Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Bucaramanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Bucaramanga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,086 per month in Cartagena vs $773 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,604 per month in Cartagena vs $1,158 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,121 per month in Cartagena vs $1,543 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Cartagena costs about 40% more than Bucaramanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cartagena and Bucaramanga are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 18% lower, Bucaramanga 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 18.7K

$3.07 COP 9,656

93.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.34 COP 149.1K

$19.46 COP 61.3K

143.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 COP 31.3K

$6.88 COP 21.6K

44.62%

Cappuccino

$1.57 COP 4,950

$1.29 COP 4,063

21.71%

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

$0.82 COP 2,579

$0.75 COP 2,374

9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,128

$0.58 COP 1,832

17.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 COP 4,111

$1.41 COP 4,427

-7.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 COP 9,107

$2.01 COP 6,321

43.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 COP 3,590

$1.18 COP 3,725

-3.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 COP 5,777

$1.11 COP 3,498

64.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,324

$1.24 COP 3,896

10.48%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 6,910

$2.22 COP 7,002

-1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 COP 21.5K

$4.07 COP 12.8K

67.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 COP 19.6K

$5.88 COP 18.5K

5.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 COP 24.5K

$7.53 COP 23.7K

3.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 COP 10.3K

$2.47 COP 7,775

31.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,014

$1.23 COP 3,871

55.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,556

$0.83 COP 2,625

74.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,101

$0.92 COP 2,901

76.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,074

$1.25 COP 3,939

28.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,400

$1.01 COP 3,194

6.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 COP 3,177

$0.91 COP 2,852

10.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 COP 1,865

$0.79 COP 2,474

-25.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 7,403

$1.68 COP 5,301

39.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 COP 59.2K

$9.08 COP 28.6K

107.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 COP 3,083

$0.85 COP 2,670

15.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 COP 3,081

$1.56 COP 4,908

-37.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 COP 3,311

$0.74 COP 2,317

41.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.98 COP 91.2K

$38.29 COP 120.6K

-24.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 COP 7,753

$1.75 COP 5,512

40.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 COP 7,461

$1.58 COP 4,975

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.86 COP 15.3K

$5.93 COP 18.7K

-18.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,204

$0.97 COP 3,056

5.15%

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

$21.1K COP 66.5M

$19.7K COP 62.0M

7.19%

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

$24.0K COP 75.7M

$28.3K COP 89.2M

-15.17%

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

$143 COP 449.0K

$74.6 COP 234.7K

91.27%

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

$10.93 COP 34.4K

$8.84 COP 27.8K

23.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.27 COP 79.6K

$20.44 COP 64.4K

23.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.26 COP 111.0K

$23.24 COP 73.2K

51.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.60 COP 27.1K

$15.79 COP 49.7K

-45.54%

Cinema Ticket

$2.84 COP 8,948

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-28.10%

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

$144 COP 453.7K

$242 COP 760.6K

-40.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,062 COP 19.1M

$2,485 COP 7.8M

143.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.97 COP 151.0K

$64.4 COP 202.7K

-25.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.50 COP 121.2K

$32.35 COP 101.8K

19.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 COP 393.7K

$82.4 COP 259.3K

51.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 COP 351.2K

$37.82 COP 119.1K

194.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 COP 2.3M

$286 COP 901.6K

151.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 COP 1.0M

$238 COP 749.3K

39.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 COP 4.1M

$478 COP 1.5M

170.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 COP 1.5M

$377 COP 1.2M

25.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,492 COP 11.0M

$1,193 COP 3.8M

192.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$935 COP 2.9M

$1,621 COP 5.1M

-42.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 COP 1.5M

$576 COP 1.8M

-18.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.25

-1.64%

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

Last update for Cartagena: July 26, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $720 in Cartagena versus $286 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 23% 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 $47.00 in Cartagena versus $19.00 in Bucaramanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $173 – making Bucaramanga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 40% more than Bucaramanga, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,629 per month in Cartagena and $1,160 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Cartagena and $19.00 in Bucaramanga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,086 in Cartagena and $773 in Bucaramanga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bucaramanga, where all-in costs run around $773, than in Cartagena at $1,086. In Bucaramanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cartagena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $773 versus $1,086 in Cartagena. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bucaramanga. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cartagena makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.