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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,070 per month in Cartagena vs $777 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,619 per month in Cartagena vs $1,157 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,168 per month in Cartagena vs $1,536 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Cartagena costs about 38% more than Bucaramanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cartagena and Bucaramanga are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 20% lower, Bucaramanga 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.89 COP 20.5K

$3.24 COP 11.3K

81.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.71 COP 163.0K

$19.62 COP 68.5K

138.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 32.9K

$6.81 COP 23.8K

38.47%

Cappuccino

$1.62 COP 5,658

$1.30 COP 4,547

24.62%

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

$0.82 COP 2,855

$0.74 COP 2,591

10.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,309

$0.56 COP 1,949

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 COP 4,347

$1.36 COP 4,763

-8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 COP 10.1K

$2.03 COP 7,094

41.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 COP 4,020

$1.17 COP 4,082

-1.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 COP 6,695

$1.11 COP 3,865

72.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,818

$1.23 COP 4,303

12.20%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 7,317

$2.23 COP 7,770

-5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 COP 23.5K

$4.22 COP 14.7K

59.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 COP 21.4K

$5.65 COP 19.7K

8.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 COP 27.3K

$7.37 COP 25.7K

6.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 COP 11.2K

$2.47 COP 8,624

30.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,729

$1.19 COP 4,143

62.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 COP 5,011

$0.84 COP 2,943

71.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 COP 5,757

$0.87 COP 3,024

89.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 COP 5,378

$1.23 COP 4,308

25.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,716

$0.96 COP 3,349

10.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,489

$0.97 COP 3,401

3.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,224

$0.78 COP 2,728

-17.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 7,973

$1.67 COP 5,827

36.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.45 COP 64.4K

$8.26 COP 28.8K

123.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 COP 3,272

$0.79 COP 2,764

18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 COP 3,392

$1.53 COP 5,341

-36.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 COP 3,583

$0.74 COP 2,596

39.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.09 COP 98.0K

$38.53 COP 134.5K

-27.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 COP 8,570

$1.68 COP 5,872

46.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 COP 8,521

$1.58 COP 5,528

54.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 COP 16.5K

$6.03 COP 21.0K

-21.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,552

$0.94 COP 3,296

8.51%

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

$21.4K COP 74.8M

$19.2K COP 66.9M

11.80%

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

$23.6K COP 82.3M

$28.1K COP 98.1M

-16.07%

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

$139 COP 486.8K

$75.8 COP 264.7K

83.94%

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

$10.98 COP 38.3K

$8.69 COP 30.3K

26.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.01 COP 87.3K

$21.11 COP 73.7K

18.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.52 COP 120.5K

$23.74 COP 82.8K

45.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.50 COP 29.7K

$15.64 COP 54.6K

-45.65%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 COP 9,936

$3.81 COP 13.3K

-25.20%

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

$139 COP 485.5K

$242 COP 844.2K

-42.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,857 COP 20.4M

$2,420 COP 8.4M

142.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.52 COP 165.9K

$65.2 COP 227.6K

-27.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.12 COP 133.0K

$32.84 COP 114.6K

16.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 COP 440.8K

$82.1 COP 286.4K

53.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 COP 396.4K

$37.52 COP 131.0K

202.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$725 COP 2.5M

$292 COP 1.0M

148.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 COP 1.2M

$236 COP 821.9K

41.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 COP 4.4M

$475 COP 1.7M

167.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 COP 1.6M

$370 COP 1.3M

25.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 COP 10.7M

$1,073 COP 3.7M

186.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$842 COP 2.9M

$1,395 COP 4.9M

-39.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$410 COP 1.4M

$503 COP 1.8M

-18.45%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $725 in Cartagena versus $292 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 $20.00 in Bucaramanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $169 – 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 38% 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 $1,605 per month in Cartagena and $1,166 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 $20.00 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 $1,070 in Cartagena and $777 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 $777, than in Cartagena at $1,070. 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 $777 versus $1,070 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.