Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucaramanga and Barranquilla Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucaramanga and Barranquilla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $777 per month in Bucaramanga vs $857 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,157 per month in Bucaramanga vs $1,340 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,536 per month in Bucaramanga vs $1,824 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Bucaramanga is about 9% cheaper than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Bucaramanga and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Bucaramanga 42% lower, Barranquilla 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 COP 11.3K

$4.93 COP 17.2K

-34.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.62 COP 68.5K

$31.40 COP 109.6K

-37.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 COP 23.8K

$7.13 COP 24.9K

-4.49%

Cappuccino

$1.30 COP 4,547

$1.68 COP 5,875

-22.62%

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

$0.74 COP 2,591

$0.86 COP 3,016

-13.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 1,949

$0.60 COP 2,105

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 COP 4,763

$1.36 COP 4,749

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 COP 7,094

$1.97 COP 6,863

3.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 COP 4,082

$0.93 COP 3,256

25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 COP 3,865

$1.32 COP 4,604

-15.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 COP 4,303

$1.06 COP 3,705

16.04%

Eggs

$2.23 COP 7,770

$2.10 COP 7,344

6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.22 COP 14.7K

$4.50 COP 15.7K

-6.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 COP 19.7K

$5.05 COP 17.6K

11.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 COP 25.7K

$7.03 COP 24.5K

4.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 COP 8,624

$2.87 COP 10.0K

-13.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,143

$1.34 COP 4,660

-11.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 COP 2,943

$1.52 COP 5,322

-44.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 COP 3,024

$0.84 COP 2,948

3.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 COP 4,308

$0.95 COP 3,315

29.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 COP 3,349

$1.51 COP 5,271

-36.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 COP 3,401

$0.88 COP 3,074

10.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,728

$0.57 COP 1,995

36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 COP 5,827

$2.85 COP 9,949

-41.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 COP 28.8K

$10.06 COP 35.1K

-17.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 COP 2,764

$0.90 COP 3,124

-12.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 COP 5,341

$1.28 COP 4,475

19.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 COP 2,596

$0.72 COP 2,503

2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.53 COP 134.5K

$33.31 COP 116.2K

15.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 COP 5,872

$1.93 COP 6,727

-12.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 COP 5,528

$2.96 COP 10.3K

-46.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 COP 21.0K

$4.87 COP 17.0K

23.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,296

$0.94 COP 3,277

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

$19.2K COP 66.9M

$15.0K COP 52.3M

27.95%

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

$28.1K COP 98.1M

$22.6K COP 78.9M

24.33%

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

$75.8 COP 264.7K

$141 COP 493.7K

-46.39%

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

$8.69 COP 30.3K

$7.88 COP 27.5K

10.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.11 COP 73.7K

$21.25 COP 74.2K

-0.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.74 COP 82.8K

$21.04 COP 73.4K

12.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 COP 54.6K

$14.38 COP 50.2K

8.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.81 COP 13.3K

$4.32 COP 15.1K

-11.81%

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

$242 COP 844.2K

$59.5 COP 207.6K

306.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,420 COP 8.4M

$1,810 COP 6.3M

33.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.2 COP 227.6K

$60.7 COP 211.8K

7.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.84 COP 114.6K

$52.3 COP 182.5K

-37.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 COP 286.4K

$81.2 COP 283.2K

1.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.52 COP 131.0K

$71.7 COP 250.3K

-47.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$292 COP 1.0M

$236 COP 824.7K

23.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 821.9K

$225 COP 783.5K

4.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.7M

$533 COP 1.9M

-10.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 COP 1.3M

$466 COP 1.6M

-20.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,073 COP 3.7M

$1,646 COP 5.7M

-34.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,395 COP 4.9M

$636 COP 2.2M

119.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 COP 1.8M

$498 COP 1.7M

0.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.25

52.50%

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

Last update for Bucaramanga: June 9, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $292 in Bucaramanga versus $236 in Barranquilla. 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 1% higher in Bucaramanga, 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 $20.00 in Bucaramanga versus $31.00 in Barranquilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $169 vs $171 – making Bucaramanga 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

Bucaramanga vs Barranquilla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barranquilla costs about 10% more than Bucaramanga, 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 $1,166 per month in Bucaramanga and $1,285 in Barranquilla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bucaramanga, 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 $20.00 in Bucaramanga and $31.00 in Barranquilla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $777 in Bucaramanga and $857 in Barranquilla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $777 in Bucaramanga and $857 in Barranquilla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $777 versus $857 in Barranquilla. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bucaramanga. 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.