Cartagena vs Siargao

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.

Siargao, Philippines
🇵🇭Philippines

Siargao

66Freedom Score#62Global rank$1,000Per month

The Philippines' surf-island paradise — Cloud 9 waves, palm-fringed lagoons, and a tight island-nomad community with an easy 30-day visa.

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.

ExpenseCartagenaSiargao
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$888✓$1,000
Rent, 1BR city centre$569$350✓
Meal, mid-range$18$7✓
Coworking deskper month$92✓$190
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper30.2✓40.0

Quality of life

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

MeasureCartagenaSiargao
Safety
40
62
Healthcare
60
38
Walkability
60
45
English spoken
40
80
Food & dining
80
58
Nightlife
80
62
Outdoors
68
38
Nomad community
60
68
Climate quality
78
72
Public transit
40
30

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureCartagenaSiargao
Freedom Score60/10066/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#83#62✓
Internet30 Mbps35 Mbps✓
Average temperature82°F82°F
Air quality45/100✓30/100
Airport connectivity60/100✓32/100
Nomad visa90 days30 days free
Headline tax rateon local income0%20%

Which should you choose?

Choose Cartagena if runs $112/mo cheaper, it is more walkable, the climate scores better and the headline tax rate is lower.

Choose Siargao if rent is $219/mo lower, internet is faster at 35 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (62 vs 40) 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

Siargao

  • Cloud 9: Philippines' surf capital
  • Palm islands, lagoons, island-hopping
  • Tight nomad and surfer community
  • Laid-back island life

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Cartagena or Siargao?
Siargao 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 Siargao?
Cartagena is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $888 against $1,000, a difference of $112 a month or about $1,344 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $569/mo in Cartagena versus $350/mo in Siargao.
Which is safer: Cartagena or Siargao?
Siargao scores higher on safety, 62/100 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 Siargao?
Cartagena averages 30 Mbps and Siargao averages 35 Mbps, so Siargao has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Cartagena or Siargao?
Cartagena sits in Colombia (90 days) and Siargao in Philippines (30 days free). 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.