Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Valencia Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Valencia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,397 in Cartagena versus $1,866 in Valencia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,993 in Cartagena versus $2,717 in Valencia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,589 in Cartagena versus $3,567 in Valencia.

Living in Cartagena costs roughly 25% less than in Valencia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cartagena 4% above, Valencia 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 €11.91

$14.97 €12.78

-6.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 €49.09

$57.6 €49.19

-0.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 €6.77

$12.77 €10.91

-37.90%

Cappuccino

$2.57 €2.19

$2.58 €2.21

-0.39%

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

$2.39 €2.04

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.67

$1.96 €1.67

-0.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 €2.94

$3.46 €2.95

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 €2.94

$3.41 €2.91

1.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.97

$1.17 €1.00

-2.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 €0.86

$1.31 €1.12

-22.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.50

$1.69 €1.44

4.14%

Eggs

$2.94 €2.51

$2.90 €2.48

1.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 €9.85

$11.39 €9.73

1.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 €7.20

$8.64 €7.38

-2.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 €12.11

$14.21 €12.13

-0.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 €1.94

$2.56 €2.19

-11.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 €1.54

$1.84 €1.57

-2.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 €1.18

$1.98 €1.69

-29.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$2.45 €2.09

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 €1.10

$1.81 €1.54

-28.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.99 €1.70

-47.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 €0.94

$1.58 €1.35

-30.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.47

$0.76 €0.65

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 €4.82

$6.73 €5.75

-16.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 €5.29

$5.89 €5.03

5.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €0.98

$1.49 €1.28

-22.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.10

$2.02 €1.72

-36.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.72 €1.47

-18.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.64 €9.94

$33.26 €28.41

-65.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 €2.97

$3.41 €2.91

2.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 €1.02

$1.21 €1.03

-0.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.92 €21.28

$24.81 €21.19

0.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.76 €1.50

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

$30.9K €26.4K

$35.3K €30.2K

-12.46%

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

$31.9K €27.2K

$32.2K €27.5K

-0.90%

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

$143 €122

0.26%

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

$13.23 €11.30

$13.55 €11.57

-2.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 €25.74

$30.12 €25.73

0.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.62 €32.98

$42.07 €35.93

-8.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.09 €12.89

$12.64 €10.80

19.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 €6.94

$9.59 €8.19

-15.22%

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

$433 €370

$591 €505

-26.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,792 €2,384

$11.7K €10.0K

-76.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.05 €37.62

$101 €86.6

-56.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.92 €27.26

$37.91 €32.37

-15.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.25 €37.79

$99.1 €84.6

-55.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 €65.8

$127 €109

-39.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$778 €664

$1,226 €1,047

-36.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 €526

$943 €805

-34.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$921 €787

$1,996 €1,705

-53.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 €658

$1,379 €1,178

-44.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,839 €1,571

$5,798 €4,952

-68.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 €1,253

$3,248 €2,774

-54.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,842 €1,573

$2,075 €1,772

-11.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.44

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

Last update for Cartagena: April 25, 2026

Last update for Valencia: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $778 in Cartagena and $1,226 in Valencia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Valencia pays 13% 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 $58.0 in Valencia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $255 per month, with Cartagena 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 Valencia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartagena wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Valencia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cartagena the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Valencia earns 13% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $778 in Cartagena versus $1,226 in Valencia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cartagena – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $58.0 in Valencia. 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 $1,866 in Valencia – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,397 in Cartagena versus $1,866 in Valencia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cartagena but tight or insufficient in Valencia. The gap between the two cities makes Cartagena the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cartagena delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,397 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cartagena hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cartagena and Valencia 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 Cartagena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Valencia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.