Cost of living
The monthly costs of living as a student in Cartagena can go as low as 400 euros and up to over 600 euros, depending on your needs and spending habits.
A room in a shared apartments costs somewhere between 140 and 200 euros per month. But keep in mind that additional expenses (bills), such as electricity, water or Wi-Fi may not be included in the rent. Those can cost up to 150 euros per month.
Food costs around 150 euros per month. One menu at the UPCT canteen costs 4,50 euros. You Breakfast in the cafeteria costs only 1,5 euros. There’s always the option to cook your own meals at home and/or eating out at inexpensive restaurants, bakeries, fast food joints.
If you opt for living in one of the two student residence halls at UPCT, Alberto Colao or Caballero Street, the monthly price for a room is between 450 and 500 euros. The price includes canteen access to 3 meals a day and access to all facilities and services.
At the market
Water (1.5L) – 0.53 eur
Milk (1L) – 0.77 eur
Loaf of bread (500 gr) – 0.99 eur
Eggs (12 regular) – 1.52 eur
Apples (1 kg) – 1.34 eur
Banana (1 kg) – 1.50 eur
Tomato (1 kg) – 1.35 eur
Potato (1 kg) – 0.85 eur
Beer (0.5L) – 0.58
Wine (mid-range) – 4.50 eur
Cigarettes (Marlboro 20p) – 5.00 eur
At the restaurant
Meal, inexpensive restaurant – 9.50 eur
Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant, three-course – 30.00 eur
McMeal at McDonalds – 7.00 eur
Water (0.33L) – 1.20 eur
Coke/Pepsi (0.33L) – 1.70 eur
Cappuccino (regular) – 1.47 eur
Domestic beer (0.5L draught) – 2.45 eur
Imported beer (0.33L) – 2.30 eur
Transportation
One-way ticket (local trans.) – 1.00 eur
Monthly pass (regular price) – 34.00 eur
Taxi start (normal tariff) – 2.83 eur
Taxi 1 km (normal tariff) – 1.40 eur
Gas (1L) – 1.26 eur
Sports and leisure
Fitness club, monthly fee – 21 eur
Tennis court rent (1 hr) – 7.50 eur
Movie ticket for 1 adult – 7.00 eur
UPCT attracted me because of its interdisciplinary nature: here you can find from Agricultural to Telecommunications Engineering as well as Architecture or Business… Thanks to my Erasmus experience I will go back to Mexico more mature.