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: $1,413 in Cartagena versus $1,076 in Campina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,016 in Cartagena versus $1,616 in Campina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,619 in Cartagena versus $2,157 in Campina.

Living in Cartagena is roughly 31% more expensive than Campina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartagena is 5% above, Campina is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.78 €11.87

$9.97 RON 45.08

38.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 €48.93

$42.86 RON 194

32.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 €6.93

$7.01 RON 31.69

14.69%

Cappuccino

$2.65 €2.28

$2.62 RON 11.84

1.15%

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

$2.43 €2.09

$2.00 RON 9.06

21.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.73 RON 7.84

16.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.26 RON 10.22

54.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 €3.03

$3.37 RON 15.23

4.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.45 RON 6.54

-21.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 €0.87

$1.16 RON 5.25

-12.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.58 RON 7.16

10.13%

Eggs

$2.79 €2.41

$3.22 RON 14.56

-13.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 €9.57

$8.82 RON 39.91

25.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.62 €7.43

$6.72 RON 30.42

28.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.84 €11.92

$8.96 RON 40.53

54.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.21 RON 5.48

95.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.47 RON 6.64

27.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.27 RON 5.76

10.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.14 RON 9.66

-17.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 €1.13

$0.83 RON 3.75

57.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 €0.94

$0.86 RON 3.89

26.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 €0.96

$1.07 RON 4.84

3.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 €0.44

$0.93 RON 4.19

-45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 €4.95

$5.62 RON 25.41

2.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 €5.32

$6.99 RON 31.60

-11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.95

$0.98 RON 4.42

13.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.12

$1.42 RON 6.44

-9.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 €1.17

$0.93 RON 4.23

45.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.62 €10.01

$19.47 RON 88.1

-40.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 €3.05

$0.83 RON 3.78

326.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 €1.03

$0.77 RON 3.46

55.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.19 €21.70

$5.72 RON 25.88

340.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.60 RON 7.26

13.12%

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

$30.1K €26.0K

$25.4K RON 114.7K

18.80%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$26.6K RON 120.4K

19.13%

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

$145 €125

$139 RON 628

4.47%

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

$13.32 €11.47

$8.54 RON 38.62

55.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.78 €25.66

$11.38 RON 51.5

161.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.58 €34.11

$64.2 RON 290

-38.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 €13.04

$19.28 RON 87.2

-21.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 €6.87

$6.71 RON 30.35

18.93%

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

$419 €361

$418 RON 1,890

0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,788 €2,402

$6,838 RON 30.9K

-59.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.51 €38.35

$82.0 RON 371

-45.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.32 €26.98

$42.70 RON 193

-26.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.66 €38.48

$84.7 RON 383

-47.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 €67.3

$96.9 RON 438

-19.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 €658

$396 RON 1,790

92.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 €534

$291 RON 1,316

113.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 €789

$586 RON 2,651

56.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 €658

$447 RON 2,021

70.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,787 €1,540

$1,868 RON 8,450

-4.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,465 €1,263

$1,359 RON 6,148

7.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,996 €1,720

$725 RON 3,279

175.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.44

6.5

-47.08%

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

Last update for Cartagena: June 7, 2026

Last update for Campina: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $763 in Cartagena and $396 in Campina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartagena pays 175% 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: $57.0 in Cartagena vs $43.00 in Campina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $204 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 31% 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.

Cartagena pays 175% more on average, 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: $763 in Cartagena versus $396 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 $43.00 versus $57.0 in Cartagena. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,413 per month in Cartagena versus $1,076 in Campina – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,076 in Campina versus $1,413 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 31% less than in Cartagena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.