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: $1,397 in Cartagena versus $1,080 in Campina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,993 in Cartagena versus $1,639 in Campina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,589 in Cartagena versus $2,197 in Campina.

Living in Cartagena is roughly 29% more expensive than Campina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartagena is 4% above, Campina is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 €11.94

$9.77 RON 42.60

42.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 €49.20

$43.43 RON 189

32.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 €6.79

$7.09 RON 30.91

11.85%

Cappuccino

$2.57 €2.20

$2.68 RON 11.69

-4.10%

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

$2.39 €2.04

$1.99 RON 8.67

20.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.67

$1.73 RON 7.55

12.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 €2.95

$2.27 RON 9.89

51.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 €2.95

$3.38 RON 14.73

2.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.97

$1.45 RON 6.31

-21.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 €0.86

$1.12 RON 4.90

-9.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.53 RON 6.68

15.03%

Eggs

$2.94 €2.52

$3.23 RON 14.09

-8.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 €9.88

$8.65 RON 37.72

33.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 €7.22

$7.03 RON 30.65

19.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 €12.14

$8.79 RON 38.33

61.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 €1.94

$1.21 RON 5.27

87.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 €1.54

$1.40 RON 6.12

28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.29 RON 5.64

7.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$2.18 RON 9.51

-19.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 €1.10

$0.77 RON 3.36

67.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 €0.90

$0.93 RON 4.06

12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 €0.94

$1.07 RON 4.65

2.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.92 RON 3.99

-39.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 €4.84

$5.90 RON 25.72

-4.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 €5.30

$7.70 RON 33.56

-19.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €0.98

$0.92 RON 4.01

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.43 RON 6.22

-9.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 €1.21

$0.95 RON 4.14

48.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 €9.97

$19.82 RON 86.4

-41.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 €2.98

$0.79 RON 3.45

340.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 €1.02

$0.75 RON 3.27

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.92 €21.33

$5.71 RON 24.90

336.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.58 RON 6.90

11.39%

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

$30.9K €26.5K

$24.8K RON 108.1K

24.69%

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

$31.9K €27.3K

$25.9K RON 113.1K

22.88%

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

$143 €123

$141 RON 613

2.04%

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

$13.23 €11.32

$8.78 RON 38.30

50.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 €25.80

$11.42 RON 49.79

163.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.62 €33.06

$63.9 RON 279

-39.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.09 €12.92

$19.04 RON 83.0

-20.75%

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 €6.96

$7.00 RON 30.54

16.14%

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

$433 €370

$423 RON 1,845

2.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,792 €2,390

$6,996 RON 30.5K

-60.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.05 €37.71

$83.2 RON 363

-47.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.92 €27.32

$42.44 RON 185

-24.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.25 €37.88

$82.4 RON 359

-46.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 €66.0

$98.9 RON 431

-22.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$778 €666

$384 RON 1,675

102.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 €527

$292 RON 1,274

110.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$921 €789

$589 RON 2,566

56.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 €660

$431 RON 1,881

78.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,839 €1,574

$1,162 RON 5,067

58.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 €1,256

$714 RON 3,112

105.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,842 €1,576

$770 RON 3,357

139.16%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Campina: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $778 in Cartagena and $384 in Campina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartagena pays 139% 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 $234 vs $205 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 29% 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 139% 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: $778 in Cartagena versus $384 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 $1,397 per month in Cartagena versus $1,080 in Campina – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,080 in Campina versus $1,397 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 29% less than in Cartagena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.