Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Colombia Property Pack
Yes, the analysis of Cartagena's property market is included in our pack
If you're a foreigner thinking about buying a residential property in Cartagena to rent it out, this guide covers everything you need to know, from legal requirements and realistic yields to neighborhood-level insights and short-term rental rules.
We wrote it specifically for non-professional individual investors, and we constantly update this blog post so the data stays fresh and reliable.
All the figures below reflect the Cartagena rental market as of early 2026, using official Colombian sources, real listing data, and short-term rental analytics.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Cartagena.
Insights
- Cartagena's short-term rental market has over 17,000 active listings in early 2026, yet the average occupancy sits around 49%, which means you need serious differentiation to stand out.
- Colombia's Ley 820 prohibits landlords from collecting traditional cash security deposits on long-term housing leases in Cartagena, which surprises many foreign investors used to deposit-based systems.
- The legal rent increase cap on existing leases in Cartagena for 2026 is 5.10%, tied directly to DANE's December 2025 CPI figure.
- Neighborhoods like Manga and Crespo in Cartagena often deliver better net rental yields than premium areas like Castillogrande because purchase prices are significantly lower relative to achievable rents.
- The average nightly rate for short-term rentals in Cartagena is around $149 (roughly COP 550,000), but the gap between peak season (December to March) and low season (September to October) can be 40% or more.
- Operating a short-term rental in Cartagena without an active RNT (Registro Nacional de Turismo) can result in fines of up to 300 legal monthly minimum wages, which can exceed COP 1 billion.
- Cartagena's coastal humidity and salt air push annual maintenance costs noticeably higher than in inland Colombian cities like Bogota or Medellin, making it a critical line item in your budget.
- Building administration fees in Cartagena's amenity-rich coastal towers can reach COP 1.6 million per month (about $430), which alone can eat into a significant portion of your rental income.
- Furnished apartments in expat-heavy Cartagena neighborhoods like Bocagrande typically command a 15% to 30% rent premium over unfurnished units, and they tend to fill faster because of the city's transient international tenant pool.
- January is consistently the highest-revenue month for short-term rentals in Cartagena, while October is the weakest, meaning your annual cash flow can swing dramatically if you rely solely on tourist bookings.
Can I legally rent out a property in Cartagena as a foreigner right now?
Can a foreigner own-and-rent a residential property in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, foreigners can legally own and rent out residential property in Cartagena because Colombian law does not restrict property ownership or landlord rights based on nationality.
The most common structure for a foreign individual buying rental property in Cartagena is direct personal ownership (registered in your name through the standard notary and land registry process), though some investors also set up a Colombian SAS company to hold the property for tax or liability reasons.
The main practical hurdle is not a legal ban but a compliance one: you need to make sure the property purchase is properly registered with the Superintendencia de Notariado y Registro and that any foreign capital used to buy the property is declared with Banco de la Republica, which matters later if you want to repatriate rental income or sale proceeds.
If you're not a local, you might want to read our guide to foreign property ownership in Cartagena.
Do I need residency to rent out in Cartagena right now?
You do not need Colombian residency to own or rent out a property in Cartagena, since the landlord framework under Ley 820 applies to property owners regardless of where they live.
That said, you will need a Colombian tax ID called a RUT (Registro Unico Tributario) from DIAN to report your rental income, and the good news is that DIAN explicitly allows foreigners living abroad to register and update their RUT remotely.
A local Colombian bank account is not legally required to collect rent in Cartagena, but in practice it makes everything easier because most tenants pay by local transfer, and building administration fees and utilities are billed in Colombian pesos.
Managing a rental remotely from abroad is entirely feasible in Cartagena (many foreign landlords do it), but you will almost certainly need a local property manager to handle tenant showings, seasonal pricing, maintenance calls, and the day-to-day realities of Cartagena's humid coastal environment.
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What rental strategy makes the most money in Cartagena in 2026?
Is long-term renting more profitable than short-term in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, short-term renting in Cartagena can generate higher gross income, but long-term renting often wins on a risk-adjusted and net-income basis because it has lower operating costs, less seasonality, and simpler compliance.
