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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $966 per month in Bogota vs $747 in Cali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,496 per month in Bogota vs $1,229 in Cali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,025 per month in Bogota vs $1,710 in Cali, rent included.

Bogota costs about 29% more than Cali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Bogota and Cali are more affordable than the global median – Bogota 28% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 COP 16.2K

$3.65 COP 11.9K

36.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.94 COP 103.8K

$29.20 COP 94.9K

9.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 COP 25.4K

$7.41 COP 24.1K

5.40%

Cappuccino

$1.81 COP 5,888

$1.58 COP 5,130

14.56%

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

$1.00 COP 3,256

$0.95 COP 3,095

5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,217

$0.60 COP 1,940

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 COP 3,820

$1.01 COP 3,297

15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 COP 7,296

$2.61 COP 8,484

-14.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 COP 3,811

$1.24 COP 4,029

-5.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 4,804

$1.47 COP 4,770

0.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 COP 3,858

$1.25 COP 4,076

-4.80%

Eggs

$2.00 COP 6,502

$2.48 COP 8,065

-19.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.64 COP 15.1K

$4.33 COP 14.1K

7.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 COP 16.6K

$5.36 COP 17.4K

-4.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.20 COP 23.4K

$7.49 COP 24.4K

-3.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 COP 10.0K

$2.49 COP 8,108

24.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,550

$0.92 COP 2,986

18.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,417

$1.15 COP 3,749

18.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 COP 4,171

$1.31 COP 4,260

-2.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,615

$0.89 COP 2,881

24.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 COP 3,693

$1.11 COP 3,593

2.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 COP 2,366

$0.75 COP 2,427

-2.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,703

$0.68 COP 2,211

22.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 COP 9,404

$2.91 COP 9,454

-0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.46 COP 50.3K

$12.88 COP 41.9K

20.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 COP 3,601

$1.07 COP 3,478

3.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 COP 6,031

$1.86 COP 6,040

-0.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 COP 2,482

$0.73 COP 2,386

4.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.87 COP 132.9K

$20.17 COP 65.6K

102.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 COP 4,747

$1.55 COP 5,043

-5.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 COP 5,008

$1.90 COP 6,171

-18.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 COP 19.4K

$9.45 COP 30.7K

-36.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,312

$0.98 COP 3,190

4.08%

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

$15.8K COP 51.3M

$21.9K COP 71.3M

-28.06%

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

$25.5K COP 83.0M

$29.6K COP 96.2M

-13.75%

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

$83.6 COP 271.6K

$83.3 COP 270.9K

0.28%

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

$11.26 COP 36.6K

$8.94 COP 29.1K

25.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 COP 85.2K

$24.55 COP 79.8K

6.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.99 COP 78.0K

$19.79 COP 64.3K

21.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 COP 35.5K

$14.72 COP 47.9K

-25.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 COP 15.9K

$4.88 COP 15.9K

0.41%

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

$291 COP 945.2K

$222 COP 720.7K

31.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,502 COP 27.6M

$5,871 COP 19.1M

44.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 COP 196.3K

$64.0 COP 208.1K

-5.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.70 COP 138.8K

$43.51 COP 141.5K

-1.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 333.2K

$76.3 COP 248.1K

34.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.4 COP 271.1K

$89.5 COP 291.1K

-6.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 COP 1.5M

$241 COP 783.0K

86.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 COP 1.1M

$188 COP 611.5K

76.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 COP 2.7M

$615 COP 2.0M

34.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 COP 2.1M

$398 COP 1.3M

61.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,725 COP 8.9M

$1,258 COP 4.1M

116.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 COP 6.7M

$990 COP 3.2M

107.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$725 COP 2.4M

$554 COP 1.8M

30.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.93

11.58

11.66%

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

Last update for Bogota: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cali: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Bogota 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 31% 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 $32.00 in Bogota versus $29.00 in Cali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $184 – 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 29%, 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 $1,449 per month in Bogota 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $966 in Bogota and $747 in Cali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 103% less in Cali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cali, where all-in costs run around $747, than in Bogota at $966. 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.