Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucaramanga and Buenaventura Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucaramanga and Buenaventura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $773 per month in Bucaramanga vs $802 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,158 per month in Bucaramanga vs $1,222 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,543 per month in Bucaramanga vs $1,642 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Bucaramanga is about 4% cheaper than Buenaventura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Bucaramanga and Buenaventura are more affordable than the global median – Bucaramanga 42% lower, Buenaventura 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 COP 9,656

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-22.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.46 COP 61.3K

$23.26 COP 73.2K

-16.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 COP 21.6K

$7.36 COP 23.2K

-6.52%

Cappuccino

$1.29 COP 4,063

$1.55 COP 4,865

-16.77%

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

$0.75 COP 2,374

$0.94 COP 2,958

-20.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 1,832

$0.56 COP 1,779

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 COP 4,427

$1.21 COP 3,815

16.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 COP 6,321

$2.21 COP 6,962

-9.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 COP 3,725

$1.05 COP 3,311

12.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 COP 3,498

$1.29 COP 4,068

-13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 COP 3,896

$1.19 COP 3,737

4.20%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,002

$2.20 COP 6,940

0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.8K

$4.57 COP 14.4K

-10.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 18.5K

$5.22 COP 16.4K

12.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 COP 23.7K

$7.40 COP 23.3K

1.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 COP 7,775

$2.55 COP 8,021

-3.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 COP 3,871

$1.11 COP 3,499

10.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 COP 2,625

$1.29 COP 4,070

-35.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,901

$0.92 COP 2,889

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,939

$1.16 COP 3,668

7.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 COP 3,194

$1.13 COP 3,553

-10.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 COP 2,852

$0.80 COP 2,520

13.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 COP 2,474

$0.65 COP 2,061

21.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 COP 5,301

$2.39 COP 7,529

-29.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 COP 28.6K

$13.47 COP 42.4K

-32.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 2,670

$1.13 COP 3,572

-24.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 COP 4,908

$1.74 COP 5,472

-10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 COP 2,317

$0.72 COP 2,276

2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.29 COP 120.6K

$29.78 COP 93.7K

28.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 COP 5,512

$1.41 COP 4,450

24.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 COP 4,975

$1.71 COP 5,393

-7.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 COP 18.7K

$5.88 COP 18.5K

0.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,056

$0.94 COP 2,957

3.19%

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

$19.7K COP 62.0M

$17.8K COP 56.0M

10.65%

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

$28.3K COP 89.2M

$26.1K COP 82.1M

8.75%

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

$74.6 COP 234.7K

$83.5 COP 262.9K

-10.70%

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

$8.84 COP 27.8K

$9.22 COP 29.0K

-4.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.44 COP 64.4K

$22.85 COP 71.9K

-10.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.24 COP 73.2K

$23.28 COP 73.3K

-0.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.79 COP 49.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.05 COP 12.7K

-2.47%

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

$242 COP 760.6K

$239 COP 753.6K

0.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,485 COP 7.8M

$5,936 COP 18.7M

-58.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 COP 202.7K

$58.5 COP 184.0K

10.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 101.8K

$32.81 COP 103.3K

-1.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 COP 259.3K

$84.5 COP 266.1K

-2.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.82 COP 119.1K

$71.6 COP 225.3K

-47.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 COP 901.6K

$279 COP 878.1K

2.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 749.3K

$239 COP 751.9K

-0.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 COP 1.5M

$526 COP 1.7M

-9.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 COP 1.2M

$433 COP 1.4M

-12.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,193 COP 3.8M

$1,817 COP 5.7M

-34.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,621 COP 5.1M

$1,410 COP 4.4M

15.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$576 COP 1.8M

$626 COP 2.0M

-8.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.25

13.18

15.71%

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

Last update for Bucaramanga: July 26, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Bucaramanga versus $279 in Buenaventura. 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 9% higher in Buenaventura, 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 $19.00 in Bucaramanga versus $23.00 in Buenaventura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 vs $181 – 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 Buenaventura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenaventura costs about 4% 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 $1,203 in Buenaventura. 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 $23.00 in Buenaventura. 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 $802 in Buenaventura. 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 $802 in Buenaventura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $773 versus $802 in Buenaventura. 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, Buenaventura makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.