Because
of increased real estate activity as reported by Cartagena
real estate companies, we receive numerous requests relating to living
costs in Cartagena. This information is particularly important to people
living on fixed incomes such as retirees who can no longer afford medical,
drug, taxes and insurance costs which raise faster than their pensions
or Social Security COLA. Many are weighing the pros and cons of selling
their currently high valued homes, and retiring to Cartagena. For many,
Cartagena living costs enter into this decision.
When you compare costs, don't forget to add airline ticket costs back
home to visit family and friends. Once they see you in person, and learn
firsthand about your personal safety, lifestyle and low Cartagena living
costs, we're sure that they will visit you-more than you visit them!
Cartagena Cost-of-Living
as compared
with prices in North America and some EU countries:
Housing - costs per square foot basis are 50-60% LESS.
Medical/Dental/Optical
- costs are about 60% LESS.
Nursing
Homes - cost about 70% LESS.
Burial
or Cremation - costs are about 70% LESS.
Utility
- costs are about the same.
Transportation
- The very low costs and frequent schedules of public transportation,
such as buses (.25 cents) and taxis ($1-2), means there is no need to
go to the expense of having a private car. Once they find a favorite taxi
driver or two, many residents use them exclusively for their transportation
needs.
Clothing/shoes/accessories
- cost less. Colombia companies manufacture a wide range of stylish,
and well made shoes and leather accessories.
Dinning
out/nightly entertainment - costs 50% LESS. CLICK
FOR ACTUAL MENU'S AND CURRENT PRICES
Insurance
Costs/health/auto/fire - costs about 50% LESS. Insurance use
is not prevalent. Construction is basically concrete and steel. Cartagena
has not experienced violent: hurricanes, tornadoes, cyclones, or hale
storms. There is a brief “rainy season”, but even thunder
storms are not that frequent.
Cartagena
Food Basket Prices
The prices
recorded for the Food Basket, and the contents of this article were made
by a U.S. citizen who, for the past 3 years, has lived and worked in Cartagena.
When ever possible I have chosen name brands
(which are highlighted in yellow) that you may be familiar with. Naturally,
some of these products
are higher priced because they are imported, but many are made by subsidiaries
of U.S. companies located here in Colombia, or other nearby countries.
There are
three major national food chains with stores in Cartagena. Small price
variations exist within different stores of the same chain, depending
on the economy of the neighborhood where the store is located. For this
article, prices were gathered from the most upscale chain which
stocks a higher number of foreign made products. This store is also located
in economic Zone 6, which is the governments(1-6) rating as the most affluent
neighborhoods. Native Cartageneros weekly food costs, from what I've been
told, are about half to one third of what I (the spoiled Gringo) spend.
They prepare their healthy meals mostly from “scratch”, where
I, as most Gringo's do, buy the prepared, quicker to eat food. Note:
at my age (65), I am enjoying my life, and I buy, and eat what I like!
Peso
Dollar prices converted at P2.700 = U.S.$ prices appear in
turquoise.
Prices in Cartagena
were recorded on July 10, 2004
Prices
from Publix, Florida's largest supermarket chain, recorded on July 31,
2004, & appear in BOLD type.
Prices
per "unit" are calculated when package size or content weights
differ from country to country.
