Bogotá vs Cartagena

Every building in Bogotá is assigned a stratum from 1 to 6. A two-bedroom in stratum 3 costs about 2.2 million pesos, in stratum 6 about 6 million, and water in stratum 6 is twice as expensive as in 3.

SpecialistFincaraíz: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Chapinero · checked 29 Sep 2026

Two-bedroom apartment: Teusaquillo and Cedritos about 3.2 million pesos ($970), Usaquén 3.4 million, Chapinero 4.3 million, Chicó 5.8 million. The building maintenance fee is on top.

SpecialistFincaraíz: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Teusaquillo · checked 29 Sep 2026

Three-bedroom apartment in Teusaquillo or Usaquén, by listings: median 813–850 million pesos, about $250k. These are sellers’ prices, not transaction prices.

SpecialistFincaraíz: three-bedroom apartments for sale in Teusaquillo · checked 29 Sep 2026

A three-bedroom apartment by listings: median 5.5 million pesos a month (about 1,640 dollars), half within 3.5-7 million. In stratum 6 the median is 6.8 million.

SpecialistFincaraíz: three-bedroom apartments for rent in Cartagena · checked 6 Oct 2026

A resale three-bedroom by listings: median 975 million pesos (about 290 thousand dollars), half within 750 million - 1.49 billion. Mostly Bocagrande and Castillogrande.

SpecialistFincaraíz: three-bedroom apartments for sale in Cartagena · checked 6 Oct 2026

The DANE minimum food basket for Bogotá is 286k pesos per person per month, about 1.15 million for a family of four ($350). Prices from 2024.

SpecialistProBogotá: bulletin on monetary poverty, DANE data for 2024 · checked 29 Sep 2026

The DANE poverty line for a family of four in Bogotá is 2.5 million pesos a month (2024). The digital nomad visa requires an income of at least 5.25 million pesos a month.

SpecialistProBogotá: bulletin on monetary poverty, DANE data for 2024 · checked 29 Sep 2026

The DANE minimum food basket for Cartagena is 238,308 pesos per person a month, about 953 thousand (285 dollars) for a family of four. Figures for 2025.

OfficialDANE: monetary poverty 2025, presentation of results with poverty lines by city · checked 6 Oct 2026

A family of four in Cartagena counts as poor with income below 2.1 million pesos a month, about 630 dollars (2025). 34.6% of residents are poor, more than in Medellín and Cali.

OfficialDANE: monetary poverty 2025, presentation of results with poverty lines by city · checked 6 Oct 2026

Enrollment in city schools is online and free; for 2027 it runs until 23 December 2026. Children aged 3–5 are admitted to preschool classes at any time of the year.

OfficialBogotá City Hall: how to enroll in a public school for 2027 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Expensive private schools in Bogotá charge about 3–4.1 million pesos a month ($900–1,240). We did not find prices for mid-level schools.

SpecialistInfobae: tuition at Gimnasio Campestre and Colegio Marymount, February 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Half of the top ten hospitals in Colombia in the Newsweek 2026 ranking are in Bogotá, including Fundación Santa Fe (2nd place) and Cardioinfantil (4th).

SpecialistNewsweek and Statista: World’s Best Hospitals 2026, Colombia · checked 29 Sep 2026

Hospital Serena del Mar of the Santa Fe de Bogotá foundation: in Colombia's top 20 in the Newsweek 2026 ranking and first in Cartagena and the Caribbean region. Over 60 specialties.

SpecialistEl Universal: Hospital Serena del Mar, first in Cartagena in the Newsweek 2026 ranking · checked 6 Oct 2026

A ride on TransMilenio, TransMiZonal and the TransMiCable cable car costs 3,550 pesos (about a dollar). With a personalized card, transfers within 125 minutes are free.

OfficialTransMilenio: questions and answers about the 2026 fare · checked 29 Sep 2026

In 2025 about 7.2 million passengers passed through Cartagena airport, 1.7 million of them international. The most popular destinations are Lima, New York, Mexico City, Madrid and Miami.

OfficialAerocivil, open data: commercial air traffic by origin-destination, 2020-2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

There are no seasons by temperature: 15–17 degrees in the daytime all year round, 6–9 at night. The coldest nights are in January, 5.6 degrees on average.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Bogotá · checked 29 Sep 2026

About 800 mm a year and 185 rainy days. Two rainy seasons: April–May and October–November. Driest in December–February.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Bogotá · checked 29 Sep 2026

There is no winter: even in the coolest month, January, it averages 23.6 degrees at night and 30.5 during the day. In June-July, 25.7 at night and 31.6 during the day.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cartagena 1971-2000 · checked 6 Oct 2026

About 1,020 mm a year. From December to April it is almost dry (1-35 mm a month), rains from May to November, most of all in October: 235 mm and 16 rainy days.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cartagena 1971-2000 · checked 6 Oct 2026

14.8 murders per 100k residents in 2025, 25.8 for the country. But for burglaries from homes, the well-off Chapinero and Teusaquillo are at the top.

SpecialistProBogotá: annual report on security in Bogotá for 2025 · checked 29 Sep 2026

According to Ministry of Defense open data, Cartagena had 360 homicides in 2025 and 381 in 2024. In January-August 2026 there were 191, against 244 in the same period of 2025.

OfficialColombian Ministry of Defense, open data: homicides by municipality (HOMICIDIO) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Movistar fiber: 500 Mbit/s in both directions for 84,900 pesos a month ($26), 900 Mbit/s for 102,990 pesos; when ordered online, the first year is cheaper.

SpecialistMovistar: home fiber-optic internet plans in Bogotá · checked 29 Sep 2026

At 11 m³ a month, water with sewerage costs about 107k pesos in stratum 4 ($32), 91k in stratum 3 and 197k in stratum 6. Electricity and gas are extra.

OfficialEAAB: water and sewerage tariffs in Bogotá by stratum, 2026 (Acuerdo JD 255) · checked 29 Sep 2026

Enel electricity, September 2026: in stratum 4 - 875 pesos per kWh, in strata 5 and 6 - 1,050. For 300 kWh, stratum 4 comes to about 263k pesos ($79), stratum 6 about 315k.

OfficialEnel Colombia: electricity tariffs, September 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Water with sewerage for 15 m³ at the Aguas de Cartagena tariff: stratum 4 about 136 thousand pesos a month (41 dollars), stratum 5 about 241 thousand, stratum 6 about 289 thousand.

OfficialAguas de Cartagena: water and sewerage tariffs, second half of 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Surtigas piped gas for homes: 2,539 pesos per m³ plus 3,942 pesos a month per bill. 30 m³ comes to about 80 thousand pesos (24 dollars). Strata 5-6 pay 20% more.

OfficialSurtigas: piped gas tariffs for regulated users, September 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Since September 2026 a kWh from Afinia costs 1,033 pesos, the price for stratum 4. 300 kWh a month is about 310 thousand pesos (93 dollars), a typical amount for a family with air conditioning.

SpecialistEl Universal: Afinia's price per kWh rose from 950 to 1,033 pesos from September 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026