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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $850 per month in Barranquilla vs $747 in Cali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,229 in Cali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,852 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,710 in Cali, rent included.

Barranquilla costs about 14% more than Cali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Barranquilla and Cali are more affordable than the global median – Barranquilla 36% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 COP 15.6K

$3.65 COP 11.9K

31.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.41 COP 102.1K

$29.20 COP 94.9K

7.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 COP 23.8K

$7.41 COP 24.1K

-1.35%

Cappuccino

$1.76 COP 5,718

$1.58 COP 5,130

11.39%

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

$0.85 COP 2,761

$0.95 COP 3,095

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,096

$0.60 COP 1,940

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 COP 4,378

$1.01 COP 3,297

33.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 COP 6,132

$2.61 COP 8,484

-27.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,216

$1.24 COP 4,029

-20.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,107

$1.47 COP 4,770

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,477

$1.25 COP 4,076

-14.40%

Eggs

$2.06 COP 6,709

$2.48 COP 8,065

-16.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.70 COP 15.3K

$4.33 COP 14.1K

8.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 COP 16.9K

$5.36 COP 17.4K

-3.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 COP 23.3K

$7.49 COP 24.4K

-4.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 COP 9,330

$2.49 COP 8,108

15.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,394

$0.92 COP 2,986

46.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,919

$1.15 COP 3,749

31.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,676

$1.31 COP 4,260

-37.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,084

$0.89 COP 2,881

6.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,653

$1.11 COP 3,593

28.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 COP 2,795

$0.75 COP 2,427

14.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 1,868

$0.68 COP 2,211

-16.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 COP 8,890

$2.91 COP 9,454

-6.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 COP 36.6K

$12.88 COP 41.9K

-12.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,963

$1.07 COP 3,478

-14.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 COP 4,346

$1.86 COP 6,040

-27.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 COP 2,319

$0.73 COP 2,386

-2.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.39 COP 105.3K

$20.17 COP 65.6K

60.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 6,236

$1.55 COP 5,043

23.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 COP 9,614

$1.90 COP 6,171

55.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 COP 16.1K

$9.45 COP 30.7K

-47.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,262

$0.98 COP 3,190

2.04%

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

$14.9K COP 48.3M

$21.9K COP 71.3M

-32.23%

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

$22.4K COP 72.8M

$29.6K COP 96.2M

-24.33%

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

$139 COP 451.9K

$83.3 COP 270.9K

66.81%

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

$8.09 COP 26.3K

$8.94 COP 29.1K

-9.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.84 COP 71.0K

$24.55 COP 79.8K

-11.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.43 COP 69.7K

$19.79 COP 64.3K

8.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 47.7K

$14.72 COP 47.9K

-0.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 COP 13.6K

$4.88 COP 15.9K

-13.93%

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

$61.7 COP 200.7K

$222 COP 720.7K

-72.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,834 COP 6.0M

$5,871 COP 19.1M

-68.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 COP 201.5K

$64.0 COP 208.1K

-3.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 COP 174.8K

$43.51 COP 141.5K

23.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 COP 260.1K

$76.3 COP 248.1K

4.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 COP 233.3K

$89.5 COP 291.1K

-19.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 765.8K

$241 COP 783.0K

-2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 COP 713.8K

$188 COP 611.5K

16.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 COP 1.7M

$615 COP 2.0M

-13.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 COP 1.5M

$398 COP 1.3M

14.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,791 COP 5.8M

$1,258 COP 4.1M

42.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$686 COP 2.2M

$990 COP 3.2M

-30.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 COP 1.8M

$554 COP 1.8M

-1.73%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cali: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $236 in Barranquilla versus $241 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 – $175 in Barranquilla vs $184 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 14% 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 $1,276 per month in Barranquilla and $1,121 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 $850 in Barranquilla and $747 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 $850 in Barranquilla and $747 in Cali, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cali costs $747 versus $850 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.