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 $1,063 per month in Cartagena vs $895 in Ocho Rios, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,611 per month in Cartagena vs $1,917 in Ocho Rios, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,160 per month in Cartagena vs $2,938 in Ocho Rios, rent included.

Cartagena costs about 19% more than Ocho Rios, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cartagena and Ocho Rios are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 20% lower, Ocho Rios 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.09 COP 20.9K

$7.71 JMD 1,215

-21.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.00 COP 161.1K

$61.8 JMD 9,730

-23.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 32.4K

$6.16 JMD 970

53.73%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,616

$2.75 JMD 433

-40.36%

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

$0.87 COP 2,971

$1.31 JMD 206

-33.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,249

$0.72 JMD 113

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 COP 4,269

$2.15 JMD 339

-41.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 COP 10.1K

$3.05 JMD 481

-3.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 COP 3,968

$4.07 JMD 641

-71.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 COP 6,511

$2.67 JMD 421

-28.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,563

$1.54 JMD 243

-13.64%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 7,206

$3.40 JMD 536

-38.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 COP 23.3K

$6.75 JMD 1,064

0.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 COP 21.1K

$6.35 JMD 1,000

-2.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 COP 28.0K

$7.79 JMD 1,226

4.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 COP 11.2K

$6.13 JMD 966

-46.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,819

$3.13 JMD 493

-36.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 4,997

$4.28 JMD 675

-65.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 COP 5,665

$2.32 JMD 365

-28.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,480

$2.04 JMD 322

-21.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,647

$2.00 JMD 316

-47.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 COP 3,595

$2.01 JMD 316

-47.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 1,988

$1.12 JMD 177

-48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,045

$8.76 JMD 1,379

-73.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.92 COP 64.8K

$9.58 JMD 1,509

97.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 COP 3,422

$2.43 JMD 382

-58.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,385

$2.89 JMD 456

-65.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 COP 3,508

$1.59 JMD 251

-35.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.14 COP 99.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 COP 8,451

$0.61 JMD 96.4

304.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 COP 8,049

$0.96 JMD 151

144.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 COP 17.0K

$6.43 JMD 1,012

-22.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 COP 3,298

$1.29 JMD 203

-25.58%

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

$20.8K COP 71.3M

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

-51.27%

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

$23.6K COP 80.8M

$33.4K JMD 5.3M

-29.46%

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

$140 COP 478.8K

$105 JMD 16.5K

33.51%

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

$10.70 COP 36.7K

$21.96 JMD 3,459

-51.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.03 COP 85.8K

$38.10 JMD 6,001

-34.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.17 COP 120.5K

$15.96 JMD 2,514

120.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.48 COP 29.1K

$5.78 JMD 910

46.71%

Cinema Ticket

$2.93 COP 10.1K

$11.10 JMD 1,747

-73.60%

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

$144 COP 492.3K

$227 JMD 35.8K

-36.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,840 COP 20.0M

$2,467 JMD 388.5K

136.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.52 COP 166.3K

$15.41 JMD 2,428

214.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.07 COP 133.9K

$12.57 JMD 1,979

210.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 COP 425.6K

$50.2 JMD 7,907

147.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 COP 385.1K

$63.2 JMD 9,954

77.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.5M

$382 JMD 60.2K

87.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 COP 1.1M

$186 JMD 29.3K

80.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,270 COP 4.4M

$1,202 JMD 189.4K

5.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.6M

$1,206 JMD 189.9K

-60.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,197 COP 11.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$871 COP 3.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$422 COP 1.4M

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: June 16, 2026

Last update for Ocho Rios: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Cartagena versus $382 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 $47.00 in Cartagena versus $62.0 in Ocho Rios. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 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 19% 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 $1,594 per month in Cartagena and $1,342 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 $47.00 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 37% 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 $895, than in Cartagena at $1,063. 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 $895 versus $1,063 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.