cost
Cost of Living Index
Cartagena77.4 / 0
Barranquilla56 / 100
Comparison
Side-by-side data for relocation, travel, hiring, and investment decisions. Values are shown with source-backed metric definitions so trade-offs are easy to compare.
Bars and radar use 0-100 better scores. Tooltips keep the raw source values visible.
Chart summary: Barranquilla leads Cost of Living Index with 100 out of 100; Cartagena leads Safety Index with 100 out of 100; Barranquilla leads Median Monthly Rent with 100 out of 100; Cartagena leads House Price to Income with 100 out of 100. A complete normalized score table follows.
| Metric | Place | Raw value | Normalized score | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | Cartagena | 77.4 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Cost of Living Index | Barranquilla | 56 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Safety Index | Cartagena | 61.3 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | UNData / UNSD |
| Safety Index | Barranquilla | 47 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | UNData / UNSD |
| Median Monthly Rent | Cartagena | $3,174 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Median Monthly Rent | Barranquilla | $2,875 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| House Price to Income | Cartagena | 11.6x | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| House Price to Income | Barranquilla | 12.9x | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Average Salary | Cartagena | $1,069/mo | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Average Salary | Barranquilla | $1,879/mo | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Unemployment Rate | Cartagena | 8.2% | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Unemployment Rate | Barranquilla | 6.8% | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Healthcare Access Index | Cartagena | 67.7 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
| Healthcare Access Index | Barranquilla | 56.7 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
| Life Expectancy | Cartagena | 75.2 years | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
| Life Expectancy | Barranquilla | 80.7 years | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
cost
safety
housing
housing
jobs
jobs
health
health
Winner
No clear winner across 22 metrics.
Winner logic counts row wins after applying each metric direction. Exact ties do not count. Methodology
Top trade-offs
Cartagena leads safety, housing, and health; Barranquilla leads cost, rent, and salary.
cost
Cartagena
77.4
Barranquilla
56
safety
Cartagena
61.3
Barranquilla
47
housing
Cartagena
$3,174
Barranquilla
$2,875
housing
Cartagena
11.6x
Barranquilla
12.9x
jobs
Cartagena
$1,069/mo
Barranquilla
$1,879/mo
jobs
Cartagena
8.2%
Barranquilla
6.8%
health
Cartagena
67.7
Barranquilla
56.7
health
Cartagena
75.2 years
Barranquilla
80.7 years
environment
environment
infrastructure
demographics
Cartagena
1.3%
Barranquilla
0.5%
education
Cartagena
71.7
Barranquilla
82.5
transport
Cartagena
83.7
Barranquilla
63.5
safety
Cartagena
32.5 per 100k
Barranquilla
25.9 per 100k
safety
Cartagena
46.9 per 100k
Barranquilla
73.5 per 100k
health
Cartagena
20.3%
Barranquilla
22.8%
quality
Cartagena
6.5
Barranquilla
5
housing
Cartagena
$12,398/sqm
Barranquilla
$11,750/sqm
religion
Cartagena
51.8%
Barranquilla
5.8%
religion
Cartagena
34.2%
Barranquilla
64.9%
religion
Cartagena
76.6%
Barranquilla
44.7%
Some city-level values are modeled estimates when official city-level data is unavailable.
Each metric keeps its source, year, last refreshed date, and confidence label visible. Review methodology or Data Sources.