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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $966 per month in Bogota vs $836 in Cartago, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,496 per month in Bogota vs $1,266 in Cartago, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,025 per month in Bogota vs $1,696 in Cartago, rent included.

Bogota costs about 16% more than Cartago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bogota and Cartago are more affordable than the global median – Bogota 28% lower, Cartago 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 COP 16.2K

$3.64 COP 11.9K

36.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.94 COP 104.0K

$28.68 COP 93.4K

11.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 COP 25.4K

$7.29 COP 23.7K

7.13%

Cappuccino

$1.81 COP 5,896

$1.59 COP 5,176

13.84%

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

$1.00 COP 3,261

$0.87 COP 2,830

14.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,220

$0.57 COP 1,855

19.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 COP 3,825

$1.00 COP 3,268

17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 COP 7,306

$2.51 COP 8,176

-10.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 COP 3,816

$1.24 COP 4,023

-5.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 4,811

$1.51 COP 4,922

-1.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 COP 3,863

$1.27 COP 4,119

-6.30%

Eggs

$2.00 COP 6,511

$2.52 COP 8,205

-20.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.64 COP 15.1K

$4.11 COP 13.4K

12.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 COP 16.6K

$5.49 COP 17.9K

-6.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.20 COP 23.4K

$7.76 COP 25.2K

-7.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 COP 10.0K

$2.43 COP 7,910

27.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,555

$0.91 COP 2,979

19.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,423

$1.19 COP 3,887

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 COP 4,177

$1.27 COP 4,150

0.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,620

$0.81 COP 2,630

37.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 COP 3,698

$1.06 COP 3,455

7.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 COP 2,369

$0.70 COP 2,280

4.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,707

$0.69 COP 2,245

20.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 COP 9,417

$2.85 COP 9,265

1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.46 COP 50.3K

$12.59 COP 41.0K

22.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 COP 3,606

$1.12 COP 3,651

-0.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 COP 6,039

$1.88 COP 6,133

-1.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 COP 2,486

$0.68 COP 2,224

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.87 COP 133.1K

$29.88 COP 97.3K

36.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 COP 4,754

$1.54 COP 5,001

-5.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 COP 5,015

$1.88 COP 6,132

-18.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 COP 19.5K

$9.65 COP 31.4K

-38.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,316

$0.99 COP 3,224

3.03%

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

$15.8K COP 51.4M

$21.7K COP 70.7M

-27.33%

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

$25.5K COP 83.1M

$30.4K COP 98.8M

-15.89%

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

$83.6 COP 272.0K

$83.1 COP 270.5K

0.54%

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

$11.26 COP 36.6K

$8.68 COP 28.3K

29.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 COP 85.3K

$24.16 COP 78.7K

8.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.99 COP 78.1K

$23.67 COP 77.0K

1.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 COP 35.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 COP 16.0K

$4.97 COP 16.2K

-1.41%

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

$291 COP 946.5K

$225 COP 731.6K

29.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,502 COP 27.7M

$5,871 COP 19.1M

44.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 COP 196.6K

$63.2 COP 205.7K

-4.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.70 COP 139.0K

$44.52 COP 144.9K

-4.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 333.6K

$75.6 COP 246.1K

35.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.4 COP 271.5K

$91.1 COP 296.5K

-8.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 COP 1.5M

$284 COP 924.0K

58.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 COP 1.1M

$238 COP 775.4K

39.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 COP 2.7M

$527 COP 1.7M

57.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 COP 2.1M

$428 COP 1.4M

50.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,725 COP 8.9M

$1,740 COP 5.7M

56.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 COP 6.7M

$1,273 COP 4.1M

61.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$725 COP 2.4M

$347 COP 1.1M

108.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.93

11.58

11.66%

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

Last update for Bogota: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cartago: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Bogota versus $284 in Cartago. 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 109% higher in Bogota, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Bogota versus $29.00 in Cartago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $185 – 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 16%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,449 per month in Bogota and $1,254 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $966 in Bogota and $836 in Cartago. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% less in Cartago. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cartago, where all-in costs run around $836, than in Bogota at $966. 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.