Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Campina Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Campina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,451 in Cartagena versus $983 in Campina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,148 in Cartagena versus $1,547 in Campina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,844 in Cartagena versus $2,112 in Campina.

Living in Cartagena is roughly 48% more expensive than in Campina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartagena is 6% above, Campina is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.12 €13.18

$11.14 RON 51.1

35.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 €51.0

$44.53 RON 204

31.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 €7.16

$7.55 RON 34.66

8.74%

Cappuccino

$2.67 €2.33

$3.10 RON 14.21

-13.87%

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

$2.64 €2.30

$2.15 RON 9.87

22.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.62

$1.90 RON 8.72

-2.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.73 RON 12.53

26.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.48

$3.53 RON 16.19

13.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.08

$1.67 RON 7.65

-25.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 €1.06

$1.21 RON 5.57

0.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 €2.29

$1.50 RON 6.90

75.33%

Eggs

$4.02 €3.51

$3.70 RON 16.99

8.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.36 €11.65

$8.43 RON 38.70

58.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.03 €6.13

$6.72 RON 30.84

4.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.36 €16.88

$8.10 RON 37.15

139.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 €2.14

$1.37 RON 6.28

79.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.64 RON 7.51

25.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.51 RON 6.94

8.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.18 €2.77

$2.72 RON 12.48

16.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 €1.14

$0.77 RON 3.55

70.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 €1.17

$0.65 RON 2.98

106.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.04 RON 4.79

59.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 €0.57

$0.93 RON 4.28

-30.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 €4.97

$6.45 RON 29.60

-11.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 €5.37

$7.08 RON 32.48

-12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.13

$1.03 RON 4.72

26.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.02

$1.42 RON 6.53

-17.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 €1.32

$0.90 RON 4.15

67.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.68 €10.18

$22.29 RON 102

-47.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 €5.10

$0.79 RON 3.64

640.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 €1.96

$0.84 RON 3.87

167.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.21 €25.46

$6.63 RON 30.40

340.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 €1.47

$1.87 RON 8.59

-10.16%

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

$35.8K €31.2K

$29.9K RON 137.2K

19.85%

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

$30.6K €26.7K

$26.7K RON 122.5K

14.71%

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

$216 €188

$120 RON 550

80.37%

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

$20.01 €17.44

$7.23 RON 33.17

176.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 €25.90

$11.97 RON 54.9

148.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.17 €36.76

$56.3 RON 258

-25.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.88 €11.23

$17.86 RON 82.0

-27.88%

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 €7.21

$7.09 RON 32.55

16.64%

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

$425 €371

$413 RON 1,893

3.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,791 €2,433

$6,046 RON 27.7K

-53.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.37 €41.29

$79.0 RON 363

-40.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.32 €31.66

$44.87 RON 206

-19.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 €54.7

$94.8 RON 435

-33.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.8

$99.3 RON 456

8.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 €535

$247 RON 1,132

148.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 €445

$188 RON 864

170.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 €776

$358 RON 1,643

148.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 €650

$309 RON 1,418

141.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,792 €1,562

$1,912 RON 8,774

-6.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,463 €1,276

$1,391 RON 6,383

5.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,741 €1,518

$750 RON 3,442

132.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

7.02

-42.17%

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

Last update for Cartagena: September 14, 2026

Last update for Campina: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $614 in Cartagena and $247 in Campina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartagena pays 132% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $59.0 in Cartagena vs $45.00 in Campina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $210 per month, with Campina cheaper across the board.

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

Cartagena vs Campina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Campina wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Cartagena. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Campina the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 132% higher in Cartagena, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $614 in Cartagena versus $247 in Campina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Campina – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $59.0 in Cartagena. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,451 per month in Cartagena versus $983 in Campina – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $983 in Campina versus $1,451 in Cartagena, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Campina but tight or insufficient in Cartagena. The gap between the two cities makes Campina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cartagena and Campina are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Campina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Cartagena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.