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: $1,402 in Cartagena versus $1,082 in Campina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Cartagena versus $1,604 in Campina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,619 in Cartagena versus $2,125 in Campina.

Living in Cartagena is roughly 30% more expensive than in Campina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartagena is 5% above, Campina is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.13 €12.23

$9.83 RON 44.69

43.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 €50.7

$42.28 RON 192

38.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 €7.00

$6.85 RON 31.15

17.96%

Cappuccino

$2.55 €2.21

$2.66 RON 12.10

-4.14%

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

$2.39 €2.07

$1.97 RON 8.98

21.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.78

$1.80 RON 8.19

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 €3.09

$2.32 RON 10.57

53.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 €2.97

$3.39 RON 15.41

1.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 €0.98

$1.52 RON 6.92

-25.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 €0.87

$1.12 RON 5.09

-10.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.52 RON 6.91

9.21%

Eggs

$2.79 €2.41

$3.29 RON 14.98

-15.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 €9.72

$8.53 RON 38.77

31.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 €7.20

$6.89 RON 31.33

20.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 €12.25

$8.59 RON 39.05

64.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.05

$1.21 RON 5.49

95.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 €1.61

$1.40 RON 6.37

32.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.28 RON 5.83

7.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.21 RON 10.03

-20.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 €1.13

$0.78 RON 3.53

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 €0.96

$0.92 RON 4.19

19.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.06 RON 4.82

3.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 €0.45

$0.91 RON 4.15

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 €4.93

$5.78 RON 26.29

-1.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.17 €5.34

$7.13 RON 32.43

-13.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.96

$0.90 RON 4.08

23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.12

$1.36 RON 6.19

-5.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 €1.18

$0.96 RON 4.34

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.62 €10.07

$20.11 RON 91.4

-42.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 €3.09

$0.83 RON 3.77

328.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 €1.04

$0.79 RON 3.61

51.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.63 €21.33

$5.66 RON 25.71

335.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.59 RON 7.22

12.58%

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

$31.2K €27.0K

$24.8K RON 112.7K

25.72%

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

$31.7K €27.4K

$26.7K RON 121.2K

18.79%

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

$144 €124

$141 RON 642

1.56%

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

$13.48 €11.68

$8.68 RON 39.47

55.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.43 €26.35

$11.14 RON 50.7

173.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 €33.50

$63.0 RON 286

-38.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.93 €12.93

$18.83 RON 85.6

-20.71%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 €7.06

$6.93 RON 31.53

17.60%

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

$426 €369

$424 RON 1,929

0.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,829 €2,450

$6,832 RON 31.1K

-58.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.46 €39.37

$83.6 RON 380

-45.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.91 €27.63

$42.97 RON 195

-25.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.71 €39.58

$82.9 RON 377

-44.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 €65.9

$99.1 RON 450

-23.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 €657

$393 RON 1,787

92.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 €542

$294 RON 1,338

112.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 €791

$589 RON 2,676

55.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 €658

$432 RON 1,966

75.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,792 €1,552

$1,920 RON 8,728

-6.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 €1,271

$1,406 RON 6,394

4.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,752 €1,517

$709 RON 3,222

147.24%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Campina: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $758 in Cartagena and $393 in Campina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartagena pays 147% 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 $42.00 in Campina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $203 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 30% 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 147% 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: $758 in Cartagena versus $393 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 $42.00 versus $59.0 in Cartagena. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,402 per month in Cartagena versus $1,082 in Campina – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,082 in Campina versus $1,402 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 30% less than in Cartagena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.