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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,062 per month in Cartagena vs $762 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,608 per month in Cartagena vs $1,156 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,153 per month in Cartagena vs $1,549 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Cartagena costs about 39% more than Bucaramanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cartagena and Bucaramanga are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 21% lower, Bucaramanga 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.17 COP 22.3K

$3.10 COP 11.2K

99.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.58 COP 171.8K

$19.66 COP 71.0K

142.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 COP 35.5K

$6.79 COP 24.5K

45.07%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,948

$1.32 COP 4,759

25.00%

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

$0.81 COP 2,914

$0.70 COP 2,521

15.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 COP 2,407

$0.58 COP 2,102

15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 COP 4,682

$1.38 COP 4,965

-5.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 COP 10.6K

$2.10 COP 7,585

40.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 COP 4,124

$1.17 COP 4,209

-2.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 COP 6,715

$1.12 COP 4,032

66.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,784

$1.20 COP 4,332

10.83%

Eggs

$2.11 COP 7,605

$2.23 COP 8,055

-5.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 COP 25.5K

$4.03 COP 14.6K

75.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 COP 21.3K

$5.70 COP 20.6K

3.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 COP 29.4K

$7.46 COP 26.9K

8.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 COP 11.6K

$2.59 COP 9,350

23.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 COP 7,059

$1.18 COP 4,275

66.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,424

$0.86 COP 3,090

74.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 COP 5,689

$0.93 COP 3,364

69.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,588

$1.19 COP 4,290

30.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,892

$1.03 COP 3,732

4.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,619

$0.97 COP 3,492

3.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 COP 2,144

$0.74 COP 2,666

-20.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 COP 8,503

$1.68 COP 6,059

40.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.52 COP 66.8K

$8.28 COP 29.9K

123.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 3,367

$0.80 COP 2,877

16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 COP 3,709

$1.56 COP 5,644

-33.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 COP 3,805

$0.68 COP 2,439

54.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.08 COP 101.4K

$39.14 COP 141.3K

-28.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 COP 8,602

$1.69 COP 6,098

40.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 COP 8,556

$1.53 COP 5,526

54.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 COP 17.8K

$5.90 COP 21.3K

-16.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,709

$0.98 COP 3,538

5.10%

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

$20.9K COP 75.4M

$19.4K COP 69.9M

7.86%

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

$23.6K COP 85.3M

$27.8K COP 100.2M

-14.89%

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

$142 COP 514.1K

$75.1 COP 271.0K

89.73%

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

$10.96 COP 39.6K

$8.52 COP 30.8K

28.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.17 COP 90.9K

$20.88 COP 75.4K

20.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.27 COP 127.3K

$23.56 COP 85.0K

49.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.84 COP 31.9K

$16.05 COP 57.9K

-44.92%

Cinema Ticket

$2.94 COP 10.6K

$3.85 COP 13.9K

-23.64%

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

$142 COP 512.4K

$242 COP 873.5K

-41.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,910 COP 21.3M

$2,433 COP 8.8M

142.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.13 COP 173.8K

$64.7 COP 233.5K

-25.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.46 COP 142.5K

$32.30 COP 116.6K

22.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 COP 445.3K

$84.6 COP 305.5K

45.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 COP 413.6K

$38.49 COP 139.0K

197.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 COP 2.7M

$290 COP 1.0M

155.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 COP 1.2M

$235 COP 846.7K

40.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 COP 4.7M

$487 COP 1.8M

168.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 COP 1.7M

$371 COP 1.3M

29.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,077 COP 11.1M

$1,096 COP 4.0M

180.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,977 COP 7.1M

$1,421 COP 5.1M

39.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 COP 1.5M

$523 COP 1.9M

-19.66%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Cartagena versus $290 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 $48.00 in Cartagena versus $20.00 in Bucaramanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $170 – 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 39% 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 $1,593 per month in Cartagena and $1,143 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 $48.00 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 $1,062 in Cartagena and $762 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 $762, than in Cartagena at $1,062. 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 $762 versus $1,062 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.