Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Bucaramanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Bucaramanga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $833 per month in Cartago vs $777 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,287 per month in Cartago vs $1,157 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,740 per month in Cartago vs $1,536 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Cartago costs about 7% more than Bucaramanga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cartago and Bucaramanga are more affordable than the global median – Cartago 38% lower, Bucaramanga 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 COP 12.8K

$3.24 COP 11.3K

13.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.98 COP 101.1K

$19.62 COP 68.5K

47.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 COP 24.9K

$6.81 COP 23.8K

4.85%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,749

$1.30 COP 4,547

26.92%

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

$0.87 COP 3,031

$0.74 COP 2,591

17.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 COP 2,113

$0.56 COP 1,949

8.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 COP 3,696

$1.36 COP 4,763

-22.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 COP 9,026

$2.03 COP 7,094

27.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 COP 4,305

$1.17 COP 4,082

5.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 COP 5,327

$1.11 COP 3,865

37.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 COP 4,247

$1.23 COP 4,303

-0.81%

Eggs

$2.58 COP 9,011

$2.23 COP 7,770

15.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.22 COP 14.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 19.3K

$5.65 COP 19.7K

-2.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 COP 26.5K

$7.37 COP 25.7K

2.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 COP 8,368

$2.47 COP 8,624

-2.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,130

$1.19 COP 4,143

-24.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,189

$0.84 COP 2,943

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,604

$0.87 COP 3,024

51.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 COP 2,896

$1.23 COP 4,308

-32.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,726

$0.96 COP 3,349

11.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 COP 2,643

$0.97 COP 3,401

-21.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,455

$0.78 COP 2,728

-10.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 COP 9,823

$1.67 COP 5,827

68.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.80 COP 41.2K

$8.26 COP 28.8K

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,768

$0.79 COP 2,764

36.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 COP 6,796

$1.53 COP 5,341

27.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,322

$0.74 COP 2,596

-9.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.31 COP 105.8K

$38.53 COP 134.5K

-21.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 COP 5,403

$1.68 COP 5,872

-7.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 COP 6,936

$1.58 COP 5,528

25.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.47 COP 33.0K

$6.03 COP 21.0K

57.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,406

$0.94 COP 3,296

4.26%

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

$21.7K COP 75.7M

$19.2K COP 66.9M

13.23%

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

$29.6K COP 103.5M

$28.1K COP 98.1M

5.51%

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

$83.4 COP 290.9K

$75.8 COP 264.7K

9.92%

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

$8.71 COP 30.4K

$8.69 COP 30.3K

0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.88 COP 86.8K

$21.11 COP 73.7K

17.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.13 COP 80.7K

$23.74 COP 82.8K

-2.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 COP 54.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 COP 16.7K

$3.81 COP 13.3K

25.46%

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

$228 COP 796.3K

$242 COP 844.2K

-5.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,939 COP 20.7M

$2,420 COP 8.4M

145.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 COP 223.8K

$65.2 COP 227.6K

-1.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 COP 153.5K

$32.84 COP 114.6K

33.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 COP 271.3K

$82.1 COP 286.4K

-5.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 COP 314.0K

$37.52 COP 131.0K

139.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 COP 973.3K

$292 COP 1.0M

-4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 817.8K

$236 COP 821.9K

-0.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$539 COP 1.9M

$475 COP 1.7M

13.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 COP 1.5M

$370 COP 1.3M

17.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,602 COP 5.6M

$1,073 COP 3.7M

49.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,302 COP 4.5M

$1,395 COP 4.9M

-6.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$324 COP 1.1M

$503 COP 1.8M

-35.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

15.25

-24.07%

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

Last update for Cartago: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $279 in Cartago versus $292 in Bucaramanga. 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 55% higher in Bucaramanga, 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 $29.00 in Cartago versus $20.00 in Bucaramanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $169 – making Bucaramanga 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 Bucaramanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartago costs about 7% more than Bucaramanga, 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 $1,250 per month in Cartago and $1,166 in Bucaramanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bucaramanga, 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 $29.00 in Cartago and $20.00 in Bucaramanga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $833 in Cartago and $777 in Bucaramanga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $833 in Cartago and $777 in Bucaramanga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $777 versus $833 in Cartago. 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 Bucaramanga. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cartago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.