Cartagena vs Guadalajara

By the 2020 census the municipality of Guadalajara has 1.39 million residents, the five main metro municipalities 4.85 million. 11.5% were born in another state.

OfficialINEGI: 2020 census, results by locality for Jalisco (ITER) · checked 6 Oct 2026

A two-bedroom in Providencia is mostly 28-35k pesos, in Americana 19.5-22k for 60-90 m², in Chapalita 20-23.5k, in Oblatos and Centro 13.5-15.7k.

SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent in the municipality of Guadalajara · checked 6 Oct 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

A two-bedroom apartment in listings is about 24,650 pesos a month, half between 19,800 and 32,000. Of 304 offers, 70 are under 20k and 171 above 25k.

SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent in the municipality of Guadalajara · checked 6 Oct 2026

Three-bedroom house: 53 listings up to 4M pesos, 58 from 4 to 9M, 61 above. First-page median about 8.3M, about 33k per square meter.

SpecialistMercado Libre: three-bedroom houses for sale in the municipality of Guadalajara · checked 6 Oct 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

INEGI's urban food basket is 2562.58 pesos per person a month, 10,250 for a family of four (August 2026). A nationwide figure, the food minimum.

OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026

INEGI's urban poverty line is 4905.33 pesos per person, 19,621 a month for a family of four (August 2026). A floor without rent, not a real budget.

OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Micole's estimate for Jalisco: primary school 4000-14,000 pesos a month, kindergarten 3000-9000, international 18,000-45,000. Plus a fee of 8000-60,000 a year.

SpecialistMicole: how much a private school costs in Jalisco in 2026 · checked 6 Oct 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

According to INEGI, Guadalajara has 76 private medical facilities with 1473 beds, and Zapopan another 26 with 699 beds. Public hospitals are not included.

OfficialINEGI: statistics of private health facilities (ESEP) 2025, report 28/26 · checked 6 Oct 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

The airport is 21 km from the cathedral, about 23 minutes without traffic. In August 2026 it handled 1.79 million passengers, 585 thousand of them international.

OfficialGAP: airport passenger traffic for August 2026 (filing on the BMV stock exchange) · checked 6 Oct 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

About 970 mm a year, 87% of it from June to September, peaking in July at 274 mm. From November to May it is almost dry: 4 to 20 mm a month.

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Guadalajara · checked 6 Oct 2026

The coolest month is January: on average 10.2 degrees at night and 24.7 by day. Winter is dry and sunny; the city sits at about 1540 meters.

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Guadalajara · checked 6 Oct 2026

May is the hottest, before the rains: on average 32.4 degrees by day and 17.2 at night. In July and August, because of the rains, about 27 by day.

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Guadalajara · checked 6 Oct 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

In June 2026, 78% of adults in Guadalajara and 54% in Zapopan felt unsafe, versus 59.8% nationwide. Homicides in 2024: 25 per 100,000 residents.

OfficialINEGI: ENSU, perceived safety by city, June 2026 (report 27/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Telmex: from 389 pesos for 120 Mbps to 1399 for a gigabit. Totalplay 100 Mbps for 390, Megacable 1000 Mbps for 1000 pesos on promotion. Prices are nationwide.

SpecialistExpansión: Telmex, Totalplay, Megacable and Izzi internet packages, September 2026 · checked 6 Oct 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

LP gas price cap in Guadalajara and Zapopan for 27 Sep - 3 Oct 2026: 20.27 pesos per kg, 10.95 per liter. A 20 kg cylinder at the cap is about 405 pesos.

OfficialComisión Nacional de Energía: maximum LP gas prices from 27 September to 3 October 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Tariff 1 in September 2026: 1.136 pesos per kWh up to 75, 1.381 up to 140, then 4.041. 300 kWh on it is about 950 pesos with VAT. The house's tariff class is on the bill.

SpecialistRecibo de Luz: CFE tariff 1 steps for September 2026 and DAC thresholds for tariffs 1-1F · checked 6 Oct 2026

SIAPA's average water price in 2023 was 18.16 pesos per m³; in 2025 the tariff rose 9.65%. 15 m³ a month at that price is about 270-300 pesos. Murky water complaints.

SpecialistUnoTV: SIAPA asks for a 12.5% water tariff increase, price per cubic meter in 2023 and 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026