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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,070 per month in Cartagena vs $2,263 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,619 per month in Cartagena vs $3,315 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,168 per month in Cartagena vs $4,368 in Lisbon, rent included.

Cartagena is about 53% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cartagena sits 20% below the global median, while Lisbon is 68% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.89 COP 20.5K

$15.94 €13.73

-63.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.71 COP 163.0K

$63.4 €54.6

-26.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 32.9K

$10.38 €8.95

-9.15%

Cappuccino

$1.62 COP 5,658

$2.79 €2.40

-41.94%

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

$0.82 COP 2,855

$2.34 €2.01

-64.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,309

$1.57 €1.35

-57.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 COP 4,347

$3.43 €2.95

-63.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 COP 10.1K

$3.91 €3.37

-26.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 COP 4,020

$1.08 €0.93

6.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 COP 6,695

$1.77 €1.52

8.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,818

$1.71 €1.47

-19.30%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 7,317

$3.15 €2.71

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 COP 23.5K

$13.68 €11.79

-50.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 COP 21.4K

$8.01 €6.90

-23.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 COP 27.3K

$15.52 €13.37

-49.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 COP 11.2K

$2.29 €1.98

40.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,729

$1.64 €1.41

17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 COP 5,011

$1.94 €1.67

-25.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 COP 5,757

$2.51 €2.17

-34.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 COP 5,378

$1.79 €1.54

-13.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,716

$2.01 €1.73

-47.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,489

$1.97 €1.69

-49.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,224

$0.84 €0.73

-23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 7,973

$6.79 €5.85

-66.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.45 COP 64.4K

$5.67 €4.89

225.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 COP 3,272

$1.39 €1.20

-32.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 COP 3,392

$3.02 €2.60

-67.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 COP 3,583

$2.27 €1.95

-54.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.09 COP 98.0K

$45.44 €39.15

-38.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 COP 8,570

$4.29 €3.70

-42.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 COP 8,521

$0.85 €0.73

187.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 COP 16.5K

$18.28 €15.75

-74.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,552

$1.99 €1.71

-48.74%

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

$21.4K COP 74.8M

$35.0K €30.2K

-38.84%

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

$23.6K COP 82.3M

$39.5K €34.1K

-40.36%

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

$139 COP 486.8K

$146 €126

-4.58%

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

$10.98 COP 38.3K

$20.45 €17.62

-46.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.01 COP 87.3K

$38.98 €33.58

-35.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.52 COP 120.5K

$48.98 €42.21

-29.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.50 COP 29.7K

$18.83 €16.22

-54.86%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 COP 9,936

$9.52 €8.21

-70.06%

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

$139 COP 485.5K

$608 €524

-77.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,857 COP 20.4M

$16.5K €14.2K

-64.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.52 COP 165.9K

$104 €89.5

-54.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.12 COP 133.0K

$42.12 €36.29

-9.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 COP 440.8K

$92.2 €79.5

36.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 COP 396.4K

$120 €103

-5.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$725 COP 2.5M

$1,621 €1,397

-55.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 COP 1.2M

$1,268 €1,092

-73.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 COP 4.4M

$3,048 €2,626

-58.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 COP 1.6M

$2,009 €1,731

-76.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 COP 10.7M

$7,663 €6,602

-59.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$842 COP 2.9M

$4,329 €3,730

-80.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$410 COP 1.4M

$1,585 €1,366

-74.12%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $725 in Cartagena versus $1,621 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 286% 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 $269 – 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 111% 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 $1,605 per month in Cartagena and $3,394 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 $139 per month in Cartagena and $608 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $1,070, than in Lisbon at $2,263. 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 $1,070 versus $2,263 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.