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 $2,078 per month in Louvain-la-Neuve vs $1,086 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,029 per month in Louvain-la-Neuve vs $1,604 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,980 per month in Louvain-la-Neuve vs $2,121 in Cartagena, rent included.

Louvain-la-Neuve costs about 91% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Louvain-la-Neuve sits 56% above the global median, while Cartagena is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.26 €15.05

$5.93 COP 18.9K

191.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.8 €78.3

$47.34 COP 151.0K

89.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.28 €10.70

$9.95 COP 31.7K

23.42%

Cappuccino

$3.52 €3.07

$1.57 COP 5,016

124.20%

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

$3.26 €2.84

$0.82 COP 2,614

297.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.61

$0.68 COP 2,156

339.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 €4.94

$1.31 COP 4,166

332.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 €3.68

$2.89 COP 9,229

46.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.14 COP 3,638

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 €2.53

$1.83 COP 5,854

58.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$1.37 COP 4,382

89.78%

Eggs

$3.72 €3.24

$2.19 COP 7,003

69.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.56 €14.43

$6.81 COP 21.7K

143.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.10 €9.67

$6.22 COP 19.8K

78.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.78 €16.38

$7.77 COP 24.8K

141.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 €2.56

$3.26 COP 10.4K

-9.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$1.91 COP 6,095

27.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 €2.39

$1.45 COP 4,616

88.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 €2.81

$1.62 COP 5,169

98.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$1.61 COP 5,142

61.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 €1.87

$1.08 COP 3,446

99.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.01 COP 3,219

62.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$0.59 COP 1,890

52.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.33 €8.13

$2.35 COP 7,502

297.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 €7.08

$18.80 COP 60.0K

-56.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.87

$0.98 COP 3,124

118.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 €2.74

$0.98 COP 3,122

220.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 €2.46

$1.05 COP 3,356

168.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.9 €48.74

$28.98 COP 92.4K

92.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 €4.34

$2.46 COP 7,856

102.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 €2.11

$2.37 COP 7,561

2.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.38 €30.84

$4.86 COP 15.5K

627.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 €1.63

$1.02 COP 3,247

83.33%

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

$34.9K €30.4K

$21.1K COP 67.4M

65.05%

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

$28.7K €25.1K

$24.0K COP 76.7M

19.54%

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

$256 €223

$143 COP 455.0K

79.57%

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

$21.97 €19.16

$10.93 COP 34.9K

101.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 €53.2

$25.27 COP 80.6K

141.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.15 €34.13

$35.26 COP 112.5K

11.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.92 €14.75

$8.60 COP 27.4K

96.74%

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 €13.24

$2.84 COP 9,068

434.86%

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

$622 €543

$144 COP 459.8K

331.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K €11.9K

$6,062 COP 19.3M

125.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €93.1

$47.97 COP 153.0K

122.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.41 €42.20

$38.50 COP 122.8K

25.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €103

$125 COP 399.0K

-5.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €136

$112 COP 355.9K

39.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 €1,119

$720 COP 2.3M

78.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 €655

$333 COP 1.1M

125.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 €1,350

$1,292 COP 4.1M

19.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 €942

$471 COP 1.5M

129.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,492 COP 11.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$935 COP 3.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,662 €2,321

$467 COP 1.5M

469.65%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,283 in Louvain-la-Neuve versus $720 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 470% 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 $47.00 in Cartagena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $223 – 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 91% 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 $3,117 per month in Louvain-la-Neuve and $1,629 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 $622 per month in Louvain-la-Neuve and $144 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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 $1,086, than in Louvain-la-Neuve at $2,078. 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 $1,086 versus $2,078 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.