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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $773 per month in Bucaramanga vs $878 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,158 per month in Bucaramanga vs $1,369 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,543 per month in Bucaramanga vs $1,860 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 42% lower, Barranquilla 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 COP 9,785

$4.71 COP 15.0K

-34.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.46 COP 62.1K

$31.31 COP 99.9K

-37.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 COP 21.9K

$7.10 COP 22.6K

-3.10%

Cappuccino

$1.29 COP 4,117

$1.74 COP 5,560

-25.86%

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

$0.75 COP 2,406

$0.92 COP 2,923

-18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 1,856

$0.65 COP 2,075

-10.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 COP 4,486

$1.30 COP 4,150

8.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 COP 6,406

$1.97 COP 6,272

2.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 COP 3,775

$0.97 COP 3,108

21.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 COP 3,544

$1.28 COP 4,090

-13.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 COP 3,948

$1.06 COP 3,371

16.98%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,095

$1.99 COP 6,353

11.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$4.71 COP 15.0K

-13.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 18.8K

$5.03 COP 16.0K

16.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 COP 24.0K

$7.19 COP 22.9K

4.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 COP 7,878

$2.89 COP 9,213

-14.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 COP 3,923

$1.35 COP 4,294

-8.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 COP 2,660

$1.56 COP 4,972

-46.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,940

$0.77 COP 2,460

19.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,992

$0.89 COP 2,840

40.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 COP 3,237

$1.43 COP 4,563

-29.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 COP 2,891

$0.82 COP 2,620

10.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 COP 2,507

$0.61 COP 1,949

29.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 COP 5,372

$2.75 COP 8,784

-38.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 COP 29.0K

$11.43 COP 36.5K

-20.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 2,706

$0.84 COP 2,694

1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 COP 4,974

$1.29 COP 4,102

20.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 COP 2,348

$0.71 COP 2,276

4.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.29 COP 122.2K

$32.48 COP 103.6K

17.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 COP 5,585

$1.98 COP 6,310

-11.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 COP 5,041

$2.86 COP 9,120

-44.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 COP 18.9K

$4.85 COP 15.5K

22.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,097

$0.97 COP 3,103

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

$19.7K COP 62.8M

$15.2K COP 48.3M

30.00%

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

$28.3K COP 90.4M

$22.0K COP 70.3M

28.58%

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

$74.6 COP 237.9K

$140 COP 446.7K

-46.75%

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

$8.84 COP 28.2K

$8.24 COP 26.3K

7.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.44 COP 65.2K

$21.81 COP 69.6K

-6.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.24 COP 74.1K

$21.14 COP 67.4K

9.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.79 COP 50.4K

$14.66 COP 46.8K

7.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$4.35 COP 13.9K

-9.20%

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

$242 COP 770.7K

$61.6 COP 196.6K

291.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,485 COP 7.9M

$1,791 COP 5.7M

38.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 COP 205.4K

$61.7 COP 196.8K

4.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 103.2K

$54.2 COP 172.9K

-40.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 COP 262.8K

$80.6 COP 257.0K

2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.82 COP 120.7K

$72.8 COP 232.4K

-48.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 COP 913.6K

$242 COP 772.8K

18.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 759.3K

$224 COP 714.8K

6.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 COP 1.5M

$539 COP 1.7M

-11.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 COP 1.2M

$468 COP 1.5M

-19.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,193 COP 3.8M

$1,860 COP 5.9M

-35.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,621 COP 5.2M

$712 COP 2.3M

127.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$576 COP 1.8M

$573 COP 1.8M

0.52%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Bucaramanga versus $242 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 $19.00 in Bucaramanga versus $31.00 in Barranquilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 vs $174 – 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 14% 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 $1,160 per month in Bucaramanga and $1,318 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 $19.00 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 $773 in Bucaramanga and $878 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 $773 in Bucaramanga and $878 in Barranquilla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $773 versus $878 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.