Cost of Living Comparison Between Bogota and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Bogota and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,312 per month in Bogota vs $1,090 in Cali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,108 per month in Bogota vs $1,649 in Cali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,904 per month in Bogota vs $2,208 in Cali, rent included.

Bogota costs about 20% more than Cali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Bogota and Cali are more affordable than the global median – Bogota 5% lower, Cali 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.95 COP 25.0K

$7.70 COP 24.2K

3.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.12 COP 129.5K

$38.08 COP 119.9K

7.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.25 COP 32.3K

$8.61 COP 27.1K

19.05%

Cappuccino

$2.62 COP 8,262

$1.62 COP 5,101

61.73%

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

$1.33 COP 4,191

$1.26 COP 3,965

5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,628

$0.87 COP 2,749

-4.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 COP 5,912

$3.25 COP 10.2K

-42.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 COP 11.7K

$3.85 COP 12.1K

-3.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 COP 5,227

$1.57 COP 4,959

5.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,834

$1.99 COP 6,269

25.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,124

$1.51 COP 4,756

7.95%

Eggs

$3.62 COP 11.4K

$2.83 COP 8,904

27.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 COP 22.3K

$6.43 COP 20.3K

10.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 COP 23.3K

$7.06 COP 22.2K

4.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.69 COP 33.7K

$10.39 COP 32.7K

2.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 COP 11.0K

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 COP 5,683

$1.41 COP 4,448

27.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,080

$1.76 COP 5,531

9.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 COP 5,706

$1.75 COP 5,511

3.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,527

$1.45 COP 4,575

-0.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,372

$1.57 COP 4,939

-11.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 COP 4,164

$1.15 COP 3,632

14.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,430

$1.04 COP 3,265

4.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 COP 13.6K

$3.70 COP 11.7K

16.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 COP 39.3K

$13.26 COP 41.8K

-5.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,464

$1.45 COP 4,560

-2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 COP 9,363

$2.53 COP 7,974

17.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 COP 3,600

$1.08 COP 3,415

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 COP 161.5K

$29.95 COP 94.3K

71.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 COP 7,585

$0.84 COP 2,657

186.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 COP 7,722

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.37 COP 29.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,252

$1.30 COP 4,106

3.85%

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

$22.6K COP 71.2M

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

$36.1K COP 113.7M

$35.7K COP 112.4M

1.17%

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

$124 COP 390.7K

$114 COP 357.6K

9.27%

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

$16.18 COP 51.0K

$13.49 COP 42.5K

19.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.23 COP 98.4K

$31.05 COP 97.8K

0.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.21 COP 110.9K

$28.87 COP 90.9K

21.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.32 COP 48.2K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 COP 24.7K

$8.43 COP 26.5K

-7.00%

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

$478 COP 1.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,417 COP 20.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.7 COP 254.0K

$80.3 COP 252.8K

0.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.43 COP 155.7K

$54.4 COP 171.2K

-9.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 COP 444.8K

$124 COP 391.0K

13.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 COP 360.2K

$109 COP 343.0K

5.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 COP 2.2M

$641 COP 2.0M

10.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 COP 1.4M

$299 COP 943.0K

49.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 COP 4.1M

$1,577 COP 5.0M

-17.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 COP 3.1M

$493 COP 1.6M

102.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,928 COP 9.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,202 COP 6.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$788 COP 2.5M

$591 COP 1.9M

33.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.81

11.58

10.62%

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

Last update for Bogota: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cali: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $710 in Bogota versus $641 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 33% higher in Bogota, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Bogota versus $38.00 in Cali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $244 – making Cali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Bogota vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bogota is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,968 per month in Bogota and $1,636 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.

Public transport costs about 71% less in Cali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Bogota, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cali, where all-in costs run around $1,090, than in Bogota at $1,312. In Cali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bogota it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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