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 $895 per month in Ocho Rios vs $1,063 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Ocho Rios vs $1,611 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,938 per month in Ocho Rios vs $2,160 in Cartagena, rent included.

Ocho Rios is about 16% cheaper than Cartagena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ocho Rios and Cartagena are more affordable than the global median – Ocho Rios 33% lower, Cartagena 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.71 JMD 1,215

$6.09 COP 20.9K

26.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.8 JMD 9,730

$47.00 COP 161.1K

31.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.16 JMD 970

$9.47 COP 32.4K

-34.95%

Cappuccino

$2.75 JMD 433

$1.64 COP 5,616

67.68%

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

$1.31 JMD 206

$0.87 COP 2,971

50.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 JMD 113

$0.66 COP 2,249

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 JMD 339

$1.25 COP 4,269

72.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 JMD 481

$2.93 COP 10.1K

4.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.07 JMD 641

$1.16 COP 3,968

250.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 JMD 421

$1.90 COP 6,511

40.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 JMD 243

$1.33 COP 4,563

15.79%

Eggs

$3.40 JMD 536

$2.10 COP 7,206

61.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.75 JMD 1,064

$6.80 COP 23.3K

-0.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 JMD 1,000

$6.16 COP 21.1K

3.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.79 JMD 1,226

$8.16 COP 28.0K

-4.53%

Apples (1kg)

$6.13 JMD 966

$3.28 COP 11.2K

86.89%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 JMD 493

$1.99 COP 6,819

57.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 JMD 675

$1.46 COP 4,997

193.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 JMD 365

$1.65 COP 5,665

40.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 JMD 322

$1.60 COP 5,480

27.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 316

$1.06 COP 3,647

88.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 JMD 316

$1.05 COP 3,595

91.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 JMD 177

$0.58 COP 1,988

93.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.76 JMD 1,379

$2.35 COP 8,045

272.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 JMD 1,509

$18.92 COP 64.8K

-49.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 JMD 382

$1.00 COP 3,422

143.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 JMD 456

$0.99 COP 3,385

191.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 JMD 251

$1.02 COP 3,508

55.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.14 COP 99.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 JMD 96.4

$2.47 COP 8,451

-75.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 JMD 151

$2.35 COP 8,049

-59.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 JMD 1,012

$4.96 COP 17.0K

29.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 JMD 203

$0.96 COP 3,298

34.38%

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

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

$20.8K COP 71.3M

105.20%

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

$33.4K JMD 5.3M

$23.6K COP 80.8M

41.77%

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

$105 JMD 16.5K

$140 COP 478.8K

-25.10%

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

$21.96 JMD 3,459

$10.70 COP 36.7K

105.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.10 JMD 6,001

$25.03 COP 85.8K

52.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.96 JMD 2,514

$35.17 COP 120.5K

-54.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 JMD 910

$8.48 COP 29.1K

-31.84%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 JMD 1,747

$2.93 COP 10.1K

278.84%

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

$227 JMD 35.8K

$144 COP 492.3K

58.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,467 JMD 388.5K

$5,840 COP 20.0M

-57.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.41 JMD 2,428

$48.52 COP 166.3K

-68.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.57 JMD 1,979

$39.07 COP 133.9K

-67.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.2 JMD 7,907

$124 COP 425.6K

-59.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.2 JMD 9,954

$112 COP 385.1K

-43.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 JMD 60.2K

$716 COP 2.5M

-46.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 JMD 29.3K

$335 COP 1.1M

-44.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 JMD 189.4K

$1,270 COP 4.4M

-5.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 JMD 189.9K

$475 COP 1.6M

153.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,197 COP 11.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$871 COP 3.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$422 COP 1.4M

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Ocho Rios versus $716 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 $47.00 in Cartagena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 vs $225 – 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 19% 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 $1,342 per month in Ocho Rios and $1,594 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 $47.00 in Cartagena. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 37% 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 $895, than in Cartagena at $1,063. 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 $895 versus $1,063 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.