Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Ocho Rios Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Ocho Rios

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,062 per month in Cartagena vs $908 in Ocho Rios, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,608 per month in Cartagena vs $1,942 in Ocho Rios, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,153 per month in Cartagena vs $2,976 in Ocho Rios, rent included.

Cartagena costs about 17% more than Ocho Rios, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cartagena and Ocho Rios are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 21% lower, Ocho Rios 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.17 COP 22.3K

$7.59 JMD 1,192

-18.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.58 COP 171.8K

$62.0 JMD 9,742

-23.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 COP 35.5K

$6.16 JMD 967

59.90%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,948

$2.64 JMD 414

-37.50%

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

$0.81 COP 2,914

$1.38 JMD 217

-41.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 COP 2,407

$0.71 JMD 112

-5.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 COP 4,682

$2.25 JMD 353

-42.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 COP 10.6K

$3.17 JMD 498

-6.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 COP 4,124

$4.11 JMD 645

-72.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 COP 6,715

$2.71 JMD 426

-31.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,784

$1.56 JMD 246

-14.74%

Eggs

$2.11 COP 7,605

$3.56 JMD 560

-40.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 COP 25.5K

$6.78 JMD 1,065

4.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 COP 21.3K

$6.53 JMD 1,026

-9.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 COP 29.4K

$7.78 JMD 1,222

4.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 COP 11.6K

$5.83 JMD 916

-45.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 COP 7,059

$3.05 JMD 480

-35.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,424

$4.19 JMD 658

-64.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 COP 5,689

$2.32 JMD 364

-31.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,588

$2.07 JMD 325

-25.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,892

$1.94 JMD 304

-44.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,619

$2.10 JMD 329

-52.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 COP 2,144

$1.09 JMD 171

-45.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 COP 8,503

$8.81 JMD 1,383

-73.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.52 COP 66.8K

$9.25 JMD 1,452

100.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 3,367

$2.46 JMD 387

-62.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 COP 3,709

$2.93 JMD 460

-64.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 COP 3,805

$1.52 JMD 239

-30.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.08 COP 101.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 COP 8,602

$0.65 JMD 102

266.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 COP 8,556

$1.00 JMD 157

137.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 COP 17.8K

$6.11 JMD 959

-19.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,709

$1.23 JMD 193

-16.26%

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

$20.9K COP 75.4M

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

-51.57%

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

$23.6K COP 85.3M

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-29.98%

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

$142 COP 514.1K

$107 JMD 16.8K

33.03%

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

$10.96 COP 39.6K

$22.08 JMD 3,467

-50.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.17 COP 90.9K

$39.01 JMD 6,128

-35.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.27 COP 127.3K

$15.63 JMD 2,455

125.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.84 COP 31.9K

$5.56 JMD 873

58.99%

Cinema Ticket

$2.94 COP 10.6K

$11.32 JMD 1,778

-74.03%

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

$142 COP 512.4K

$226 JMD 35.5K

-37.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,910 COP 21.3M

$2,454 JMD 385.4K

140.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.13 COP 173.8K

$15.49 JMD 2,433

210.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.46 COP 142.5K

$12.62 JMD 1,982

212.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 COP 445.3K

$49.97 JMD 7,849

146.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 COP 413.6K

$62.3 JMD 9,783

83.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 COP 2.7M

$374 JMD 58.8K

98.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 COP 1.2M

$188 JMD 29.5K

75.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 COP 4.7M

$1,217 JMD 191.1K

7.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 COP 1.7M

$1,197 JMD 188.0K

-59.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,077 COP 11.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,977 COP 7.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 COP 1.5M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

200.00%

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

Last update for Cartagena: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ocho Rios: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Cartagena versus $374 in Ocho Rios. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Cartagena versus $62.0 in Ocho Rios. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $309 – 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 Ocho Rios: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartagena costs about 17% more than Ocho Rios, 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 $1,362 in Ocho Rios. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ocho Rios, 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 $62.0 in Ocho Rios. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 39% cheaper in Cartagena – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ocho Rios, where all-in costs run around $908, than in Cartagena at $1,062. In Ocho Rios it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cartagena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ocho Rios costs $908 versus $1,062 in Cartagena. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Ocho Rios. 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.