Cost of Living Comparison Between Shantou and Barranquilla Cost of Living Comparison Between Shantou and Barranquilla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $684 per month in Shantou vs $876 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,083 per month in Shantou vs $1,341 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Shantou vs $1,805 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Shantou is about 22% cheaper than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shantou and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Shantou 49% lower, Barranquilla 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ¥13.71

$4.79 COP 16.4K

-57.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.88 ¥114

$31.12 COP 106.7K

-45.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.20

$7.10 COP 24.3K

-30.85%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ¥20.95

$1.71 COP 5,873

81.29%

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

$0.47 ¥3.20

$0.92 COP 3,157

-48.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.60 COP 2,040

-53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 ¥5.40

$1.35 COP 4,628

-40.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 ¥17.39

$1.93 COP 6,614

33.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ¥11.40

$0.95 COP 3,242

77.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ¥9.31

$1.33 COP 4,547

3.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.92

$1.02 COP 3,513

-28.43%

Eggs

$1.83 ¥12.40

$2.11 COP 7,230

-13.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.88 ¥87.0

$4.46 COP 15.3K

188.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ¥26.30

$5.27 COP 18.0K

-26.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 ¥82.7

$7.36 COP 25.2K

66.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.61

$2.84 COP 9,721

-34.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.62

$1.33 COP 4,565

6.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.90

$1.56 COP 5,359

3.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.29

$0.80 COP 2,735

53.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.22

$0.95 COP 3,244

-18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.23

$1.49 COP 5,096

-38.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.35

$0.87 COP 2,982

-26.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ¥2.75

$0.58 COP 1,988

-29.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.22

$2.72 COP 9,316

26.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 ¥82.9

$10.48 COP 35.9K

17.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.62

$0.85 COP 2,915

-2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥12.60

$1.27 COP 4,361

46.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.77 COP 2,641

-53.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.60 ¥153

$32.82 COP 112.5K

-31.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ¥10.03

$1.98 COP 6,802

-25.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$2.99 COP 10.2K

-88.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 ¥44.58

$4.93 COP 16.9K

33.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$0.94 COP 3,230

21.28%

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

$21.0K ¥141.7K

$15.2K COP 52.2M

37.81%

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

$18.8K ¥126.7K

$22.4K COP 76.8M

-16.29%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$139 COP 475.8K

-61.97%

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

$8.14 ¥55.0

$7.82 COP 26.8K

4.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.66 ¥85.5

$21.52 COP 73.8K

-41.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.81 ¥282

$21.02 COP 72.0K

98.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.00 ¥94.6

$14.41 COP 49.4K

-2.85%

Cinema Ticket

$6.82 ¥46.09

$4.21 COP 14.4K

62.00%

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

$461 ¥3,114

$60.2 COP 206.2K

666.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K ¥139.0K

$1,832 COP 6.3M

1023.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.46 ¥327

$62.7 COP 215.0K

-22.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.81 ¥208

$52.3 COP 179.1K

-41.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥519

$81.0 COP 277.6K

-5.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 ¥530

$71.7 COP 245.8K

9.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 ¥1,910

$242 COP 829.4K

16.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 ¥926

$219 COP 752.2K

-37.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$550 ¥3,716

$531 COP 1.8M

3.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ¥1,891

$466 COP 1.6M

-39.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,101 ¥20.9K

$1,728 COP 5.9M

79.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,739 ¥11.7K

$655 COP 2.2M

165.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 ¥7,037

$523 COP 1.8M

99.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

-59.60%

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

Last update for Shantou: June 14, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Shantou versus $242 in Barranquilla. 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 99% higher in Shantou, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Shantou versus $31.00 in Barranquilla. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Shantou vs $173 in Barranquilla – so Barranquilla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Shantou vs Barranquilla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barranquilla costs about 28% more than Shantou, 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 $1,027 per month in Shantou and $1,314 in Barranquilla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shantou, 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 $17.00 in Shantou and $31.00 in Barranquilla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $684 in Shantou and $876 in Barranquilla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $684 in Shantou and $876 in Barranquilla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Shantou – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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