Cost of Living Comparison Between Bogota and Popayan Cost of Living Comparison Between Bogota and Popayan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $958 per month in Bogota vs $805 in Popayan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,486 per month in Bogota vs $1,223 in Popayan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,014 per month in Bogota vs $1,640 in Popayan, rent included.

Bogota costs about 19% more than Popayan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Bogota and Popayan are more affordable than the global median – Bogota 28% lower, Popayan 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 COP 17.4K

$3.98 COP 14.2K

22.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.01 COP 110.7K

$24.01 COP 85.7K

29.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 COP 27.5K

$7.18 COP 25.6K

7.10%

Cappuccino

$1.79 COP 6,398

$1.51 COP 5,406

18.54%

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

$1.00 COP 3,566

$0.86 COP 3,073

16.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 COP 2,239

$0.58 COP 2,069

8.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 COP 4,032

$1.15 COP 4,101

-1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 COP 7,620

$2.12 COP 7,573

0.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 COP 4,370

$1.05 COP 3,757

16.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 COP 5,215

$1.25 COP 4,447

16.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,023

$1.18 COP 4,199

-4.24%

Eggs

$1.97 COP 7,025

$2.21 COP 7,887

-10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.70 COP 16.8K

$4.54 COP 16.2K

3.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 COP 17.7K

$5.18 COP 18.5K

-4.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 25.6K

$7.14 COP 25.5K

0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 COP 11.1K

$2.43 COP 8,678

27.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,855

$1.07 COP 3,818

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,821

$1.36 COP 4,843

-0.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,655

$0.85 COP 3,022

52.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,130

$1.11 COP 3,980

4.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 COP 4,054

$1.12 COP 4,009

1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 COP 2,760

$0.88 COP 3,149

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,984

$0.64 COP 2,279

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 COP 9,963

$2.31 COP 8,264

20.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 COP 40.9K

$10.38 COP 37.1K

10.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,085

$1.13 COP 4,046

0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 COP 6,944

$1.80 COP 6,437

7.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 COP 2,509

$0.69 COP 2,461

1.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.44 COP 144.4K

$29.66 COP 105.9K

36.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 COP 5,267

$1.46 COP 5,214

1.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 COP 5,377

$1.71 COP 6,104

-11.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 COP 21.7K

$6.15 COP 21.9K

-1.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,654

$0.99 COP 3,543

3.03%

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

$15.8K COP 56.3M

$17.9K COP 63.9M

-11.90%

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

$25.5K COP 91.1M

$25.5K COP 91.2M

-0.11%

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

$83.8 COP 299.2K

$83.5 COP 298.2K

0.35%

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

$11.08 COP 39.6K

$8.86 COP 31.6K

25.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.45 COP 94.5K

$22.84 COP 81.6K

15.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.95 COP 85.5K

$23.53 COP 84.0K

1.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.84 COP 38.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 COP 17.3K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

23.66%

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

$299 COP 1.1M

$241 COP 861.1K

23.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,398 COP 30.0M

$6,042 COP 21.6M

39.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 COP 211.8K

$58.4 COP 208.4K

1.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 COP 152.8K

$32.94 COP 117.6K

29.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.8K

$82.9 COP 296.0K

23.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.0 COP 299.8K

$72.8 COP 259.8K

15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 COP 1.6M

$284 COP 1.0M

59.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 COP 1.1M

$242 COP 863.9K

32.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$525 COP 1.9M

59.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 COP 2.3M

$423 COP 1.5M

54.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,233 COP 8.0M

$1,434 COP 5.1M

55.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,468 COP 5.2M

$1,260 COP 4.5M

16.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$648 COP 2.3M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.93

13.18

-1.90%

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

Last update for Bogota: May 30, 2026

Last update for Popayan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $453 in Bogota versus $284 in Popayan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Bogota versus $24.00 in Popayan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $172 – making Popayan 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 Popayan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bogota is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,437 per month in Bogota and $1,207 in Popayan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Popayan, 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 $958 in Bogota and $805 in Popayan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 36% less in Popayan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Popayan, where all-in costs run around $805, than in Bogota at $958. In Popayan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bogota it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Popayan – 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 Popayan. 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.