Cost of Living Comparison Between Barranquilla and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Barranquilla and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Barranquilla vs $744 in Cali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,363 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,224 in Cali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,859 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,704 in Cali, rent included.

Barranquilla costs about 16% more than Cali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Barranquilla and Cali are more affordable than the global median – Barranquilla 35% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$3.65 COP 13.0K

35.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.96 COP 110.6K

$29.25 COP 104.5K

5.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 COP 25.6K

$7.36 COP 26.3K

-2.72%

Cappuccino

$1.75 COP 6,267

$1.61 COP 5,754

8.70%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 COP 3,296

$0.94 COP 3,353

-2.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,146

$0.55 COP 1,979

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 COP 4,886

$1.06 COP 3,775

29.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 COP 6,877

$2.56 COP 9,130

-24.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,360

$1.22 COP 4,347

-22.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 COP 4,749

$1.53 COP 5,465

-13.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 COP 3,667

$1.21 COP 4,319

-14.88%

Eggs

$2.03 COP 7,266

$2.46 COP 8,779

-17.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.51 COP 16.1K

$4.29 COP 15.3K

5.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 COP 18.6K

$5.47 COP 19.5K

-4.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 COP 25.5K

$7.60 COP 27.1K

-6.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 COP 10.3K

$2.40 COP 8,570

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,852

$0.97 COP 3,474

40.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,434

$1.20 COP 4,274

26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 COP 3,037

$1.27 COP 4,548

-33.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,226

$0.88 COP 3,148

2.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,361

$1.11 COP 3,949

35.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,909

$0.75 COP 2,679

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 COP 2,202

$0.65 COP 2,323

-4.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 COP 10.0K

$2.90 COP 10.3K

-3.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 COP 34.1K

$11.48 COP 41.0K

-16.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 COP 3,179

$1.10 COP 3,932

-19.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,694

$1.84 COP 6,584

-28.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 COP 2,732

$0.67 COP 2,407

13.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.20 COP 115.0K

$20.20 COP 72.1K

59.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 6,848

$1.54 COP 5,485

24.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.82 COP 10.1K

$1.88 COP 6,707

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$9.80 COP 35.0K

-49.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,584

$0.93 COP 3,304

7.53%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$15.0K COP 53.6M

$21.4K COP 76.4M

-29.87%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.1K COP 78.9M

$30.3K COP 108.3M

-27.16%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$139 COP 495.3K

$80.9 COP 289.0K

71.36%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.13 COP 29.0K

$8.78 COP 31.4K

-7.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.37 COP 76.3K

$23.99 COP 85.7K

-10.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.44 COP 76.6K

$19.60 COP 70.0K

9.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 51.3K

$14.79 COP 52.8K

-2.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 COP 14.8K

$4.87 COP 17.4K

-14.58%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$61.2 COP 218.5K

$226 COP 807.0K

-72.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,837 COP 6.6M

$6,039 COP 21.6M

-69.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 COP 219.1K

$63.7 COP 227.5K

-3.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 COP 187.8K

$44.16 COP 157.7K

19.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 COP 286.7K

$78.6 COP 280.5K

2.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 COP 255.3K

$89.5 COP 319.6K

-20.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 838.4K

$234 COP 834.7K

0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 COP 800.1K

$186 COP 665.2K

20.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 COP 1.9M

$609 COP 2.2M

-10.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 COP 1.6M

$408 COP 1.5M

11.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,574 COP 5.6M

$1,101 COP 3.9M

42.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$605 COP 2.2M

$890 COP 3.2M

-32.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 COP 1.7M

$494 COP 1.8M

-1.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

-13.64%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Barranquilla: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cali: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Barranquilla versus $234 in Cali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Cali, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Barranquilla versus $29.00 in Cali. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Barranquilla vs $182 in Cali – so Barranquilla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Barranquilla vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barranquilla costs about 16% more than Cali, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,299 per month in Barranquilla and $1,116 in Cali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Barranquilla and $29.00 in Cali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Barranquilla and $744 in Cali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Barranquilla and $744 in Cali, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cali costs $744 versus $866 in Barranquilla. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Cali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barranquilla makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.