Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,063 per month in Cartagena vs $721 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,611 per month in Cartagena vs $1,088 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,160 per month in Cartagena vs $1,454 in Da Nang, rent included.

Cartagena costs about 47% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cartagena and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 20% lower, Da Nang 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.09 COP 20.9K

$1.94 ₫51.0K

213.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.00 COP 161.1K

$19.53 ₫512.6K

140.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 32.4K

$4.79 ₫125.7K

97.70%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,616

$1.57 ₫41.3K

4.46%

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

$0.87 COP 2,971

$0.54 ₫14.2K

61.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,249

$0.31 ₫8,254

112.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 COP 4,269

$1.04 ₫27.2K

20.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 COP 10.1K

$1.59 ₫41.8K

84.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 COP 3,968

$1.38 ₫36.3K

-15.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 COP 6,511

$1.02 ₫26.9K

86.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,563

$1.12 ₫29.4K

18.75%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 7,206

$1.48 ₫38.8K

41.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 COP 23.3K

$12.60 ₫330.7K

-46.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 COP 21.1K

$3.77 ₫98.9K

63.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 COP 28.0K

$9.87 ₫259.1K

-17.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 COP 11.2K

$2.73 ₫71.6K

20.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,819

$0.99 ₫25.9K

101.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 4,997

$1.12 ₫29.5K

30.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 COP 5,665

$1.10 ₫28.8K

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,480

$1.15 ₫30.1K

39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,647

$1.21 ₫31.8K

-12.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 COP 3,595

$0.99 ₫26.1K

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 1,988

$0.49 ₫12.8K

18.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,045

$1.33 ₫34.8K

76.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.92 COP 64.8K

$7.57 ₫198.5K

149.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 COP 3,422

$0.85 ₫22.4K

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,385

$1.66 ₫43.5K

-40.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 COP 3,508

$0.34 ₫9,029

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.14 COP 99.9K

$3.92 ₫102.9K

643.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 COP 8,451

$0.90 ₫23.6K

174.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 COP 8,049

$0.75 ₫19.7K

213.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 COP 17.0K

$12.01 ₫315.1K

-58.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 COP 3,298

$0.86 ₫22.5K

11.63%

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

$20.8K COP 71.3M

$27.2K ₫715.0M

-23.61%

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

$23.6K COP 80.8M

$28.9K ₫758.4M

-18.43%

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

$140 COP 478.8K

$74.5 ₫2.0M

87.42%

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

$10.70 COP 36.7K

$5.87 ₫154.1K

82.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.03 COP 85.8K

$8.32 ₫218.4K

200.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.17 COP 120.5K

$20.15 ₫528.8K

74.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.48 COP 29.1K

$7.74 ₫203.0K

9.56%

Cinema Ticket

$2.93 COP 10.1K

$3.05 ₫80.0K

-3.93%

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

$144 COP 492.3K

$154 ₫4.0M

-6.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,840 COP 20.0M

$13.1K ₫344.3M

-55.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.52 COP 166.3K

$39.19 ₫1.0M

23.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.07 COP 133.9K

$25.78 ₫676.5K

51.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 COP 425.6K

$51.3 ₫1.3M

141.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 COP 385.1K

$75.2 ₫2.0M

49.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.5M

$364 ₫9.6M

96.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 COP 1.1M

$245 ₫6.4M

36.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,270 COP 4.4M

$727 ₫19.1M

74.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.6M

$458 ₫12.0M

3.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,197 COP 11.0M

$3,844 ₫100.9M

-16.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$871 COP 3.0M

$1,323 ₫34.7M

-34.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$422 COP 1.4M

$347 ₫9.1M

21.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

40.58%

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

Last update for Cartagena: June 16, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Cartagena versus $364 in Da Nang. 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 22% higher in Cartagena, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Cartagena versus $20.00 in Da Nang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $189 – making Da Nang 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 Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartagena costs about 47% more than Da Nang, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,594 per month in Cartagena and $1,082 in Da Nang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Da Nang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $144 per month in Cartagena and $154 in Da Nang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Cartagena, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Da Nang, where all-in costs run around $721, than in Cartagena at $1,063. In Da Nang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cartagena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Da Nang costs $721 versus $1,063 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 Da Nang. 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.