To put rough numbers on it, a well-located 1-bedroom apartment in Cartagena rented long-term might earn around COP 3.3 million per month (about $890 or 770 euros), while the same unit on Airbnb could gross COP 4.5 to 6 million per month ($1,200 to $1,620 or 1,050 to 1,400 euros) during good months, but with much higher costs and months of low occupancy pulling the annual average down.
Properties in tourist-first Cartagena neighborhoods like Centro Historico, Getsemani, and Bocagrande tend to favor short-term renting financially, while apartments in more residential areas like Manga, Crespo, or Marbella are usually better suited for stable long-term tenants.
What's the average gross rental yield in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, the average gross rental yield for residential property in Cartagena falls in the range of 5.5% to 7% for long-term rentals and 7% to 11% for well-managed short-term rentals in tourist-friendly locations.
The realistic range is wide because Cartagena has two very different rental markets sitting side by side: a local residential market (steadier, lower rents) and an international tourism-driven market (higher rents, more volatility), so yields depend heavily on which market your property serves.
Smaller units like studios and compact 1-bedroom apartments in Cartagena tend to achieve the highest gross yields because their purchase prices are more accessible while still commanding solid monthly rents, especially in neighborhoods like Manga, Crespo, and Marbella.
By the way, we have much more granular data about rental yields in our property pack about Cartagena.
What's the realistic net rental yield after costs in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, the average net rental yield after all costs in Cartagena is roughly 3.5% to 5% for long-term rentals and 4% to 7% for short-term rentals with solid occupancy and tight cost management.
Most landlords in Cartagena realistically land somewhere in the 3.5% to 5.5% net yield range across all strategies, because costs tend to be higher here than in inland Colombian cities.
The three main cost categories that eat into your gross yield in Cartagena specifically are the building administration fee (which can be steep in coastal towers with pools, elevators, and 24/7 security), the accelerated maintenance cycle caused by Cartagena's humidity and salt air exposure, and the property tax (impuesto predial) which the city bills annually based on your property's cadastral valuation.
You might want to check our latest analysis about gross and net rental yields in Cartagena.
What monthly rent can I get in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, a typical long-term monthly rent in Cartagena is roughly COP 2.3 million ($620 or 535 euros) for a studio, COP 3.3 million ($890 or 770 euros) for a 1-bedroom, and COP 4.9 million ($1,325 or 1,140 euros) for a 2-bedroom apartment in neighborhoods where foreign investors usually buy.
A decent studio in Cartagena can realistically rent for COP 1.8 to 2.8 million per month ($490 to $760 or 420 to 650 euros), with the lower end in residential areas like Crespo and the higher end in more premium zones like Bocagrande.
A typical 1-bedroom apartment in Cartagena rents for COP 2.6 to 4 million per month ($700 to $1,080 or 605 to 930 euros), with furnished units in expat-popular buildings toward the top of that range.
A 2-bedroom apartment in Cartagena goes for COP 3.8 to 6 million per month ($1,030 to $1,620 or 885 to 1,395 euros), with the highest rents concentrated in Castillogrande, prime Bocagrande, and renovated units in Centro Historico.
If you want to know more about this topic, you can read our guide about rents and rental incomes in Cartagena.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Colombia versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
What are the real numbers I should budget for renting out in Cartagena in 2026?
What's the total "all-in" monthly cost to hold a rental in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, the total monthly holding cost for a typical rental apartment in Cartagena (before any mortgage) runs between COP 900,000 and COP 3 million ($245 to $810 or 210 to 700 euros), depending on the building, location, and property size.
For most investor-grade apartments in Cartagena, a realistic monthly budget falls in the COP 1.2 to 2.2 million range ($325 to $595 or 280 to 510 euros), which covers administration fees, maintenance reserves, insurance, and your share of property tax.
The single largest cost in Cartagena specifically is usually the building administration fee ("administracion"), which in coastal amenity towers with pools, gyms, 24/7 security, and elevators can reach COP 1.6 million per month on its own, making it essential to check this number before you buy.
You want to go into more details? Check our list of property taxes and fees you have to pay when buying a property in Cartagena.
What's the typical vacancy rate in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, a realistic vacancy rate to budget for in Cartagena is about 8% (roughly 1 month per year) for long-term rentals and around 51% for short-term rentals based on AirDNA's market-wide average occupancy of 49%.
