🇨🇴Cost of Living in Cartagena

Colombia · Population: 1,000,000 · Cost Index: 27/100

Cost of Living in Cartagena

Colombia · South America

Cartagena is a historic port city on Colombia's Caribbean coast, famous for its well-preserved colonial walled city and vibrant cultural heritage, both recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is a top tourist destination with a tropical climate, offering an affordable cost of living that is slightly higher than other Colombian cities due to tourism demand.

1,000,000

Population

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $680 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in Cartagena

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$680

per month

Couple

$1,020

per month

Family of 4

$1,430

per month

Student

$510

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in Cartagena, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $485.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$420.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$260.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$780.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$480.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $4.22

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$3.50

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$22.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$5.50

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.00

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$1.00

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$0.90

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$1.60

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$3.80

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$2.20

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$0.65

Transportation

Avg: $4.91

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$22.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$0.55

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$0.80

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$0.50

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$0.70

Utilities

Avg: $31.33

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$60.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$12.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$22.00

Healthcare

Avg: $13.00

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$18.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$15.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$6.00

Entertainment

Avg: $8.95

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$28.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$4.00

Cappuccino(per cup)

$1.80

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$2.00

Clothing

Avg: $36.67

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$35.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$20.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$55.00

Popular Cartagena comparisons

Cartagena vs Bogotá Cartagena vs Medellín Cartagena vs Cali Cartagena vs New York Cartagena vs London Cartagena vs Tokyo Cartagena vs Singapore Cartagena vs Dubai

Frequently asked questions about Cartagena

Is Cartagena expensive to live in?

Cartagena has a cost of living index of 27 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This makes it one of the more affordable cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in Cartagena?

A single person needs an estimated $680 per month to live in Cartagena, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in Cartagena?

Cartagena's cost of living index is 27 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in Cartagena?

Cartagena scores 50 out of 100 for quality of life and 45 out of 100 for safety in our index.

Data & sources

As an independent cross-check, the World Bank puts the overall price level in Colombia at 38 relative to the United States (=100) in 2024. View source

Cost figures on this site are independent estimates, cross-referenced with public data sources including World Bank, Numbeo, Eurostat, OECD.