🇨🇴 South America
Cartagena, Colombia
South America ≈ Partly estimated See Colombia country profile →
Caribbean-coast tourism city. Thin sample (18 contributors) — monthly budgets unavailable
Climate
Rainfall, humidity, and the best months to visit: see the full Cartagena climate profile →
Internet speeds
Measured medians from 30,514 real speedtests within 10 km of the city center (Q1 2026) — not advertised ISP numbers.
| Download | Upload | Latency | Tests | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed broadband | 249 Mbps | 210 Mbps | 8 ms | 27,630 |
| Mobile | 70.3 Mbps | 19.5 Mbps | 35 ms | 2,884 |
Speedtest® by Ookla Global Fixed and Mobile Network Performance Maps, © Ookla. Accessed 2026-07-18. Your building's wiring and ISP plan matter more than the city median. Compare all cities in the Internet Speed Explorer →
Cost of living breakdown
USD converted from local prices at baseline rates (1 USD = 3,490.202 COP, 2026-06-16). Use the Cost of Living Explorer for live exchange rates.
| 💰 Monthly budgets | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Individual (excl. rent) | — | — |
| Individual all-in (excl. rent + 1BR center) | — | — |
| Family of 4 (excl. rent) | — | — |
| Average net salary (after tax) | $426 | COP 1,488K |
| 🏢 Rent & property | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR city center | $987 | COP 3,443K |
| 1BR outside center | $475 | COP 1,658K |
| 3BR city center | $1,668 | COP 5,820K |
| 3BR outside center | $662 | COP 2,310K |
| Buy price / sqft — center | $293 | COP 1,022K |
| Buy price / sqft — outside | $80 | COP 278,707 |
| 🍽️ Food & dining | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap meal (1 person) | $7.16 | COP 25,000 |
| Mid-range dinner (2 people) | $57.30 | COP 200,000 |
| Fast food combo | $11.46 | COP 40,000 |
| Beef (per lb) | $4.25 | COP 14,849 |
| Taxi (per mile) | $2.87 | COP 10,000 |
| ⚡ Utilities & lifestyle | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Basic utilities / mo | $148 | COP 515,714 |
| Phone plan / mo | $13 | COP 44,714 |
| Internet / mo | $30 | COP 103,000 |
| Gym membership / mo | $41 | COP 144,750 |
| Cinema ticket | $3.44 | COP 12,000 |
| Preschool / mo | $168 | COP 585,000 |
| International school / yr | $10,028 | COP 35,000K |
| New car (Corolla equiv.) | $25,070 | COP 87,500K |
Visa, taxes & legal in Colombia
Country-level research that applies to living in Cartagena — each row links to the full comparison dashboard.
| Tourist entry (US passport) | 90 days visa-free + 90-day extension (180/yr cap) |
| Digital nomad visa | Digital Nomad Visa (V type) — income requirement ~$1,400/mo (3x min wage, COP 5.25M → rises yearly; was ~$900 in 2023-24, many blogs are stale) — compare all countries → |
| Path to permanent residency | DNV (V): no. M-visas: yes → R (resident) after 5 yrs |
| Tax if you become resident | Worldwide system · top rate 39% top — tax breakdown → |
| Family-law exposure (payer) | Obligation 6/10 · cross-border collection 6/10 — legal detail → |
Everything about the country in one place: Colombia profile for American nomads →
Location
Compare with nearby cities
Data last updated · Source: Numbeo