Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Bucaramanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucaramanga: $1,221 a month against $1,520 in Cartagena, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cartagena outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Bucaramanga
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Bucaramanga Living Index

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Cartagena

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,520

/mo nomad

Bucaramanga

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,221

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cartagena and in Bucaramanga

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cartagena and in Bucaramanga actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,520 per month in Cartagena vs $1,221 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Cartagena $1,520
Bucaramanga $1,221

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Cartagena vs $1,834 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Cartagena $2,565
Bucaramanga $1,834

A family of three spends $3,610 per month in Cartagena vs $2,446 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Cartagena $3,610
Bucaramanga $2,446

Cartagena costs about 24% more than Bucaramanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Cartagena sits 12% above the global median, while Bucaramanga is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.63 COP 18.2K

$5.34 COP 17.2K

5.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 COP 457.5K

$31.23 COP 100.8K

353.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

$9.21 COP 29.7K

10.64%

Cappuccino

$4.44 COP 14.3K

$2.11 COP 6,803

110.43%

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

$2.44 COP 7,876

$1.40 COP 4,514

74.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 COP 7,198

$1.08 COP 3,497

106.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$1.68 COP 5,439

89.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 COP 16.3K

$2.46 COP 7,932

105.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 COP 6,121

$1.43 COP 4,633

32.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 COP 8,970

$1.43 COP 4,627

94.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,615

$3.07 COP 9,900

-53.42%

Eggs

$4.96 COP 16.0K

$3.10 COP 10.0K

60.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.42 COP 43.3K

$7.75 COP 25.0K

73.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.30 COP 55.9K

$13.84 COP 44.7K

25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.12 COP 55.3K

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 COP 11.3K

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,377

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,823

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 COP 8,753

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 COP 4,537

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 COP 5,471

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 COP 2,938

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 COP 6,639

$0.92 COP 2,973

123.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 COP 45.5K

$12.42 COP 40.1K

13.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 COP 4,503

$1.30 COP 4,210

6.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 COP 6,027

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 4,027

$0.97 COP 3,139

28.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.0 COP 216.1K

$66.4 COP 214.3K

0.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 COP 15.0K

$1.69 COP 5,447

175.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.69 COP 11.9K

$0.48 COP 1,559

668.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.53 COP 30.8K

$7.67 COP 24.8K

24.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,341

$1.29 COP 4,164

3.88%

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

$33.9K COP 109.5M

0.02%

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

$35.0K COP 113.1M

$34.5K COP 111.4M

1.49%

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

$79.0 COP 254.9K

$170 COP 549.6K

-53.61%

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

$10.56 COP 34.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.93 COP 83.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 COP 177.0K

$37.62 COP 121.4K

45.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.84 COP 102.8K

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 COP 26.1K

$8.89 COP 28.7K

-8.89%

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

$630 COP 2.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K COP 38.6M

$12.7K COP 40.8M

-5.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 COP 166.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 COP 182.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 COP 390.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 COP 307.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 COP 4.3M

$414 COP 1.3M

225.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 COP 2.7M

$317 COP 1.0M

165.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,468 COP 8.0M

$966 COP 3.1M

155.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 COP 5.1M

$519 COP 1.7M

204.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,189 COP 7.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$921 COP 3.0M

$1,752 COP 5.7M

-47.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$464 COP 1.5M

$574 COP 1.9M

-19.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.4

20.97%

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

Last update for Cartagena: November 2, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cartagena

–

Bucaramanga

$317 26%

Groceries & Markets

Cartagena

–

Bucaramanga

$302 24.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cartagena

–

Bucaramanga

$207 16.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Cartagena

–

Bucaramanga

$146 12%

Eating Out

Cartagena

–

Bucaramanga

$119 9.7%

Getting Around

Cartagena

–

Bucaramanga

$74 6.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Cartagena

–

Bucaramanga

$55 4.5%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,347 in Cartagena versus $414 in Bucaramanga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Bucaramanga, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $142 in Cartagena versus $31 in Bucaramanga. Groceries tell a different story – $259 in Cartagena vs $302 in Bucaramanga – so Cartagena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Cartagena

🇨🇴 Bucaramanga

🕒 Local time

12:22 12:22 PM

Same time as Cartagena

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,028,736

581,130

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Bucaramanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartagena costs about 24% more than Bucaramanga, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,279 per month in Cartagena and $1,831 in Bucaramanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bucaramanga, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $414 there versus $1,347 in Cartagena.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,520 in Cartagena and $1,221 in Bucaramanga. That makes Bucaramanga about 20% cheaper.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Cartagena – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,520 in Cartagena and $1,221 in Bucaramanga. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $1,221 versus $1,520 in Cartagena. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.