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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $677 per month in Shantou vs $1,491 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,107 per month in Shantou vs $2,303 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,537 per month in Shantou vs $3,115 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Shantou is about 55% cheaper than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Shantou sits 50% below the global median, while Barranquilla is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ¥15.12

$8.61 COP 26.9K

-73.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.62 ¥158

$65.0 COP 202.9K

-63.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 ¥35.73

$12.70 COP 39.6K

-58.03%

Cappuccino

$3.37 ¥22.56

$2.92 COP 9,119

15.41%

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

$0.47 ¥3.13

$1.43 COP 4,475

-67.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.06

$1.25 COP 3,905

-75.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 ¥6.12

$4.07 COP 12.7K

-77.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ¥14.62

$7.92 COP 24.7K

-72.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.90

$0.95 COP 2,958

71.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥10.12

$1.27 COP 3,975

18.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.03

$1.59 COP 4,947

-52.83%

Eggs

$1.72 ¥11.54

$2.16 COP 6,745

-20.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.69 ¥91.7

$5.22 COP 16.3K

162.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ¥24.47

$17.73 COP 55.3K

-79.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 ¥88.2

$7.01 COP 21.9K

87.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ¥13.03

$2.29 COP 7,157

-14.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ¥10.51

$1.02 COP 3,178

53.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.10

$0.61 COP 1,907

196.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.77

$1.98 COP 6,180

-33.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.87

$1.27 COP 3,962

-30.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.04

$0.93 COP 2,909

12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.64

$1.26 COP 3,945

-57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 ¥2.95

$0.95 COP 2,971

-53.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 ¥25.58

$5.19 COP 16.2K

-26.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 ¥83.6

$13.10 COP 40.9K

-4.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥5.69

$1.65 COP 5,136

-48.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ¥11.76

$4.72 COP 14.7K

-62.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$1.17 COP 3,664

-69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.95 ¥160

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ¥10.24

$3.47 COP 10.8K

-55.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$3.27 COP 10.2K

-89.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.36 ¥49.30

$16.40 COP 51.2K

-55.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.41

$1.31 COP 4,081

-3.82%

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

$19.1K ¥128.2K

$23.0K COP 71.7M

-16.71%

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

$18.4K ¥123.3K

$30.3K COP 94.6M

-39.27%

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

$57.4 ¥385

$155 COP 485.1K

-63.06%

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

$9.00 ¥60.3

$14.79 COP 46.2K

-39.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.88 ¥93.0

$33.21 COP 103.6K

-58.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.41 COP 110.5K

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ¥51.2

$4.88 COP 15.2K

56.76%

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

$534 ¥3,574

$317 COP 989.4K

68.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K ¥162.0K

$4,827 COP 15.1M

401.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 ¥336

$118 COP 367.3K

-57.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.61 ¥265

$47.53 COP 148.3K

-16.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 ¥461

$195 COP 608.5K

-64.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 ¥588

$263 COP 821.0K

-66.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 ¥2,011

$808 COP 2.5M

-62.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 ¥1,009

$513 COP 1.6M

-70.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 ¥4,025

$846 COP 2.6M

-28.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 ¥2,004

$913 COP 2.9M

-67.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,255 ¥15.1K

$1,923 COP 6.0M

17.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,385 ¥29.4K

$660 COP 2.1M

564.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,059 ¥7,093

$526 COP 1.6M

101.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.37

-66.30%

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

Last update for Shantou: September 15, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $300 in Shantou versus $808 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 101% 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 $24.00 in Shantou versus $65.0 in Barranquilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $258 – making Shantou 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

Shantou vs Barranquilla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barranquilla costs about 120% more than Shantou, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,016 per month in Shantou and $2,237 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $677 in Shantou and $1,491 in Barranquilla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $534 per month in Shantou and $317 in Barranquilla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shantou, where all-in costs run around $677, than in Barranquilla at $1,491. In Shantou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barranquilla it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.