For a long-term rental in Cartagena, you should plan for about 1 to 1.5 months of vacancy per year because tenant turnover between leases is normal and some landlords face gaps if they insist on premium rent levels or very specific tenant profiles.
The main factor driving vacancy differences across Cartagena neighborhoods is the balance between local residential demand and tourist-seasonal demand: areas with strong year-round local tenant pools (like Manga or Crespo) have lower vacancy, while tourist-heavy zones (like Getsemani or Centro Historico) can have great months followed by very quiet stretches.
The highest tenant turnover and vacancy in Cartagena typically happens between September and November, when the rainy season peaks and international tourism drops to its lowest point of the year.
We have a whole part covering the best rental strategies in our pack about buying a property in Cartagena.
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Where do rentals perform best in Cartagena in 2026?
Which neighborhoods have the highest long-term demand in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, the three Cartagena neighborhoods with the strongest overall long-term rental demand are Bocagrande (thanks to its beach access and commercial infrastructure), Manga (a central residential area popular with professionals), and Crespo (near the airport, with a quieter residential feel).
Families in Cartagena tend to concentrate their rental search in Manga, Crespo, and La Castellana, where the streets are calmer, schools and services are accessible, and apartment sizes tend to be more spacious for the price.
Students in Cartagena typically look for rentals in Pie de la Popa, Manga, and the Centro/Cabrero corridor, since these areas offer reasonable commutes to the main universities and are well-connected by public transport.
Expats and international professionals in Cartagena gravitate toward Bocagrande, Castillogrande, Centro Historico, and Getsemani, where walkability, lifestyle amenities, and the "Cartagena experience" factor are strongest.
By the way, we've written a blog article detailing what are the current best areas to invest in property in Cartagena.
Which neighborhoods have the best yield in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, the three Cartagena neighborhoods that tend to offer the best rental yields are Manga, Crespo, and Marbella, where purchase prices remain significantly lower than in the city's most prestigious coastal or historic zones.
In these top-yielding Cartagena neighborhoods, gross rental yields typically land in the 6.5% to 8.5% range for long-term rentals, compared to 4.5% to 6% in premium areas like Castillogrande or waterfront Bocagrande where property prices are much higher.
What allows Manga, Crespo, and Marbella to punch above their weight on yield is that they attract steady, year-round local tenants (professionals, families, mid-term renters) at rents that are only moderately lower than prestige zones, while their purchase prices can be 30% to 50% cheaper per square meter.
We cover a lot of neighborhoods and provide a lot of updated data in our pack about real estate in Cartagena.
Where do tenants pay the highest rents in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, the three Cartagena neighborhoods where tenants pay the highest rents are Castillogrande, Bocagrande, and Centro Historico, where a standard 2-bedroom apartment can easily command COP 5 to 8 million per month ($1,350 to $2,160 or 1,160 to 1,860 euros).
In these premium Cartagena neighborhoods, a typical 1-bedroom apartment rents for COP 3.5 to 5.5 million per month ($945 to $1,490 or 815 to 1,280 euros), and larger or renovated units with sea views can push well beyond those figures.
What makes these Cartagena neighborhoods command the highest rents is not just "location" in the generic sense, but a combination of direct ocean proximity, 24/7 building security with concierge-level service, and walkable access to Cartagena's best restaurants, nightlife, and cultural landmarks.
The typical tenant paying premium rents in Castillogrande, Bocagrande, and Centro Historico is either a well-paid international professional on a medium-term assignment, a foreign retiree or digital nomad seeking a turnkey furnished lifestyle, or a Colombian business executive who wants to be in Cartagena's most prestigious address.
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of Colombia. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.
What do tenants actually want in Cartagena in 2026?
What features increase rent the most in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, the three features that increase rent the most in Cartagena are high-capacity air conditioning that cools the entire unit effectively (not just one room), a reliable backup power system or generator, and strong, speed-tested Wi-Fi, all of which directly address Cartagena's tropical heat and the connectivity expectations of expats and remote workers.
Excellent air conditioning alone can add an estimated 10% to 20% rent premium in Cartagena, because many older buildings have underpowered or poorly maintained A/C systems and tenants will pay significantly more for a unit where they know they will be comfortable year-round.
