Cartagena vs Lisbon

Real cost of living, rent, internet, safety and visa terms for both cities, side by side — then open the interactive tool to weight them against your own priorities.

Cartagena, Colombia
🇨🇴Colombia

Cartagena

60Freedom Score#83Global rank$888Per month

Colombia's jewel on the Caribbean — a UNESCO walled colonial city, azure waters, perfect US market hours, and the warmth of the coast at a fraction of Miami prices.

Lisbon, Portugal
🇵🇹Portugal

Lisbon

95Freedom Score#2Global rank$2,500Per month

Europe's most affordable capital pairs golden-hour light, Atlantic seafood, and a D8 Digital Nomad visa with surprisingly low NHR tax.

The short answer

Compare these two in the full toolBoth cities pre-loaded — add your income and priorities to get a personal match score

Cost of living

Monthly figures for one person. Rent, meals and coworking are measured values, not shares of the total budget.

ExpenseCartagenaLisbon
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$888✓$2,500
Rent, 1BR city centre$569✓$1,500
Meal, mid-range$18$13✓
Coworking deskper month$92✓$250
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper30.2✓52.9

Quality of life

Scored 0–100 on the same attributes the match engine weights, so these agree with the interactive tool.

MeasureCartagenaLisbon
Safety
40
85
Healthcare
60
80
Walkability
60
85
English spoken
40
85
Food & dining
80
80
Nightlife
80
80
Outdoors
68
72
Nomad community
60
90
Climate quality
78
80
Public transit
40
80

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureCartagenaLisbon
Freedom Score60/10095/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#83#2✓
Internet30 Mbps200 Mbps✓
Average temperature82°F63°F
Air quality45/10070/100✓
Airport connectivity60/10080/100✓
Nomad visa90 daysD8 visa
Headline tax rateon local income0%25%

Which should you choose?

Choose Cartagena if runs $1,612/mo cheaper, rent is $931/mo lower and the headline tax rate is lower.

Choose Lisbon if internet is faster at 200 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (85 vs 40), it is more walkable and English is more widely spoken.

What each city is known for

Cartagena

  • US market opens at 9:30am — perfect trading schedule
  • UNESCO walled city: one of the Americas' most photogenic spots
  • Rosario Islands 45 minutes by boat — Caribbean paradise
  • Street food in Getsemani neighbourhood is world-class

Lisbon

  • EU residency pathway with D8 Digital Nomad visa
  • NHR tax regime: flat 20% on remote income for 10 years
  • English widely spoken — easiest EU city for anglophone nomads
  • World-class food, wine, and Atlantic beaches nearby

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Cartagena or Lisbon?
Lisbon scores higher on the Freedom Score (95/100 against 60/100), which makes it the stronger all-round base. That is an average, though — if cost, climate or community is what actually decides it for you, the tables above will point the other way as often as not.
Which is cheaper: Cartagena or Lisbon?
Cartagena is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $888 against $2,500, a difference of $1,612 a month or about $19,344 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $569/mo in Cartagena versus $1,500/mo in Lisbon.
Which is safer: Cartagena or Lisbon?
Lisbon scores higher on safety, 85/100 against 40/100. Safety scores blend crime levels, political stability and healthcare access, and they describe a city as a whole — individual neighbourhoods vary far more than the headline number suggests.
How fast is the internet in Cartagena and Lisbon?
Cartagena averages 30 Mbps and Lisbon averages 200 Mbps, so Lisbon has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Cartagena or Lisbon?
Cartagena sits in Colombia (90 days) and Lisbon in Portugal (D8 visa). Requirements, income floors and processing times change often, so check the visa and residency guide before you commit to either.
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Cost, connectivity and quality-of-life figures come from the YourLifeMatch city dataset. Where a value is not confirmed it reads n.a. rather than an estimate. Figures are for planning, not professional advice.