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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $830 per month in Cartago vs $762 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,258 per month in Cartago vs $1,156 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,686 per month in Cartago vs $1,549 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

Cartago costs about 9% more than Bucaramanga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cartago and Bucaramanga are more affordable than the global median – Cartago 38% lower, Bucaramanga 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.69 COP 13.4K

$3.10 COP 11.3K

19.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.64 COP 104.2K

$19.66 COP 71.5K

45.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 COP 26.1K

$6.79 COP 24.7K

5.45%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,911

$1.32 COP 4,795

23.48%

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

$0.94 COP 3,424

$0.70 COP 2,540

34.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 2,041

$0.58 COP 2,118

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,691

$1.38 COP 5,002

-26.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 COP 9,137

$2.10 COP 7,642

19.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 COP 4,583

$1.17 COP 4,241

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 COP 5,498

$1.12 COP 4,062

34.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 COP 4,514

$1.20 COP 4,364

3.33%

Eggs

$2.58 COP 9,382

$2.23 COP 8,115

15.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.15 COP 15.1K

$4.03 COP 14.7K

2.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 COP 20.0K

$5.70 COP 20.7K

-3.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 COP 28.2K

$7.46 COP 27.1K

4.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 COP 9,090

$2.59 COP 9,420

-3.47%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,529

$1.18 COP 4,307

-17.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,180

$0.86 COP 3,113

33.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 COP 4,551

$0.93 COP 3,389

34.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,186

$1.19 COP 4,322

-26.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,040

$1.03 COP 3,760

7.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 COP 2,616

$0.97 COP 3,518

-25.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,477

$0.74 COP 2,686

-8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 COP 10.3K

$1.68 COP 6,104

69.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 COP 41.6K

$8.28 COP 30.1K

38.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,914

$0.80 COP 2,898

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 COP 6,982

$1.56 COP 5,687

23.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,668

$0.68 COP 2,457

7.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.35 COP 110.4K

$39.14 COP 142.3K

-22.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 COP 5,778

$1.69 COP 6,143

-5.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 7,081

$1.53 COP 5,567

27.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.46 COP 34.4K

$5.90 COP 21.5K

60.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,448

$0.98 COP 3,564

-3.06%

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

$22.2K COP 80.8M

$19.4K COP 70.4M

14.85%

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

$29.9K COP 108.6M

$27.8K COP 101.0M

7.56%

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

$81.2 COP 295.2K

$75.1 COP 273.0K

8.14%

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

$9.09 COP 33.1K

$8.52 COP 31.0K

6.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.6K

$20.88 COP 76.0K

16.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.12 COP 84.1K

$23.56 COP 85.7K

-1.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 COP 58.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 COP 17.1K

$3.85 COP 14.0K

22.08%

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

$222 COP 807.6K

$242 COP 880.0K

-8.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,904 COP 21.5M

$2,433 COP 8.8M

142.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 COP 229.7K

$64.7 COP 235.2K

-2.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.18 COP 160.7K

$32.30 COP 117.5K

36.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 COP 285.7K

$84.6 COP 307.8K

-7.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 COP 327.1K

$38.49 COP 140.0K

133.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 COP 1.0M

$290 COP 1.1M

-0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 857.5K

$235 COP 853.0K

0.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$524 COP 1.9M

$487 COP 1.8M

7.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 COP 1.6M

$371 COP 1.3M

16.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 COP 6.5M

$1,096 COP 4.0M

62.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,493 COP 5.4M

$1,421 COP 5.2M

5.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$327 COP 1.2M

$523 COP 1.9M

-37.41%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $288 in Cartago versus $290 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 $20.00 in Bucaramanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $170 – 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 9% 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 $1,245 per month in Cartago and $1,143 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 $830 in Cartago and $762 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 $830 in Cartago and $762 in Bucaramanga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $762 versus $830 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.