Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bogota and Durham, NC

For one person, living is cheaper in Bogota: $1,323 a month against $2,554 in Durham, NC, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bogota
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,323
/mo nomad
Durham, NC
🇺🇸 United States
$2,554
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bogota and in Durham, NC

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bogota and in Durham, NC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,323 per month in Bogota vs $2,554 in Durham, NC, rent included.

  • Bogota $1,323
  • Durham, NC $2,554

A couple spends around $2,110 per month in Bogota vs $3,914 in Durham, NC, rent included.

  • Bogota $2,110
  • Durham, NC $3,914

A family of three spends $2,897 per month in Bogota vs $5,274 in Durham, NC, rent included.

  • Bogota $2,897
  • Durham, NC $5,274

Bogota is about 48% cheaper than Durham, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Bogota sits 2% below the global median, while Durham, NC is 89% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bogota
Durham, NC
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.65 COP 24.3K
$15.60 $15.60
-50.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.44 COP 131.4K
$103 $103
-59.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.38 COP 32.9K
$10.06 $10.06
3.18%
Cappuccino
$2.53 COP 8,011
$4.61 $4.61
-45.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 COP 4,277
$3.15 $3.15
-57.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 COP 2,752
$2.06 $2.06
-57.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.06 COP 6,542
$5.85 $5.85
-64.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 COP 12.6K
$6.96 $6.96
-42.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bogota
Durham, NC
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 COP 5,240
$1.18 $1.18
39.83%
White Bread (500g)
$2.40 COP 7,618
$4.96 $4.96
-51.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.69 COP 5,345
$4.45 $4.45
-62.02%
Eggs
$3.54 COP 11.2K
$3.48 $3.48
1.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.89 COP 25.0K
$19.27 $19.27
-59.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.30 COP 23.1K
$16.78 $16.78
-56.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.3K
$17.16 $17.16
-42.48%
Apples (1kg)
$3.58 COP 11.4K
$5.73 $5.73
-37.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.84 COP 5,822
$1.85 $1.85
-0.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.90 COP 6,012
$3.76 $3.76
-49.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.74 COP 5,517
$4.60 $4.60
-62.17%
Potato (1kg)
$1.41 COP 4,484
$2.29 $2.29
-38.43%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 COP 4,332
$3.89 $3.89
-64.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 COP 4,131
$2.71 $2.71
-52.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 COP 3,643
$1.97 $1.97
-41.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.32 COP 13.7K
$7.98 $7.98
-45.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.76 COP 40.5K
$15.09 $15.09
-15.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 COP 4,542
$1.48 $1.48
-3.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 COP 8,986
$4.00 $4.00
-29.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Bogota
Durham, NC
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.08 COP 3,434
$1.52 $1.52
-28.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.8 COP 161.1K
$25.28 $25.28
100.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.38 COP 7,550
$1.96 $1.96
21.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.34 COP 7,411
$0.60 $0.60
290.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.20 COP 29.2K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 COP 4,213
$0.96 $0.96
38.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.5K COP 74.4M
$35.0K $35.0K
-33.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.6K COP 113.0M
$24.8K $24.8K
43.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bogota
Durham, NC
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 COP 397.8K
$224 $224
-43.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.29 COP 51.6K
$56.2 $56.2
-71.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.21 COP 95.8K
$70.9 $70.9
-57.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bogota
Durham, NC
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.11 COP 108.2K
$49.70 $49.70
-31.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.37 COP 48.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.84 COP 24.8K
$13.19 $13.19
-40.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bogota
Durham, NC
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$501 COP 1.6M
$1,542 $1,542
-67.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,450 COP 23.6M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bogota
Durham, NC
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.8 COP 262.6K
$44.17 $44.17
87.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.40 COP 150.3K
$34.03 $34.03
39.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$142 COP 449.4K
$92.3 $92.3
53.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 COP 337.4K
$135 $135
-21.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bogota
Durham, NC
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$803 COP 2.5M
$1,710 $1,710
-53.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$452 COP 1.4M
$1,220 $1,220
-62.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,244 COP 3.9M
$2,543 $2,543
-51.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$974 COP 3.1M
$2,210 $2,210
-55.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,816 COP 8.9M
$2,757 $2,757
2.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,354 COP 7.5M
$2,680 $2,680
-12.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bogota
Durham, NC
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$813 COP 2.6M
$4,585 $4,585
-82.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.81
6.81
88.11%

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

Last update for Bogota: October 11, 2026

Last update for Durham, NC: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bogota
$452
Durham, NC
$1.2K 170% $769
Groceries & Markets
Bogota
$261
Durham, NC
$459 76% $198
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bogota
$172
Durham, NC
$351 104% $179
Clothing & Footwear
Bogota
$170
Durham, NC
$137 19.3% $33
Eating Out
Bogota
$150
Durham, NC
$274 83.2% $125
Getting Around
Bogota
$69
Durham, NC
$36 47.5% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Bogota
$50
Durham, NC
$76 52.8% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $803 in Bogota versus $1,710 in Durham, NC. 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 464% higher in Durham, NC, 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 $103 in Durham, NC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $459 – making Bogota the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Bogota
🇺🇸 Durham, NC
🕒 Local time
09:00 9:00 AM
10:00 10:00 AM
1 h ahead of Bogota
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,181,047 Capital
283,506
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bogota Durham, NC 3,510 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bogota
  • Durham, NC

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Durham, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Durham, NC cheaper than Bogota?
Yes – Durham, NC is pricier by about 93%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,985 per month in Bogota and $3,832 in Durham, NC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bogota, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Bogota and in Durham, NC?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,323 in Bogota and $2,554 in Durham, NC. That's a gap of about 93%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 101% less in Bogota. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Bogota or in Durham, NC?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bogota, where all-in costs run around $1,323, than in Durham, NC at $2,554. In Bogota it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durham, NC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Bogota or Durham, NC more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bogota – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Bogota or Durham, NC?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Bogota. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Durham, NC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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