One commonly overrated upgrade in Cartagena is luxury kitchen finishes: while they look great in listing photos, most tenants (especially short-term guests and expats) care far more about the A/C working properly, the water pressure being strong, and the Wi-Fi being fast than about having marble countertops.
One affordable upgrade that pays off well in Cartagena is installing a high-quality water filtration system, because tap water quality concerns are common among foreign tenants and this simple addition signals that the apartment is thoughtfully set up for comfort.
Do furnished rentals rent faster in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, furnished apartments in Cartagena typically rent 2 to 4 weeks faster than comparable unfurnished units, especially in expat-popular zones like Bocagrande, Castillogrande, and Centro Historico where the tenant pool is dominated by foreigners and medium-term visitors who want to move in without buying furniture.
Furnished apartments in Cartagena generally command a 15% to 30% rent premium over unfurnished ones, though the tradeoff is higher replacement and maintenance costs because Cartagena's humidity and salt exposure wear down furniture and soft furnishings faster than in drier climates.
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How regulated is long-term renting in Cartagena right now?
Can I freely set rent prices in Cartagena right now?
When you sign a new lease in Cartagena, you can freely negotiate and set the starting rent at whatever level the market will bear, since there is no government-imposed cap on initial rent pricing.
However, once a tenant is in place on a long-term housing lease in Cartagena, annual rent increases are effectively capped at the prior year's CPI (consumer price index), which for 2026 means a maximum increase of 5.10% based on DANE's December 2025 inflation figure.
What's the standard lease length in Cartagena right now?
The standard lease length for residential rentals in Cartagena is 12 months, and under Ley 820, if no specific term is written into the contract, the lease automatically defaults to one year.
Here is something that surprises many foreign landlords: under Ley 820, landlords in Cartagena cannot legally require a traditional cash security deposit for a "vivienda urbana" housing lease, so the common Colombian alternatives are a guarantor (codeudor) or a rental insurance policy (poliza de arrendamiento).
Because cash deposits are not permitted on standard housing leases in Cartagena, the concept of "returning a deposit" does not apply in the way most foreigners expect, and instead any claims for damages or unpaid rent are resolved through the guarantor or the insurance policy mechanism.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Colombia compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
How does short-term renting really work in Cartagena in 2026?
Is Airbnb legal in Cartagena right now?
Airbnb-style short-term rentals are legal in Cartagena, but they are classified as tourism services under Colombian law, which means they come with specific registration and compliance obligations that go beyond just listing your property on a platform.
The key requirement is obtaining and maintaining an active Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT), which you register through the local Chamber of Commerce, and this registration must be renewed annually between January 1 and March 31.
As of early 2026, Colombia's national framework does not impose a hard annual night cap on short-term rentals, but the bigger practical constraint in Cartagena is often your building's own bylaws (Reglamento de Propiedad Horizontal), which in many condos either restrict or outright prohibit rentals of less than 30 days.
Operating without an active RNT in Cartagena can result in fines of up to 300 legal monthly minimum wages (which can exceed COP 1 billion or roughly $270,000), temporary suspension of your tourism registration, and removal of your listing from platforms like Airbnb.
By the way, we also have a blog article detailing whether owning an Airbnb rental is profitable in Cartagena.
What's the average short-term occupancy in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, the average annual occupancy rate for short-term rentals in Cartagena is approximately 49% to 54%, depending on which data provider you reference, which means the typical listing is booked roughly half the nights of the year.
The realistic range for individual properties in Cartagena goes from about 30% to 35% for poorly optimized or badly located listings, up to 65% to 75% for top-performing units with great reviews, dynamic pricing, and prime locations in Centro Historico or Bocagrande.
The highest occupancy months for short-term rentals in Cartagena are December through March (with January consistently being the peak), when the dry season coincides with international holiday travel, the Hay Festival, and the lead-up to Carnival season.
The lowest occupancy months are September through November, when Cartagena's rainy season is at its most intense and international tourist arrivals drop significantly, making these the quietest (and cheapest) weeks of the year.
Finally, please note that you can find much more granular data about this topic in our property pack about Cartagena.
