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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $700 per month in Shantou vs $878 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,094 per month in Shantou vs $1,369 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,488 per month in Shantou vs $1,860 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Shantou is about 20% cheaper than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shantou and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Shantou 47% lower, Barranquilla 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 ¥14.34

$4.71 COP 14.8K

-54.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.77 ¥113

$31.31 COP 98.6K

-46.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ¥33.70

$7.10 COP 22.4K

-29.72%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥20.69

$1.74 COP 5,486

76.44%

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

$0.45 ¥3.04

$0.92 COP 2,885

-51.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.88

$0.65 COP 2,047

-56.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$1.30 COP 4,095

-37.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ¥18.04

$1.97 COP 6,190

35.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ¥11.51

$0.97 COP 3,067

76.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥9.63

$1.28 COP 4,036

11.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.87

$1.06 COP 3,327

-32.08%

Eggs

$1.84 ¥12.39

$1.99 COP 6,269

-7.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 ¥85.6

$4.71 COP 14.8K

169.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.85 ¥26.00

$5.03 COP 15.8K

-23.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.95 ¥80.6

$7.19 COP 22.6K

66.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.32

$2.89 COP 9,091

-36.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.51

$1.35 COP 4,237

4.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 ¥11.32

$1.56 COP 4,906

7.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.60

$0.77 COP 2,428

64.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.20

$0.89 COP 2,802

-13.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.25

$1.43 COP 4,503

-34.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ¥4.63

$0.82 COP 2,585

-15.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.61 COP 1,924

-34.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 ¥23.76

$2.75 COP 8,668

28.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.38 ¥83.6

$11.43 COP 36.0K

8.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.54

$0.84 COP 2,658

-2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.60

$1.29 COP 4,048

44.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.71 COP 2,246

-53.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.29 ¥150

$32.48 COP 102.3K

-31.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 ¥10.25

$1.98 COP 6,227

-23.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.22

$2.86 COP 9,000

-88.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 ¥43.98

$4.85 COP 15.3K

34.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.65

$0.97 COP 3,062

16.49%

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

$20.6K ¥139.1K

$15.2K COP 47.7M

36.03%

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

$18.9K ¥127.9K

$22.0K COP 69.4M

-14.08%

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

$53.5 ¥361

$140 COP 440.8K

-61.80%

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

$8.13 ¥54.9

$8.24 COP 25.9K

-1.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.68 ¥85.6

$21.81 COP 68.7K

-41.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.44 ¥280

$21.14 COP 66.6K

96.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.68 ¥92.4

$14.66 COP 46.1K

-6.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.90 ¥46.57

$4.35 COP 13.7K

58.62%

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

$462 ¥3,118

$61.6 COP 194.0K

649.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥140.5K

$1,791 COP 5.6M

1062.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.54 ¥328

$61.7 COP 194.2K

-21.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.69 ¥207

$54.2 COP 170.6K

-43.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$80.6 COP 253.7K

-4.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 ¥544

$72.8 COP 229.3K

10.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 ¥1,875

$242 COP 762.6K

14.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 ¥946

$224 COP 705.4K

-37.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 ¥3,791

$539 COP 1.7M

4.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 ¥1,915

$468 COP 1.5M

-39.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,174 ¥14.7K

$1,860 COP 5.9M

16.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,456 ¥30.1K

$712 COP 2.2M

525.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,055 ¥7,122

$573 COP 1.8M

84.18%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $278 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 84% 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 $174 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 26% 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 $1,050 per month in Shantou and $1,318 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 $700 in Shantou and $878 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 $700 in Shantou and $878 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.