Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,086 per month in Cartagena vs $2,280 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,604 per month in Cartagena vs $3,294 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,121 per month in Cartagena vs $4,307 in Lisbon, rent included.

Cartagena is about 52% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cartagena sits 18% below the global median, while Lisbon is 71% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 18.7K

$15.75 €13.64

-62.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.34 COP 149.1K

$63.5 €55.0

-25.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 COP 31.3K

$10.45 €9.05

-4.78%

Cappuccino

$1.57 COP 4,950

$2.91 €2.52

-46.05%

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

$0.82 COP 2,579

$2.29 €1.98

-64.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,128

$1.50 €1.30

-54.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 COP 4,111

$3.56 €3.09

-63.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 COP 9,107

$3.96 €3.43

-27.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 COP 3,590

$1.08 €0.94

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 COP 5,777

$1.76 €1.53

3.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,324

$1.70 €1.47

-19.41%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 6,910

$3.25 €2.81

-32.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 COP 21.5K

$13.25 €11.47

-48.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 COP 19.6K

$7.70 €6.67

-19.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 COP 24.5K

$15.77 €13.66

-50.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 COP 10.3K

$2.28 €1.97

42.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,014

$1.66 €1.43

15.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,556

$2.02 €1.75

-28.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,101

$2.47 €2.14

-34.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,074

$1.79 €1.55

-10.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,400

$2.07 €1.79

-47.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 COP 3,177

$1.97 €1.71

-48.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 COP 1,865

$0.83 €0.72

-28.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 7,403

$6.55 €5.68

-64.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 COP 59.2K

$5.57 €4.82

237.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 COP 3,083

$1.33 €1.15

-26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 COP 3,081

$3.01 €2.60

-67.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 COP 3,311

$2.27 €1.97

-53.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.98 COP 91.2K

$46.35 €40.14

-37.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 COP 7,753

$4.23 €3.66

-41.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 COP 7,461

$0.85 €0.73

178.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.86 COP 15.3K

$18.83 €16.31

-74.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,204

$2.02 €1.75

-49.50%

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

$21.1K COP 66.5M

$35.0K €30.3K

-39.60%

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

$24.0K COP 75.7M

$39.6K €34.3K

-39.34%

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

$143 COP 449.0K

$148 €128

-3.60%

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

$10.93 COP 34.4K

$20.52 €17.77

-46.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.27 COP 79.6K

$39.52 €34.23

-36.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.26 COP 111.0K

$48.17 €41.72

-26.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.60 COP 27.1K

$18.39 €15.92

-53.24%

Cinema Ticket

$2.84 COP 8,948

$9.10 €7.88

-68.79%

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

$144 COP 453.7K

$615 €532

-76.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,062 COP 19.1M

$16.3K €14.1K

-62.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.97 COP 151.0K

$102 €88.0

-52.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.50 COP 121.2K

$42.09 €36.45

-8.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 COP 393.7K

$92.3 €79.9

35.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 COP 351.2K

$122 €106

-8.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 COP 2.3M

$1,612 €1,396

-55.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 COP 1.0M

$1,254 €1,086

-73.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 COP 4.1M

$3,069 €2,658

-57.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 COP 1.5M

$2,037 €1,764

-76.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,492 COP 11.0M

$7,751 €6,712

-54.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$935 COP 2.9M

$4,286 €3,712

-78.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 COP 1.5M

$1,602 €1,387

-70.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

293.70%

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

Last update for Cartagena: July 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $720 in Cartagena versus $1,612 in Lisbon. 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 243% higher in Lisbon, 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 $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $267 – making Cartagena 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 110% more than Cartagena, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,629 per month in Cartagena and $3,420 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cartagena, 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 $615 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cartagena, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Cartagena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cartagena costs $1,086 versus $2,280 in Lisbon. 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 Cartagena. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.