cost
Cost of Living Index
Cartagena77.4 / 0
Medellín67.4 / 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: Medellín leads Cost of Living Index with 100 out of 100; Cartagena leads Safety Index with 100 out of 100; Medellín leads Median Monthly Rent with 100 out of 100; Medellín 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 | Medellín | 67.4 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Safety Index | Cartagena | 61.3 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | UNData / UNSD |
| Safety Index | Medellín | 47.8 | 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 | Medellín | $2,466 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| House Price to Income | Cartagena | 11.6x | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| House Price to Income | Medellín | 7.8x | 100 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 | Medellín | $2,838/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 | Medellín | 4.9% | 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 | Medellín | 63.2 | 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 | Medellín | 78.2 years | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
cost
safety
housing
housing
jobs
jobs
health
health
Winner
Medellín wins on 14 of 22 metrics compared to Cartagena.
Winner logic counts row wins after applying each metric direction. Exact ties do not count. Methodology
Top trade-offs
Cartagena leads safety, health, and connectivity; Medellín leads cost, rent, and housing.
cost
Cartagena
77.4
Medellín
67.4
safety
Cartagena
61.3
Medellín
47.8
housing
Cartagena
$3,174
Medellín
$2,466
housing
Cartagena
11.6x
Medellín
7.8x
jobs
Cartagena
$1,069/mo
Medellín
$2,838/mo
jobs
Cartagena
8.2%
Medellín
4.9%
health
Cartagena
67.7
Medellín
63.2
health
Cartagena
75.2 years
Medellín
78.2 years
environment
environment
infrastructure
demographics
Cartagena
1.3%
Medellín
3.0%
education
Cartagena
71.7
Medellín
70.1
transport
Cartagena
83.7
Medellín
71.9
safety
Cartagena
32.5 per 100k
Medellín
24.1 per 100k
safety
Cartagena
46.9 per 100k
Medellín
41.7 per 100k
health
Cartagena
20.3%
Medellín
17.9%
quality
Cartagena
6.5
Medellín
6.4
housing
Cartagena
$12,398/sqm
Medellín
$12,044/sqm
religion
Cartagena
51.8%
Medellín
45.7%
religion
Cartagena
34.2%
Medellín
62.0%
religion
Cartagena
76.6%
Medellín
55.5%
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.