Total
Cartagena Price (in U.S. Dollars) of buying one each of the Basket below
= $173.01
Total
Florida Price (in U.S. Dollars) of buying one each of the Basket below
= $237.47
The
Cartagena Basket costs 37% LESS than the Florida Basket
FRUITS/VEGETABLES
Pineapple,
large....P2.400 ($.89) $4.95
Green apples, per #....P3.200 ($1.19)
$1.49
Red apples, per #......P2.150 ($.80)
$1.49
Pears, per #.....2.400 ($.89) $1.49
Lettuce head-per #.....P825 ($.31) $1.29
Cabbage head-per #....P925 ($.34) $.45
Oranges-per #...P1.345 ($.50) $1.79
Bananas-per #....P320 ($.12) $.49
Potatoes-per #...P495 ($.18) $.50
French fries frozen 1000gm...P4.960 ($1.84)
$2.74
Carrots-per #......P1.450 ($.54)
$.79
String beans-per #......P1.375 ($.51)
$.99
Beans with bacon 580gm medium can......P3.200 ($1.19)
$1.08
DAIRY PRODUCTS
Milk 1000ml
plastic bag......P1.000 ($.37) $1.39
Margarine 500gm......P4.450 ($1.65) $1.54
Cheese-mozzarella 25 slices-450gm.....P5.450 ($2.02)
$5.02
Ice cream 1 ltr...P12.240 ($4.53) $1.60
Yogurt, (strawberry, blackberry, or peach) 1000gm bag....P2.750 ($1.02)
$2.55
STAPLES
Eggs, dozen-large....P3.590
($1.33) $1.09
Quaker Oats 700gm.....P5.250 ($1.94)
$2.80
Rice, 1000gm bag.....P1.860 ($.69) $1.07
Popping corn 1000gm bag.....P2.010 ($.74)
$1.19
Planters Cocktail peanuts 12oz
can.....P4.150 ($1.54) $2.69
Sugar- 1kg....P1500 ($.56) $1.19
DRINKS
Orange juice-Country
Hill 1000ml plastic bag.....P2.750 ($1.02)
$2.39
Coca Cola 2.5ltr plastic bottle.....P2.910
($1.08) $1.40
Coffee-export grade 500gm......P3.740 ($1.39)
$2.92
Coffee-Nescafe Tradicion 170gm.....P6.510
($2.41) $7.12
Water bottled 5 ltr.....P2.340 ($.87)
$.85
Motts Apple juice 32oz jar....P9.800
($3.63) $1.15
Beer - national Agula brand 300ml......P1.190 ($.44)
$.63
Beer Miller High Life 32 oz......P6.930
($2.57) $1.86
Wine Apple Table wine 750ml......P6.290 ($2.33)
$3/99
Johnnie Walker Blue Label 750ml......P45.7560
($16.95) $23.99
Gordon's Dry Gin 750ml.....P44.220
($16.38) $11.99
J&B Scotch 750ml......P44.200
($16.37) $23.99
MEAT, FISH, POULTRY
Hamburger,
lean-per#....P5.250 ($1.94) $2.29
Fillets, beef tenderloin - 4pk/ 3”X1” bacon wrapped ....P12.000
($4.44) $6.99
Pork chops – per #.....P4.450 ($1.65)
$3.99
Chicken breasts – per #....3.350 ($1.24)
$2.59
Chicken Porchi brand, lunch meat 450gm......P3.750 ($1.39)
$2.17
Chicken nuggets frozen 30 count......P11.190 ($4.14)
$4.79
Shrimp tails frozen medium 250gms.....P9.165 ($3.39)
$5.25
Tuna fish Van Camps 6.5oz. can.....P2.350
($.87) $.65
MISC.
Nesquick
chocolate, powder 1000gm.......P10.990 ($4.07)
$4.25
Aunt Jemima syrup 12 oz......P6700
($2.48) $2.19
Pillsbury Chocolate Cake mix 18.25
oz......P6.560 ($2.43) $1.79
Royal Gelatin 85gm box......P890
($.33) $.48
Scott toilet paper double tissue
12 rolls......P17.300 ($6.41) $8.49
Scott kitchen paper towels 2pk.....P3.690
($1.37) $1.65
cigarettes Marlboro, Kool, Lucky Strike,
etc. 10pk ctn...P28.310 ($10.49)
$26.49
spaghetti 9 oz.....P1.350 ($.50) $.54
Mustard Kraft 9 oz squeeze.......P4.580
($1.70) $.99
Heinz Ketchup 20 oz.....P5.590
($2.07) $1.73
Bread, loaf-four grain, brown sliced 380 grams.....P2.120 ($1.65)
$2.19
Crackers, Soda 275 gm......P1.710 ($.63)
$.74
Oreo chocolate cookies 48 count.....P3.500
($1.30) $3.79
Kellogg's Corn Flakes 500gm.........P7.000
($2.59) $3.19
Kellogg's All-Bran cereal 300gm.....P5.400
($2.00) $2.55
Purina Dog Chow 2Kg bag.....P9.880
($3.63) $2.90
Clorox bleach 1 gal......P7.020
($2.60) $2.60
Laundry powder soap 3kg bag.....P11.050 ($4.09)
$8.27
Woolite Pre Spray-large......P11.650
($4.31) $5.29
Palmolive hand soap 3 pk.......P4.560
($1.69) $1.50
Colgate toothpaste 3pk 14gm ea......P6.750
($2.50) $1.49
Gillette Foamy shaving aerosol
reg. can .....P10.760 ($3.98) $1.69
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