Cost of Living in Cartagena

Summary of cost of living in Cartagena, Colombia:

Restaurants
Edit Range
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 12,606.13 Col$ 8,141.50-25,000.00
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 90,000.00 Col$ 70,000.00-190,000.00
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 25,000.00 Col$ 18,000.00-35,000.00
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 7,000.00 Col$ 3,500.00-8,000.00
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 10,000.00 Col$ 8,000.00-14,247.63
Cappuccino (regular) 6,061.85 Col$ 2,000.00-10,176.88
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 3,061.45 Col$ 2,500.00-4,000.00
Water (12 oz small bottle) 2,979.42 Col$ 1,800.00-6,000.00
Markets
Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 14,747.29 Col$ 9,463.53-18,548.52
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 4,703.05 Col$ 3,628.74-8,899.49
Rice (white), (1 lb) 2,468.98 Col$ 1,133.98-4,070.76
Eggs (regular) (12) 8,105.00 Col$ 4,884.90-11,400.00
Local Cheese (1 lb) 10,451.30 Col$ 5,080.24-18,464.64
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 8,209.53 Col$ 4,070.76-9,071.86
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 12,975.37 Col$ 9,979.04-15,875.75
Apples (1 lb) 5,486.96 Col$ 1,477.17-6,944.51
Banana (1 lb) 1,496.86 Col$ 816.47-3,628.74
Oranges (1 lb) 2,721.56 Col$ 907.19-4,070.76
Tomato (1 lb) 1,731.21 Col$ 907.19-1,859.73
Potato (1 lb) 1,363.45 Col$ 771.11-2,267.96
Onion (1 lb) 1,647.45 Col$ 1,360.78-2,400.40
Lettuce (1 head) 3,496.92 Col$ 2,600.00-4,070.75
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 3,365.47 Col$ 1,500.00-4,500.00
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 27,500.00 Col$ 20,353.75-45,000.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 2,771.72 Col$ 2,000.00-3,030.30
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 5,801.23 Col$ 4,000.00-14,500.00
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 9,500.00 Col$ 9,000.00-15,000.00
Transportation
Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 3,000.00 Col$ 2,700.00-3,256.60
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 100,000.00 Col$ 65,217.39-118,000.00
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 8,000.00 Col$ 7,800.00-10,000.00
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 12,874.76 Col$ 11,265.41-16,093.44
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 20,000.00 Col$ 20,000.00-36,636.75
Gasoline (1 gallon) 9,395.85 Col$ 9,050.92-10,599.16
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 70,000,000.00 Col$ 50,000,000.00-80,000,000.00
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 76,016,666.67 Col$ 58,000,000.00-80,000,000.00
Utilities (Monthly)
Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 574,285.71 Col$ 430,000.00-814,150.09
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 31,000.00 Col$ 31,000.00-60,000.00
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 118,102.50 Col$ 90,000.00-162,830.02
Sports And Leisure
Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 101,731.79 Col$ 70,000.00-122,122.51
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 95,530.63 Col$ 80,000.00-100,000.00
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 15,000.00 Col$ 12,000.00-20,353.75
Childcare
Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 551,768.76 Col$ 400,000.00-1,000,000.00
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 22,500,000.00 Col$ 18,000,000.00-24,000,000.00
Clothing And Shoes
Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 179,728.75 Col$ 100,000.00-250,000.00
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 98,301.88 Col$ 65,000.00-200,000.00
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 225,442.19 Col$ 170,000.00-300,000.00
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 166,692.19 Col$ 100,000.00-300,000.00
Rent Per Month
Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 2,090,476.66 Col$ 1,800,000.00-3,053,062.84
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,685,533.45 Col$ 800,000.00-3,256,600.36
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 3,637,500.00 Col$ 2,500,000.00-5,000,000.00
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 1,800,000.00 Col$ 1,200,000.00-4,070,750.45
Buy Apartment Price
Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 987,393.18 Col$ 650,315.87-1,512,727.78
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 404,267.13 Col$ 278,706.80-943,832.96
Salaries And Financing
Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 1,508,254.22 Col$
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 10.38 9.20-15.00

Prices in Cartagena

This city had 253 entries in the past 12 months by 34 different contributors.
Last update: September 2023
Sources and References
Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
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7 Comments so far
Fedia on Sep 26, 2023:
I will be visiting Cartagena in late October. Can I meet George Rolfe and his family? I want to retire in Cartagena. Thanks.
Sincerely, Fedia.
Alejandro on Nov 16, 2022:
Hey Jeff, from my experience, if you want to get a nice 3-bedroom apartment in a good/decent area you'll be paying from $600 USD in rent + $200 USD in utilities (electricity, water, gas, internet). These are rough estimates for living in "estrato" 5 (upper-mid class) or "estrato" 6 (high class) areas. I do not recommend going below that, it's most likely not worth it.
Jeff on Jul 10, 2022:
My boyfriend and I are planning to move to Cartagena in early 2023. We will bring my monthly guaranteed pension of $2500 USD, and I would like a few sincere opinions of how well we can live on that amount.
Jeff on Jul 10, 2022:
My boyfriend and I are planning to move to Cartagena in early 2023. We will bring my monthly guaranteed pension of $2500 USD, and I would like a few sincere opinions of how well we can live on that amount.
George Rolfe on May 11, 2022:
Your prices are not realistic for living in Cartagena Colombia, I have lived here with my Colombian Wife for many years after leaving the USA and Wyoming. We have a 3 bedroom house with large terrace and patio and dining room and with all utilities and rents as well as internet and food for a month for 3 people and occasional restaurants. all costs have never exceeded $500 U.S Dollars or$1,950,000 COP! The highest costs are for medical care for ex-pats, and even 4 days in the hospital with MRIs and medications that cost was only $600 U.S. Dollars for neurologists and intensive care! That would have cost me over $6000 dollars if that were to happen to me while I was living in Wyoming!
Anonymous on Jun 30, 2020:
I am looking for 3 bed room apartment in Cartagena Columbia
Kerry Gardette on Apr 09, 2020:
I would like to know the cost of living in Cartagena in a two bedroom ocean front apartment and cost if utilities, cable TV, WiFi, food, maid, transportation, drinks. How is the health care system their