Cost of Living Comparison Between Louvain-la-Neuve and Cartagena Cost of Living Comparison Between Louvain-la-Neuve and Cartagena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,070 per month in Louvain-la-Neuve vs $1,062 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,071 per month in Louvain-la-Neuve vs $1,608 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,073 per month in Louvain-la-Neuve vs $2,153 in Cartagena, rent included.

Louvain-la-Neuve costs about 95% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Louvain-la-Neuve sits 55% above the global median, while Cartagena is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.53 €14.97

$6.17 COP 22.4K

184.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.7 €76.6

$47.58 COP 173.1K

88.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.31 €10.51

$9.85 COP 35.8K

24.97%

Cappuccino

$3.38 €2.89

$1.65 COP 5,992

104.85%

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

$3.27 €2.79

$0.81 COP 2,936

303.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 €2.54

$0.67 COP 2,425

344.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 €4.93

$1.30 COP 4,717

343.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 €3.74

$2.95 COP 10.7K

48.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.10

$1.14 COP 4,155

13.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 €2.36

$1.86 COP 6,765

48.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 €2.12

$1.33 COP 4,819

86.47%

Eggs

$3.78 €3.23

$2.11 COP 7,661

79.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.73 €14.29

$7.07 COP 25.7K

136.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.11 €9.49

$5.91 COP 21.5K

87.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.68 €15.95

$8.13 COP 29.6K

129.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 €2.55

$3.20 COP 11.6K

-6.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 €2.15

$1.96 COP 7,111

28.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 €2.26

$1.50 COP 5,465

76.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 €2.74

$1.58 COP 5,732

103.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 €2.30

$1.55 COP 5,630

73.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 €1.91

$1.08 COP 3,921

107.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.00 COP 3,646

71.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.80

$0.59 COP 2,160

59.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.53 €8.14

$2.36 COP 8,567

303.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.45 €7.22

$18.52 COP 67.3K

-54.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.74

$0.93 COP 3,392

119.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 €2.59

$1.03 COP 3,737

194.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 €2.50

$1.05 COP 3,834

179.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 €48.39

$28.08 COP 102.1K

101.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 €4.13

$2.38 COP 8,666

103.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 €2.08

$2.37 COP 8,619

2.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.25 €29.25

$4.93 COP 17.9K

594.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.65

$1.03 COP 3,736

87.38%

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

$34.5K €29.5K

$20.9K COP 75.9M

65.50%

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

$29.0K €24.7K

$23.6K COP 85.9M

22.62%

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

$256 €218

$142 COP 518.0K

79.44%

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

$21.36 €18.24

$10.96 COP 39.8K

94.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 €52.0

$25.17 COP 91.5K

142.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.95 €32.41

$35.27 COP 128.3K

7.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 €14.64

$8.84 COP 32.2K

93.89%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 €12.66

$2.94 COP 10.7K

404.42%

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

$619 €528

$142 COP 516.2K

335.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K €11.7K

$5,910 COP 21.5M

131.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.2

$48.13 COP 175.1K

117.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.09 €40.21

$39.46 COP 143.5K

19.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €98.9

$123 COP 448.6K

-6.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €128

$115 COP 416.7K

31.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 €1,089

$741 COP 2.7M

72.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 €632

$330 COP 1.2M

124.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 €1,348

$1,308 COP 4.8M

20.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 €951

$479 COP 1.7M

132.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,077 COP 11.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,977 COP 7.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,716 €2,320

$420 COP 1.5M

546.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

-75.67%

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

Last update for Louvain-la-Neuve: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,275 in Louvain-la-Neuve 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 546% higher in Louvain-la-Neuve, 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 $90.0 in Louvain-la-Neuve versus $48.00 in Cartagena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 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

Louvain-la-Neuve vs Cartagena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Louvain-la-Neuve costs about 95% 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 $3,105 per month in Louvain-la-Neuve 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 $619 per month in Louvain-la-Neuve 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 57% more in Louvain-la-Neuve, 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 Louvain-la-Neuve at $2,070. In Cartagena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Louvain-la-Neuve it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cartagena costs $1,062 versus $2,070 in Louvain-la-Neuve. 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, Louvain-la-Neuve makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.