Cartagena vs Manila

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.

Manila, Philippines
🇵🇭Philippines

Manila

66Freedom Score#60Global rank$1,800Per month

Southeast Asia's most English-friendly megacity — Manila's BGC and Makati bubbles deliver first-world coworking, relentless nightlife, and visa-free stays up to 3 years in one of Asia's most welcoming cultures.

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.

ExpenseCartagenaManila
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$888✓$1,800
Rent, 1BR city centre$569✓$700
Meal, mid-range$18$12✓
Coworking deskper month$92✓$200
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper30.2✓72.0

Quality of life

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

MeasureCartagenaManila
Safety
40
35
Healthcare
60
68
Walkability
60
48
English spoken
40
95
Food & dining
80
78
Nightlife
80
82
Outdoors
68
42
Nomad community
60
75
Climate quality
78
62
Public transit
40
45

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureCartagenaManila
Freedom Score60/10066/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#83#60✓
Internet30 Mbps94 Mbps✓
Average temperature82°F82°F
Air quality45/10065/100✓
Airport connectivity60/10072/100✓
Nomad visa90 daysn.a.
Headline tax rateon local income0%20%

Which should you choose?

Choose Cartagena if runs $912/mo cheaper, rent is $131/mo lower, it scores higher on safety (40 vs 35) and it is more walkable.

Choose Manila if internet is faster at 94 Mbps, English is more widely spoken and the nomad community is larger.

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

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Cartagena or Manila?
Manila scores higher on the Freedom Score (66/100 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 Manila?
Cartagena is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $888 against $1,800, a difference of $912 a month or about $10,944 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $569/mo in Cartagena versus $700/mo in Manila.
Which is safer: Cartagena or Manila?
Cartagena scores higher on safety, 40/100 against 35/100. 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 Manila?
Cartagena averages 30 Mbps and Manila averages 94 Mbps, so Manila has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Cartagena or Manila?
Cartagena sits in Colombia (90 days) and Manila in Philippines (n.a.). 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.