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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $839 per month in Cartago vs $773 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,282 per month in Cartago vs $1,158 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,725 per month in Cartago vs $1,543 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Cartago costs about 8% more than Bucaramanga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cartago and Bucaramanga are more affordable than the global median – Cartago 37% lower, Bucaramanga 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 COP 11.7K

$3.07 COP 9,656

20.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.46 COP 92.8K

$19.46 COP 61.3K

51.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.24 COP 22.8K

$6.88 COP 21.6K

5.23%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,179

$1.29 COP 4,063

27.91%

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

$0.87 COP 2,753

$0.75 COP 2,374

16.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 COP 1,913

$0.58 COP 1,832

5.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,193

$1.41 COP 4,427

-28.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 7,774

$2.01 COP 6,321

22.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 4,052

$1.18 COP 3,725

9.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 COP 4,847

$1.11 COP 3,498

38.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 3,821

$1.24 COP 3,896

-2.42%

Eggs

$2.47 COP 7,786

$2.22 COP 7,002

11.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.13 COP 13.0K

$4.07 COP 12.8K

1.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.58 COP 17.6K

$5.88 COP 18.5K

-5.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.79 COP 24.5K

$7.53 COP 23.7K

3.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 COP 7,726

$2.47 COP 7,775

-0.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,068

$1.23 COP 3,871

-21.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 COP 3,650

$0.83 COP 2,625

39.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 4,004

$0.92 COP 2,901

38.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 COP 2,598

$1.25 COP 3,939

-33.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 COP 3,315

$1.01 COP 3,194

3.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 COP 2,250

$0.91 COP 2,852

-21.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,149

$0.79 COP 2,474

-13.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 COP 8,949

$1.68 COP 5,301

69.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 COP 40.2K

$9.08 COP 28.6K

40.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 COP 3,522

$0.85 COP 2,670

31.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 COP 6,018

$1.56 COP 4,908

22.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 COP 2,167

$0.74 COP 2,317

-6.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.38 COP 95.7K

$38.29 COP 120.6K

-20.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 COP 5,017

$1.75 COP 5,512

-9.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,011

$1.58 COP 4,975

20.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.72 COP 30.6K

$5.93 COP 18.7K

63.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 2,927

$0.97 COP 3,056

-4.12%

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

$21.7K COP 68.3M

$19.7K COP 62.0M

10.05%

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

$29.5K COP 93.0M

$28.3K COP 89.2M

4.16%

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

$81.3 COP 256.0K

$74.6 COP 234.7K

9.04%

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

$8.61 COP 27.1K

$8.84 COP 27.8K

-2.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.85 COP 78.3K

$20.44 COP 64.4K

21.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.75 COP 74.8K

$23.24 COP 73.2K

2.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.79 COP 49.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 COP 15.0K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

20.25%

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

$229 COP 721.5K

$242 COP 760.6K

-5.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,018 COP 18.9M

$2,485 COP 7.8M

142.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 COP 203.4K

$64.4 COP 202.7K

0.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 COP 139.9K

$32.35 COP 101.8K

37.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 COP 245.0K

$82.4 COP 259.3K

-5.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 COP 281.3K

$37.82 COP 119.1K

136.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 COP 896.6K

$286 COP 901.6K

-0.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 736.3K

$238 COP 749.3K

-1.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 COP 1.7M

$478 COP 1.5M

10.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 COP 1.4M

$377 COP 1.2M

14.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,040 COP 6.4M

$1,193 COP 3.8M

70.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,273 COP 4.0M

$1,621 COP 5.1M

-21.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$360 COP 1.1M

$576 COP 1.8M

-37.42%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $285 in Cartago versus $286 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 60% 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 $19.00 in Bucaramanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $173 – 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 8% 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 $1,258 per month in Cartago and $1,160 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 $19.00 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 $839 in Cartago and $773 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 $839 in Cartago and $773 in Bucaramanga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $773 versus $839 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.