What's the average nightly rate in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, the average nightly rate (ADR) for short-term rentals in Cartagena is approximately $149 (around COP 550,000 or 137 euros), though this is a market-wide average that blends everything from budget rooms to luxury villas.
The realistic range for most standard 1-to-2-bedroom apartments listed on Airbnb in Cartagena goes from about $70 to $250 per night (COP 260,000 to COP 925,000 or 65 to 230 euros), with location and unit quality being the two biggest pricing drivers.
During peak season in Cartagena (December to March), nightly rates typically run 30% to 50% higher than during the low season (September to November), so a listing averaging $150 per night in January might only fetch $90 to $110 per night in October.
Is short-term rental supply saturated in Cartagena in 2026?
As of early 2026, the short-term rental market in Cartagena is competitive and approaching saturation in several key tourist zones, with over 17,000 active listings tracked by AirDNA and a market-wide occupancy of only 49%, which signals that supply is outpacing average demand.
The number of active short-term rental listings in Cartagena has been growing steadily, and several data providers report listing counts between 7,000 and 17,000 depending on scope, confirming that new supply continues to enter the market.
The most oversaturated neighborhoods in Cartagena for short-term rentals are Centro Historico, Getsemani, and the core Bocagrande strip, where the density of competing listings is highest and price competition is fierce.
Neighborhoods like Crespo, Manga, Pie de la Popa, and parts of Marbella still have more room for new short-term rental supply, because these areas are less tourist-saturated but still attractive to guests who want a more local experience at a lower nightly rate.
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What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Cartagena, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can ... and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why we trust it | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| DANE (CPI Bulletin, Dec 2025) | It's Colombia's official statistics office and the legal reference for inflation. | We used the December 2025 annual CPI (5.10%) as the 2026 legal ceiling for long-term rent increases in Cartagena. We also used it as a baseline for estimating realistic cost inflation in our net yield calculations. |
| Ley 820 de 2003 (Funcion Publica) | It's the official text of Colombia's urban housing lease law. | We used it to confirm lease terms, rent adjustment caps, and the no-deposit rule for housing leases in Cartagena. We relied on it as the legal backbone for all long-term rental guidance. |
| AirDNA (Cartagena STR Overview) | It's one of the most widely used short-term rental analytics platforms globally. | We used it to estimate Cartagena's average occupancy rate, ADR, and active listing counts for early 2026. We also used it to assess saturation levels and seasonal revenue patterns. |
| FincaRaiz (Cartagena Rentals) | It's one of Colombia's largest real estate listing platforms with live data. | We used it to anchor long-term asking rents for studios, 1-bedrooms, and 2-bedrooms in Cartagena. We treated its data as "market asking rent" and applied a small haircut for realism. |
| Cartagena Observatorio Inmobiliario | It's a local-government-linked property market observatory for Cartagena. | We used it to triangulate neighborhood-level price patterns in Cartagena's coastal and historic zones. We relied on it to keep our yield estimates grounded in local data rather than national averages. |
| DIAN (RUT for Individuals Abroad) | It's Colombia's tax authority's official guidance for non-resident tax registration. | We used it to explain how foreign landlords in Cartagena can register for a tax ID remotely. We also used it to confirm that rental income reporting is required even for non-residents. |
| RNT (Registro Nacional de Turismo) | It's the official platform for tourism service provider registration in Colombia. | We used it to explain the registration process for short-term rental operators in Cartagena. We also referenced it for renewal deadlines and compliance requirements. |
| Decreto 1836 de 2021 (Funcion Publica) | It's the decree updating RNT rules and platform obligations for tourism providers. | We used it to back the statement that STR operators in Cartagena must have an active RNT and that platforms share compliance obligations. We used it as the legal spine for the short-term rental legality section. |
| Alcaldia de Cartagena (Predial Page) | It's the city's official reference for Cartagena property tax documentation. | We used it to confirm that the impuesto predial is a real, recurring holding cost that landlords must budget for. We used it as the official anchor for our property tax estimates. |
| Banco de la Republica (Investment Registration) | It's Colombia's central bank, which administers foreign investment registration. | We used it to highlight the "register your foreign investment" step that matters for repatriation of rental income and sale proceeds. We included it because it affects compliance for foreign buyers in Cartagena. |
We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in Colombia. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.
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