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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $762 per month in Bucaramanga vs $864 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,156 per month in Bucaramanga vs $1,339 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,549 per month in Bucaramanga vs $1,814 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Bucaramanga is about 12% cheaper than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Bucaramanga and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Bucaramanga 43% lower, Barranquilla 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$4.81 COP 17.5K

-35.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.66 COP 71.5K

$31.59 COP 114.9K

-37.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 COP 24.7K

$7.29 COP 26.5K

-6.86%

Cappuccino

$1.32 COP 4,795

$1.77 COP 6,439

-25.42%

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

$0.70 COP 2,540

$0.87 COP 3,160

-19.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 2,118

$0.59 COP 2,153

-1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 COP 5,002

$1.29 COP 4,701

6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 COP 7,642

$2.00 COP 7,262

5.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 COP 4,241

$0.93 COP 3,398

25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 COP 4,062

$1.33 COP 4,825

-15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,364

$1.07 COP 3,890

12.15%

Eggs

$2.23 COP 8,115

$2.00 COP 7,258

11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.03 COP 14.7K

$4.57 COP 16.6K

-11.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 COP 20.7K

$5.23 COP 19.0K

8.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.46 COP 27.1K

$7.17 COP 26.1K

4.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 COP 9,420

$2.80 COP 10.2K

-7.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,307

$1.31 COP 4,763

-9.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 COP 3,113

$1.51 COP 5,477

-43.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 COP 3,389

$0.84 COP 3,039

10.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,322

$0.97 COP 3,516

22.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 COP 3,760

$1.44 COP 5,240

-28.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 COP 3,518

$0.82 COP 2,985

18.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 COP 2,686

$0.63 COP 2,285

17.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 COP 6,104

$2.87 COP 10.4K

-41.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 COP 30.1K

$10.26 COP 37.3K

-19.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 COP 2,898

$0.86 COP 3,112

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 COP 5,687

$1.33 COP 4,836

17.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,457

$0.72 COP 2,613

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.14 COP 142.3K

$32.88 COP 119.6K

19.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 COP 6,143

$1.97 COP 7,161

-14.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 COP 5,567

$2.83 COP 10.3K

-45.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 COP 21.5K

$4.88 COP 17.7K

20.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,564

$0.97 COP 3,545

1.03%

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

$19.4K COP 70.4M

$15.1K COP 54.9M

28.18%

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

$27.8K COP 101.0M

$22.6K COP 82.2M

22.86%

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

$75.1 COP 273.0K

$138 COP 500.5K

-45.45%

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

$8.52 COP 31.0K

$8.08 COP 29.4K

5.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.88 COP 76.0K

$21.93 COP 79.8K

-4.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.56 COP 85.7K

$21.32 COP 77.5K

10.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 COP 58.4K

$14.65 COP 53.3K

9.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.85 COP 14.0K

$4.26 COP 15.5K

-9.62%

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

$242 COP 880.0K

$61.3 COP 222.8K

294.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,433 COP 8.8M

$1,815 COP 6.6M

34.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 COP 235.2K

$62.6 COP 227.8K

3.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.30 COP 117.5K

$53.3 COP 193.8K

-39.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 COP 307.8K

$78.9 COP 286.9K

7.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.49 COP 140.0K

$72.5 COP 263.6K

-46.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 COP 1.1M

$235 COP 854.4K

23.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 853.0K

$221 COP 803.3K

6.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$543 COP 2.0M

-10.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$467 COP 1.7M

-20.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,096 COP 4.0M

$1,640 COP 6.0M

-33.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,421 COP 5.2M

$628 COP 2.3M

126.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$523 COP 1.9M

$506 COP 1.8M

3.34%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $290 in Bucaramanga versus $235 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 3% 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 $32.00 in Barranquilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $172 – 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 13% 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 $1,143 per month in Bucaramanga and $1,296 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 $32.00 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 $762 in Bucaramanga and $864 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 $762 in Bucaramanga and $864 in Barranquilla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $762 versus $864 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.