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 $1,295 per month in Cartagena vs $1,101 in Ocho Rios, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Cartagena vs $1,587 in Ocho Rios, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,966 per month in Cartagena vs $2,074 in Ocho Rios, rent included.

Cartagena costs about 18% more than Ocho Rios, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cartagena and Ocho Rios are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 5% lower, Ocho Rios 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.95 COP 15.5K

$9.37 JMD 1,470

-47.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$135 COP 422.2K

$63.9 JMD 10.0K

111.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 COP 31.8K

$6.92 JMD 1,086

47.25%

Cappuccino

$3.61 COP 11.3K

$3.12 JMD 489

15.71%

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

$1.88 COP 5,879

$1.19 JMD 187

57.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 COP 5,670

$0.74 JMD 116

145.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 COP 6,425

$2.23 JMD 350

-7.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 COP 15.2K

$3.26 JMD 511

49.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 COP 6,144

$4.01 JMD 630

-50.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 COP 9,317

$2.71 JMD 424

10.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,703

$1.57 JMD 247

-3.82%

Eggs

$5.21 COP 16.2K

$3.52 JMD 553

48.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 COP 42.5K

$11.55 JMD 1,812

17.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.97 COP 56.1K

$6.45 JMD 1,012

178.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.31 JMD 1,618

Apples (1kg)

$6.17 JMD 968

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 487

Oranges (1kg)

$6.25 JMD 980

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 JMD 405

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 JMD 501

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 JMD 405

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 JMD 456

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 COP 6,464

$1.41 JMD 222

46.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.71 JMD 1,366

Wine (Bottle)

$14.76 COP 46.1K

$9.79 JMD 1,536

50.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 COP 4,362

$2.80 JMD 439

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 JMD 617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 COP 4,018

$0.96 JMD 151

34.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 COP 185.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 COP 15.1K

$1.24 JMD 194

291.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.84 COP 12.0K

$3.21 JMD 504

19.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.83 COP 30.7K

$6.17 JMD 968

59.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,300

$1.34 JMD 210

2.99%

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

$23.9K COP 74.6M

$44.8K JMD 7.0M

-46.59%

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

$34.8K COP 108.7M

$32.8K JMD 5.2M

6.10%

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

$80.9 COP 252.4K

$176 JMD 27.6K

-53.93%

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

$20.09 JMD 3,152

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 JMD 8,248

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.5 COP 282.5K

Cinema Ticket

$8.48 COP 26.5K

$11.47 JMD 1,800

-26.07%

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

$651 COP 2.0M

$358 JMD 56.2K

81.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,929 COP 18.5M

$8,314 JMD 1.3M

-28.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.65 JMD 3,711

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.36 JMD 4,919

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 JMD 12.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 JMD 16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 COP 3.4M

$377 JMD 59.1K

188.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 COP 1.8M

$192 JMD 30.1K

203.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,355 COP 7.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$978 COP 3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$968 COP 3.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$480 COP 1.5M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

58.73%

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

Last update for Cartagena: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ocho Rios: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,087 in Cartagena versus $377 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 $135 in Cartagena versus $64.0 in Ocho Rios. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Cartagena vs $358 in Ocho Rios – so Cartagena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 18% more than Ocho Rios, 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 $1,942 per month in Cartagena and $1,651 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 $135 in Cartagena and $64.0 in Ocho Rios. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 33% 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 $1,101, than in Cartagena at $1,295. 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 $1,101 versus $1,295 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.