Cost of Living Comparison Between Ocho Rios and Cartagena Cost of Living Comparison Between Ocho Rios and Cartagena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $908 per month in Ocho Rios vs $1,062 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,942 per month in Ocho Rios vs $1,608 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,976 per month in Ocho Rios vs $2,153 in Cartagena, rent included.

Ocho Rios is about 14% cheaper than Cartagena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ocho Rios and Cartagena are more affordable than the global median – Ocho Rios 32% lower, Cartagena 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 JMD 1,192

$6.17 COP 22.3K

23.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 JMD 9,742

$47.58 COP 171.8K

30.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.16 JMD 967

$9.85 COP 35.5K

-37.46%

Cappuccino

$2.64 JMD 414

$1.65 COP 5,948

60.00%

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

$1.38 JMD 217

$0.81 COP 2,914

70.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$0.67 COP 2,407

5.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 JMD 353

$1.30 COP 4,682

73.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 JMD 498

$2.95 COP 10.6K

7.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.11 JMD 645

$1.14 COP 4,124

260.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 JMD 426

$1.86 COP 6,715

45.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 JMD 246

$1.33 COP 4,784

17.29%

Eggs

$3.56 JMD 560

$2.11 COP 7,605

68.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.78 JMD 1,065

$7.07 COP 25.5K

-4.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 JMD 1,026

$5.91 COP 21.3K

10.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 JMD 1,222

$8.13 COP 29.4K

-4.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 JMD 916

$3.20 COP 11.6K

82.19%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 JMD 480

$1.96 COP 7,059

55.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 JMD 658

$1.50 COP 5,424

179.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 JMD 364

$1.58 COP 5,689

46.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 JMD 325

$1.55 COP 5,588

33.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 JMD 304

$1.08 COP 3,892

79.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 JMD 329

$1.00 COP 3,619

110.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 JMD 171

$0.59 COP 2,144

84.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.81 JMD 1,383

$2.36 COP 8,503

273.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 JMD 1,452

$18.52 COP 66.8K

-50.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 JMD 387

$0.93 COP 3,367

164.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 JMD 460

$1.03 COP 3,709

184.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 JMD 239

$1.05 COP 3,805

44.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.08 COP 101.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 JMD 102

$2.38 COP 8,602

-72.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 JMD 157

$2.37 COP 8,556

-57.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.11 JMD 959

$4.93 COP 17.8K

23.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.03 COP 3,709

19.42%

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

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

$20.9K COP 75.4M

106.49%

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

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

$23.6K COP 85.3M

42.81%

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

$107 JMD 16.8K

$142 COP 514.1K

-24.83%

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

$22.08 JMD 3,467

$10.96 COP 39.6K

101.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.01 JMD 6,128

$25.17 COP 90.9K

54.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.63 JMD 2,455

$35.27 COP 127.3K

-55.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.56 JMD 873

$8.84 COP 31.9K

-37.10%

Cinema Ticket

$11.32 JMD 1,778

$2.94 COP 10.6K

285.03%

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

$226 JMD 35.5K

$142 COP 512.4K

59.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,454 JMD 385.4K

$5,910 COP 21.3M

-58.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.49 JMD 2,433

$48.13 COP 173.8K

-67.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.62 JMD 1,982

$39.46 COP 142.5K

-68.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.97 JMD 7,849

$123 COP 445.3K

-59.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.3 JMD 9,783

$115 COP 413.6K

-45.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$374 JMD 58.8K

$741 COP 2.7M

-49.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 JMD 29.5K

$330 COP 1.2M

-43.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 JMD 191.1K

$1,308 COP 4.7M

-6.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 JMD 188.0K

$479 COP 1.7M

149.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,077 COP 11.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,977 COP 7.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 COP 1.5M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-66.67%

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

Last update for Ocho Rios: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $374 in Ocho Rios 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Ocho Rios versus $48.00 in Cartagena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 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

Ocho Rios vs Cartagena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartagena costs about 17% more than Ocho Rios, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,362 per month in Ocho Rios 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 Ocho Rios, 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 $62.0 in Ocho Rios and $48.00 in Cartagena. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 39% cheaper in Cartagena – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ocho Rios, where all-in costs run around $908, than in Cartagena at $1,062. In Ocho Rios it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cartagena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ocho Rios costs $908 versus $1,062 in Cartagena. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Ocho Rios. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cartagena makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.