Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Bogota Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Bogota

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Cartago vs $1,312 in Bogota, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,965 per month in Cartago vs $2,108 in Bogota, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,699 per month in Cartago vs $2,904 in Bogota, rent included.

Cartago is about 6% cheaper than Bogota, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cartago and Bogota are more affordable than the global median – Cartago 10% lower, Bogota 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 COP 24.1K

$7.95 COP 25.0K

-3.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.34 COP 120.5K

$41.12 COP 129.2K

-6.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$10.25 COP 32.2K

-15.90%

Cappuccino

$1.61 COP 5,068

$2.62 COP 8,246

-38.55%

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

$1.30 COP 4,095

$1.33 COP 4,183

-2.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 2,724

$0.83 COP 2,623

4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,820

$1.88 COP 5,901

65.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 COP 12.1K

$3.72 COP 11.7K

3.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 COP 5,121

$1.66 COP 5,217

-1.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 COP 6,272

$2.49 COP 7,820

-19.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 COP 4,689

$1.63 COP 5,114

-8.59%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,089

$3.62 COP 11.4K

-20.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.44 COP 20.3K

$7.10 COP 22.3K

-9.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 COP 21.8K

$7.41 COP 23.3K

-6.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.09 COP 31.7K

$10.69 COP 33.6K

-5.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 COP 11.1K

$3.49 COP 11.0K

1.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,248

$1.80 COP 5,672

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 COP 5,703

$1.93 COP 6,069

-6.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 COP 5,231

$1.81 COP 5,696

-8.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,514

$1.44 COP 4,518

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,968

$1.39 COP 4,363

13.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 COP 3,586

$1.32 COP 4,156

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 COP 3,186

$1.09 COP 3,424

-7.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.70 COP 11.6K

$4.31 COP 13.6K

-14.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 COP 40.7K

$12.47 COP 39.2K

3.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,742

$1.42 COP 4,455

6.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 COP 7,999

$2.97 COP 9,345

-14.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 COP 3,731

$1.14 COP 3,593

4.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 COP 161.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 COP 2,688

$2.41 COP 7,571

-64.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 COP 5,876

$2.45 COP 7,707

-23.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$9.37 COP 29.5K

-14.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 COP 4,191

$1.35 COP 4,244

-1.48%

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

$23.6K COP 74.1M

$22.6K COP 71.1M

4.26%

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

$35.9K COP 112.8M

$36.1K COP 113.5M

-0.60%

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

$113 COP 356.4K

$124 COP 390.0K

-8.61%

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

$13.29 COP 41.8K

$16.18 COP 50.9K

-17.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 COP 99.0K

$31.23 COP 98.2K

0.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.54 COP 111.7K

$35.21 COP 110.7K

0.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.32 COP 48.1K

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 COP 26.7K

$7.84 COP 24.6K

8.29%

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

$658 COP 2.1M

$478 COP 1.5M

37.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,616 COP 20.8M

$6,417 COP 20.2M

3.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 COP 247.3K

$80.7 COP 253.6K

-2.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 COP 173.3K

$49.43 COP 155.4K

11.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 COP 395.7K

$141 COP 444.0K

-10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 343.5K

$114 COP 359.5K

-4.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.0M

$710 COP 2.2M

-9.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 COP 1.6M

$446 COP 1.4M

12.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 COP 3.5M

$1,299 COP 4.1M

-13.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 COP 3.2M

$997 COP 3.1M

1.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,687 COP 5.3M

$2,928 COP 9.2M

-42.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,900 COP 6.0M

$2,202 COP 6.9M

-13.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$788 COP 2.5M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

12.81

-9.60%

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

Last update for Cartago: September 1, 2026

Last update for Bogota: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $646 in Cartago versus $710 in Bogota. 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 $38.00 in Cartago versus $41.00 in Bogota. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $261 – making Cartago 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

Cartago vs Bogota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bogota is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Cartago and $1,968 in Bogota. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cartago, 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 $38.00 in Cartago and $41.00 in Bogota. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Bogota, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cartago, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Bogota at $1,312. In Cartago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bogota it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cartago – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cartago. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bogota makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.