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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $806 per month in Buenaventura vs $769 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,234 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,152 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,661 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,535 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Buenaventura costs about 5% more than Bucaramanga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 COP 13.0K

$3.14 COP 10.1K

28.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.92 COP 77.0K

$19.17 COP 61.7K

24.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$6.87 COP 22.1K

3.64%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 4,828

$1.31 COP 4,230

14.50%

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

$0.93 COP 2,994

$0.72 COP 2,301

29.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 1,811

$0.54 COP 1,743

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 COP 3,908

$1.41 COP 4,551

-14.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 COP 6,872

$2.11 COP 6,781

1.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.22 COP 3,935

-13.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,019

$1.11 COP 3,568

12.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,635

$1.20 COP 3,862

-5.83%

Eggs

$2.15 COP 6,933

$2.17 COP 6,969

-0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.36 COP 14.0K

$4.15 COP 13.3K

5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 COP 16.6K

$5.91 COP 19.0K

-12.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 23.1K

$7.13 COP 23.0K

0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 COP 7,971

$2.61 COP 8,386

-4.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,588

$1.17 COP 3,774

-4.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,201

$0.84 COP 2,706

55.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 COP 2,799

$0.91 COP 2,937

-4.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,629

$1.21 COP 3,893

-6.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,773

$0.97 COP 3,126

20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,598

$0.95 COP 3,062

-14.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,105

$0.75 COP 2,404

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,508

$1.67 COP 5,375

39.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 COP 35.0K

$9.22 COP 29.7K

17.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 3,629

$0.83 COP 2,662

36.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 COP 5,770

$1.48 COP 4,761

20.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,305

$0.72 COP 2,320

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.68 COP 95.5K

$38.50 COP 123.9K

-22.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 4,621

$1.70 COP 5,475

-15.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 COP 5,285

$1.54 COP 4,947

6.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 COP 19.9K

$5.92 COP 19.0K

4.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,070

$1.01 COP 3,237

-5.94%

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

$17.7K COP 56.9M

$19.6K COP 63.0M

-9.71%

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

$25.4K COP 81.7M

$27.7K COP 89.2M

-8.40%

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

$83.3 COP 268.1K

$76.1 COP 244.8K

9.52%

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

$8.87 COP 28.5K

$8.82 COP 28.4K

0.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.32 COP 71.8K

$20.45 COP 65.8K

9.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.66 COP 76.1K

$23.59 COP 75.9K

0.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.65 COP 50.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.02 COP 12.9K

$3.84 COP 12.4K

4.69%

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

$235 COP 756.2K

$241 COP 775.5K

-2.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,945 COP 19.1M

$2,409 COP 7.8M

146.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 COP 193.2K

$65.9 COP 212.2K

-8.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.17 COP 103.5K

$32.19 COP 103.6K

-0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 COP 269.6K

$82.3 COP 264.9K

1.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.1 COP 238.4K

$38.86 COP 125.0K

90.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 COP 907.8K

$290 COP 932.9K

-2.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 761.3K

$235 COP 756.4K

0.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 COP 1.7M

$479 COP 1.5M

11.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 COP 1.4M

$368 COP 1.2M

17.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,731 COP 5.6M

$1,201 COP 3.9M

44.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,400 COP 4.5M

$1,576 COP 5.1M

-11.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 COP 2.0M

$562 COP 1.8M

10.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

15.25

-13.57%

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

Last update for Buenaventura: July 22, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Buenaventura versus $290 in Bucaramanga. 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 11% 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 $24.00 in Buenaventura versus $19.00 in Bucaramanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 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

Buenaventura vs Bucaramanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenaventura costs about 5% 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 $1,210 per month in Buenaventura and $1,153 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Buenaventura and $19.00 in Bucaramanga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $806 in Buenaventura and $769 in Bucaramanga. 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 $806 in Buenaventura and $769 in Bucaramanga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $769 versus $806 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.