Paramaribo vs Cartagena

We found no reliable rent figures. MPs say landlords increasingly demand payment in dollars or euros, and families spend hundreds of euros a month on housing.

SpecialistWaterkant: Cambiel expects no solution to the housing problem, 18 May 2026 · 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

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

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

Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport is in Zanderij, 45 km south of the city. Flights to Amsterdam (KLM, SLM), Miami, Panama, Curaçao and Belém.

OfficialJohan Adolf Pengel Airport: about the airport · 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

About 2150 mm a year. Wettest in May-June (275-330 mm a month, 22 rainy days each), driest in September-October (76-95 mm).

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

There is no winter: in January it is about 22 degrees at night and 32 by day. Hottest are September to November, 34-35 degrees by day.

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Paramaribo · 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

Paramaribo has burglaries and armed robberies, and pickpocketing is growing in shopping areas. Quiet secluded places, including Palmentuin, are risky.

OfficialUK Foreign Office: Suriname travel advice, Safety and security (updated 10 December 2025) · 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

Median fixed internet in Suriname is 183 Mbit/s (Speedtest, August 2026). Telesur Fiber 400 Mbit/s costs 1124.96 SRD (about 30 dollars) excluding VAT, 2-year contract.

SpecialistSpeedtest Global Index: Suriname, median speeds, August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

SWM water: 41.81 SRD per m³ since January 2026 plus a 40 SRD meter rent and 5% VAT. 15 m³ a month is about 700 SRD, roughly 18.5 dollars.

OfficialSWM: water tariffs July 2025 - January 2026 and a sample bill · checked 6 Oct 2026

EBS electricity: 1.971 SRD per kWh up to 400 kWh plus 211.78 SRD a month. 300 kWh is about 803 SRD (21 dollars) before the subsidy in the tariff table.

OfficialEBS: electricity tariffs in force since December 2024 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Bottled gas at Ministry of Economic Affairs prices: a 20 lb (about 9 kg) refill in Paramaribo costs 35.75 SRD, 28 lb 48.50, 100 lb 186 SRD.

OfficialEBS: gas cylinder refill prices set by the Ministry of Economic Affairs · 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