25 COP 32.2K

$8.62 COP 27.1K

18.91%

Cappuccino

$2.62 COP 8,246

$1.61 COP 5,068

62.73%

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

$1.33 COP 4,183

$1.30 COP 4,095

2.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,623

$0.87 COP 2,724

-4.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 COP 5,901

$3.12 COP 9,820

-39.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 COP 11.7K

$3.86 COP 12.1K

-3.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 COP 5,217

$1.63 COP 5,121

1.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,820

$2.00 COP 6,272

24.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,114

$1.49 COP 4,689

9.40%

Eggs

$3.62 COP 11.4K

$2.89 COP 9,089

25.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 COP 22.3K

$6.44 COP 20.3K

10.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 COP 23.3K

$6.93 COP 21.8K

6.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.69 COP 33.6K

$10.09 COP 31.7K

5.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 COP 11.0K

$3.54 COP 11.1K

-1.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 COP 5,672

$1.35 COP 4,248

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,069

$1.81 COP 5,703

6.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 COP 5,696

$1.66 COP 5,231

9.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,518

$1.44 COP 4,514

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,363

$1.58 COP 4,968

-12.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 COP 4,156

$1.14 COP 3,586

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,424

$1.01 COP 3,186

7.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 COP 13.6K

$3.70 COP 11.6K

16.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 COP 39.2K

$12.96 COP 40.7K

-3.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,455

$1.51 COP 4,742

-5.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 COP 9,345

$2.54 COP 7,999

16.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 COP 3,593

$1.19 COP 3,731

-4.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 COP 161.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 COP 7,571

$0.86 COP 2,688

180.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 COP 7,707

$1.87 COP 5,876

31.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.37 COP 29.5K

$8.03 COP 25.2K

16.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,244

$1.33 COP 4,191

1.50%

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

$22.6K COP 71.1M

$23.6K COP 74.1M

-4.09%

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

$36.1K COP 113.5M

$35.9K COP 112.8M

0.60%

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

$124 COP 390.0K

$113 COP 356.4K

9.42%

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

$16.18 COP 50.9K

$13.29 COP 41.8K

21.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.23 COP 98.2K

$31.50 COP 99.0K

-0.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.21 COP 110.7K

$35.54 COP 111.7K

-0.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.32 COP 48.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 COP 24.6K

$8.49 COP 26.7K

-7.66%

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

$478 COP 1.5M

$658 COP 2.1M

-27.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,417 COP 20.2M

$6,616 COP 20.8M

-3.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.7 COP 253.6K

$78.7 COP 247.3K

2.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.43 COP 155.4K

$55.1 COP 173.3K

-10.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 COP 444.0K

$126 COP 395.7K

12.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 COP 359.5K

$109 COP 343.5K

4.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 COP 2.2M

$646 COP 2.0M

9.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 COP 1.4M

$502 COP 1.6M

-11.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 COP 4.1M

$1,123 COP 3.5M

15.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 COP 3.1M

$1,010 COP 3.2M

-1.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,928 COP 9.2M

$1,687 COP 5.3M

73.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,202 COP 6.9M

$1,900 COP 6.0M

15.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$788 COP 2.5M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.81

11.58

10.62%

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

Last update for Bogota: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cartago: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $710 in Bogota versus $646 in Cartago. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Bogota versus $38.00 in Cartago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $242 – making Cartago 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

Bogota vs Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bogota is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,968 per month in Bogota and $1,847 in Cartago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cartago, 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 $41.00 in Bogota and $38.00 in Cartago. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Bogota, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cartago, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Bogota at $1,312. In Cartago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bogota it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Cartago. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bogota makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.