Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Cartagena vs Lima

Cartagena vs Lima

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lima 19% cheaper Lima +53 Mbps Moderate / Low

Cartagena

Mauro Lima/Unsplash

Lima

Eduardo Flores/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,580

Cartagena

$1,284

Lima

Internet

166

Mbps

219

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Cartagena

Low

Lima

Air Quality

5/5

Cartagena

5/5

Lima

Healthcare

Moderate

Cartagena

High

Lima

Population

845.8k

Cartagena

8.9m

Lima

Cartagena (Colombia) and Lima (Peru) are both in Latin America, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

The cost difference is noticeable: Lima at $1284/mo is 19% cheaper than Cartagena at $1580/mo, worth considering for extended stays.

For families, Cartagena costs $2358.686949124318/mo compared to Lima's $2188.437491200074/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Remote workers will appreciate Lima's 219 Mbps (global #26) — considerably faster than Cartagena's 166 Mbps (#0).

Quality of Life

Cartagena has a stronger safety profile than Lima, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Lima offers better healthcare infrastructure than Cartagena — an important consideration for longer stays.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Cartagena is November (around 34 degrees, 3mm rain, score 443), while Lima peaks in January (27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 454). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

CartagenaLima

Nomad$1,580/mo$1,284/mo

Expat$993/mo$794/mo

Local$674/mo$625/mo

Family$2,359/mo$2,188/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

CartagenaLima

City Speed

166 Mbps

219 Mbps#26

Country Speed166 Mbps200 Mbps

Environment & Health

CartagenaLima

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionModerateHigh

ClimateModerateHigh

Humidity7970

Quality of Life

CartagenaLima

SafetyModerateLow

HealthcareModerateHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Cartagena

Lima

Jan

38°

0mm433

27°

0mm454

Feb

37°

0mm421

29°

0mm454

Mar

39°

0mm421

28°

0mm454

Apr

40°

1mm404

25°

0mm434

May

38°

3mm371

21°

0mm414

Jun

36°

5mm371

18°

0mm414

Jul

39°

2mm391

17°

0mm414

Aug

37°

3mm371

17°

0mm414

Sep

37°

6mm355

18°

0mm414

Oct

36°

4mm350

19°

0mm414

Nov

34°

3mm443

23°

0mm434

Dec

37°

1mm424

25°

0mm434

Who Should Choose Cartagena?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 166 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2358.686949124318/mo for families
Peak season in November — 34 degrees, score 443

Who Should Choose Lima?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1284
Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 219 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2188.437491200074/mo for families
Major city energy with 8.9m residents
Peak season in January — 27 degrees, score 454

Overall Verdict

For the typical digital nomad, Cartagena is the stronger pick. At $1580/mo it beats Lima's $1284/mo by 19%, and the 166 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Cartagena Lima

ItemCartagenaLimaDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$10.54$3.92

63%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$42.15$22.19

47%

McMeal or equivalent combo$7.38$5.22

29%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.52$2.66

43%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.11$2.09

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.63$3.92

33%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$1.69$0.86

49%

Water (0.33L)$1.05$0.57

46%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$0.69$1.22

43%

White bread (500g)$0.85$1.83

54%

White rice (1kg)$0.53$1.11

52%

Eggs (12)$1.61$1.81

11%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$5.2$4.99

Beef round (1kg)$8.17$8.2

Local cheese (1kg)$7.69$6.89

10%

Apples (1kg)$2.11$1.54

27%

Bananas (1kg)$1.66$1.02

39%

Oranges (1kg)$1.26$0.93

26%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1$0.98

Potatoes (1kg)$0.82$0.74

10%

Onions (1kg)$1$0.89

11%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.72$0.72

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.38$0.72

47%

Wine, mid-range bottle$4.21$7.83

46%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1$1.6

38%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.37$2.33

41%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$5.8$5.22

10%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$1.26$0.52

59%

Monthly transport pass$21.07$15.66

26%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$6.32$2.61

59%

Taxi per 1km$2.11$1.44

32%

Taxi 1hr waiting$31.61$6.27

80%

Gasoline (1L)$1.63$1.31

20%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$21,074.9$18,274.38

13%

Toyota Corolla (new)$25,202.07$21,697.31

14%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$106.43$71.32

33%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$37.06$30.91

17%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.32$0.18

44%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$27.56$37.19

26%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$18.44$12.4

33%

Cinema, 1 ticket$7.38$5.48

26%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$177.82$213.5

17%

International primary school/yr$3,652.98$5,851.01

38%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$38.99$43.81

11%

Summer dress (chain store)$26.34$28.35

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$50.05$71.57

30%

Men's leather business shoes$73.76$68.37

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$474.19$511.24

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$368.81$349.69

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$832.46$954.12

13%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$658.59$701.14

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,608.72$1,962.17

18%

Price per m², outside centre$1,238.15$1,483.1

17%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$1,854.59$489.76

74%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$2.96$8.29

64%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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