Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cartagena Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Cartagena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $1,062 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $1,608 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $2,153 in Cartagena, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 110% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while Cartagena is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$6.17 COP 22.3K

162.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$47.58 COP 171.8K

35.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$9.85 COP 35.5K

5.38%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$1.65 COP 5,948

67.88%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.81 COP 2,914

177.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.67 COP 2,407

134.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.30 COP 4,682

168.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.95 COP 10.6K

35.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.14 COP 4,124

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.86 COP 6,715

-6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.33 COP 4,784

30.83%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.11 COP 7,605

50.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$7.07 COP 25.5K

89.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$5.91 COP 21.3K

35.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$8.13 COP 29.4K

97.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.20 COP 11.6K

-28.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.96 COP 7,059

-12.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.50 COP 5,424

29.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.58 COP 5,689

60.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.55 COP 5,588

18.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.08 COP 3,892

88.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.00 COP 3,619

98.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.59 COP 2,144

44.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$2.36 COP 8,503

190.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$18.52 COP 66.8K

-68.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.93 COP 3,367

47.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.03 COP 3,709

181.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.05 COP 3,805

117.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$28.08 COP 101.4K

66.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$2.38 COP 8,602

71.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.37 COP 8,556

-65.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$4.93 COP 17.8K

270.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.03 COP 3,709

95.15%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$20.9K COP 75.4M

68.95%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$23.6K COP 85.3M

62.91%

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

$145 €124

$142 COP 514.1K

2.10%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$10.96 COP 39.6K

91.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$25.17 COP 90.9K

59.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$35.27 COP 127.3K

38.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$8.84 COP 31.9K

111.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$2.94 COP 10.6K

208.16%

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

$607 €519

$142 COP 512.4K

327.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$5,910 COP 21.3M

176.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$48.13 COP 173.8K

117.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$39.46 COP 142.5K

3.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$123 COP 445.3K

-24.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$115 COP 413.6K

3.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$741 COP 2.7M

116.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$330 COP 1.2M

274.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$1,308 COP 4.7M

132.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$479 COP 1.7M

329.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$3,077 COP 11.1M

150.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$1,977 COP 7.1M

115.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$420 COP 1.5M

276.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-74.60%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $741 in Cartagena. 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 277% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $48.00 in Cartagena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $222 – making Cartagena 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

Lisbon vs Cartagena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 110% more than Cartagena, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $1,593 in Cartagena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $607 per month in Lisbon and $142 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cartagena, where all-in costs run around $1,062, than in Lisbon at $2,227. In Cartagena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cartagena costs $1,062 versus $2,227 in Lisbon. 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 Cartagena. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.