Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Samsun Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Samsun

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,071 per month in Cartagena vs $991 in Samsun, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,619 per month in Cartagena vs $1,509 in Samsun, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,168 per month in Cartagena vs $2,027 in Samsun, rent included.

Cartagena costs about 8% more than Samsun, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Cartagena and Samsun are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 20% lower, Samsun 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 21.9K

$7.65 ₺351

-19.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.29 COP 168.9K

$25.10 ₺1,153

88.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.67 COP 34.5K

$8.99 ₺413

7.56%

Cappuccino

$1.58 COP 5,637

$2.81 ₺129

-43.77%

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

$0.86 COP 3,063

$1.30 ₺59.9

-33.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,347

$0.24 ₺10.97

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 COP 4,660

$2.84 ₺130

-54.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 10.1K

$2.97 ₺136

-4.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 COP 4,112

$1.05 ₺48.41

9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 COP 6,898

$0.40 ₺18.32

382.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,909

$3.90 ₺179

-64.87%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 7,800

$1.71 ₺78.6

27.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 COP 25.4K

$9.10 ₺418

-21.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 COP 21.1K

$10.02 ₺460

-41.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.00 COP 28.6K

$19.35 ₺889

-58.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 COP 11.3K

$1.30 ₺59.6

143.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,827

$1.12 ₺51.3

70.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,397

$0.92 ₺42.10

64.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,847

$1.24 ₺57.1

32.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,460

$0.60 ₺27.70

155.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,949

$0.60 ₺27.77

85.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 COP 3,759

$0.73 ₺33.76

43.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 COP 2,229

$0.68 ₺31.29

-8.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 8,083

$2.04 ₺93.9

10.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.91 COP 64.0K

$9.62 ₺442

86.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,540

$2.01 ₺92.5

-50.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 COP 3,632

$2.50 ₺115

-59.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 COP 3,647

$0.59 ₺27.00

72.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.74 COP 102.6K

$9.66 ₺444

197.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 COP 8,529

$2.26 ₺104

5.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 COP 8,403

$0.61 ₺27.90

285.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.79 COP 17.1K

$4.65 ₺214

3.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,654

$1.13 ₺51.8

-9.73%

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

$21.3K COP 76.2M

$42.8K ₺2.0M

-50.23%

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

$23.6K COP 84.2M

$49.6K ₺2.3M

-52.43%

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

$143 COP 509.3K

$49.83 ₺2,290

186.19%

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

$11.02 COP 39.3K

$10.99 ₺505

0.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.21 COP 90.0K

$11.23 ₺516

124.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.61 COP 123.6K

$82.3 ₺3,780

-57.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.65 COP 30.9K

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 COP 10.6K

$5.75 ₺264

-48.70%

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

$142 COP 507.9K

$500 ₺23.0K

-71.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,897 COP 21.1M

$3,735 ₺171.6K

57.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.52 COP 173.3K

$37.79 ₺1,736

28.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.53 COP 137.6K

$45.67 ₺2,098

-15.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 COP 439.0K

$87.8 ₺4,033

40.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 COP 400.5K

$45.24 ₺2,079

147.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 COP 2.6M

$500 ₺23.0K

47.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 COP 1.2M

$328 ₺15.1K

2.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 COP 4.7M

$724 ₺33.3K

80.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$523 ₺24.0K

-9.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,942 COP 10.5M

$795 ₺36.5K

270.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,103 COP 7.5M

$429 ₺19.7K

390.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$397 COP 1.4M

$1,006 ₺46.2K

-60.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

43.33

-65.38%

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

Last update for Cartagena: June 2, 2026

Last update for Samsun: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $735 in Cartagena versus $500 in Samsun. 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 154% higher in Samsun, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Cartagena versus $25.00 in Samsun. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Cartagena vs $244 in Samsun – 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 Samsun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartagena costs about 8% more than Samsun, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,606 per month in Cartagena and $1,487 in Samsun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samsun, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $142 per month in Cartagena and $500 in Samsun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% 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 Samsun, where all-in costs run around $991, than in Cartagena at $1,071. In Samsun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cartagena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Samsun costs $991 versus $1,071 in Cartagena. 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 Samsun. 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.