Cartagena vs Quy Nhon

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.

Quy Nhon, Vietnam
🇻🇳Vietnam

Quy Nhon

63Freedom Score#76Global rank$800Per month

A still-under-the-radar Vietnamese coastal gem — Quy Nhon offers pristine beaches, fresh seafood, and one of the lowest costs of living anywhere, with a quiet, laid-back pace.

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.

ExpenseCartagenaQuy Nhon
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$888$800✓
Rent, 1BR city centre$569$300✓
Meal, mid-range$18$5✓
Coworking deskper month$92n.a.
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper30.2✓32.0

Quality of life

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

MeasureCartagenaQuy Nhon
Safety
40
72
Healthcare
60
42
Walkability
60
52
English spoken
40
22
Food & dining
80
70
Nightlife
80
38
Outdoors
68
78
Nomad community
60
28
Climate quality
78
74
Public transit
40
35

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureCartagenaQuy Nhon
Freedom Score60/10063/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#83#76✓
Internet30 Mbps60 Mbps✓
Average temperature82°F82°F
Air quality45/100✓30/100
Airport connectivity60/100✓35/100
Nomad visa90 days45 days
Headline tax rateon local income0%15%

Which should you choose?

Choose Cartagena if it is more walkable, English is more widely spoken, the climate scores better and the nomad community is larger.

Choose Quy Nhon if runs $88/mo cheaper, rent is $269/mo lower, internet is faster at 60 Mbps and it scores higher on safety (72 vs 40).

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

Quy Nhon

  • One of the cheapest beach cities on the platform at $800/mo
  • Uncrowded golden-sand beaches and fresh daily seafood
  • Vietnam's 0% non-resident tax on foreign income under 183 days
  • Quiet, slow-paced alternative to Da Nang and Nha Trang

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Cartagena or Quy Nhon?
Quy Nhon scores higher on the Freedom Score (63/100 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 Quy Nhon?
Quy Nhon is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $800 against $888, a difference of $88 a month or about $1,056 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $569/mo in Cartagena versus $300/mo in Quy Nhon.
Which is safer: Cartagena or Quy Nhon?
Quy Nhon scores higher on safety, 72/100 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 Quy Nhon?
Cartagena averages 30 Mbps and Quy Nhon averages 60 Mbps, so Quy Nhon has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Cartagena or Quy Nhon?
Cartagena sits in Colombia (90 days) and Quy Nhon in Vietnam (45 days). 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.