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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,288 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,126 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,709 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,820 per month in Buenaventura vs $2,292 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Buenaventura costs about 14% more than Bucaramanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Buenaventura and Bucaramanga are more affordable than the global median – Buenaventura 6% lower, Bucaramanga 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 24.0K

$5.66 COP 17.7K

35.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.60 COP 145.4K

$31.17 COP 97.3K

49.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 COP 27.6K

$9.27 COP 28.9K

-4.75%

Cappuccino

$2.32 COP 7,252

$2.25 COP 7,018

3.11%

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

$1.48 COP 4,620

$1.48 COP 4,607

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 COP 3,066

$1.04 COP 3,248

-5.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 COP 7,226

$1.65 COP 5,141

40.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 COP 11.3K

$2.57 COP 8,023

40.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 COP 4,439

$1.50 COP 4,686

-5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 COP 8,459

$1.47 COP 4,592

84.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 COP 5,644

$3.17 COP 9,887

-42.90%

Eggs

$2.77 COP 8,649

$3.11 COP 9,707

-10.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 COP 23.6K

$7.99 COP 24.9K

-5.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.63 COP 33.2K

$14.31 COP 44.7K

-25.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.54 COP 42.3K

$17.82 COP 55.6K

-24.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 COP 9,676

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,130

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,723

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,106

$2.76 COP 8,619

-28.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,452

$1.42 COP 4,437

0.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 COP 4,655

$1.73 COP 5,393

-13.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 COP 3,977

$0.91 COP 2,853

39.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,102

$0.92 COP 2,878

7.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 COP 14.0K

$4.23 COP 13.2K

5.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.59 COP 48.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 COP 5,033

$1.41 COP 4,412

14.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 COP 9,759

$1.67 COP 5,198

87.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,814

$1.11 COP 3,452

9.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 4,797

$2.80 COP 8,752

-45.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 COP 7,567

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 COP 27.6K

$8.09 COP 25.3K

9.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 COP 4,694

$1.36 COP 4,231

10.29%

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

$26.7K COP 83.3M

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

$39.5K COP 123.4M

$34.3K COP 107.0M

15.36%

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

$117 COP 365.4K

$177 COP 552.1K

-33.81%

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

$12.98 COP 40.5K

$10.63 COP 33.2K

22.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.02 COP 99.9K

$26.39 COP 82.4K

21.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.99 COP 103.0K

$38.95 COP 121.6K

-15.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.30 COP 100.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 COP 19.5K

$6.18 COP 19.3K

1.13%

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

$571 COP 1.8M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,325 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.2 COP 262.9K

$52.6 COP 164.2K

60.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 COP 183.2K

$56.1 COP 175.0K

4.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 COP 449.9K

$120 COP 373.4K

20.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 COP 294.8K

$93.4 COP 291.7K

1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 COP 2.4M

$466 COP 1.5M

65.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 COP 1.6M

$333 COP 1.0M

52.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 COP 3.7M

$926 COP 2.9M

26.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$877 COP 2.7M

$556 COP 1.7M

57.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,059 COP 6.4M

$1,108 COP 3.5M

85.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,447 COP 4.5M

$1,596 COP 5.0M

-9.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$585 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

12.4

-6.61%

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

Last update for Buenaventura: August 29, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $773 in Buenaventura versus $466 in Bucaramanga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Buenaventura versus $31.00 in Bucaramanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $250 – 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

Buenaventura vs Bucaramanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenaventura costs about 14% more than Bucaramanga, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,932 per month in Buenaventura and $1,689 in Bucaramanga. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,288 in Buenaventura and $1,126 in Bucaramanga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Buenaventura, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bucaramanga, where all-in costs run around $1,126, than in Buenaventura at $1,288. In Bucaramanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buenaventura it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $1,126 versus $1,288 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.