Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bogota and Popayan

For one person, living costs are similar in Bogota and in Popayan: $1,387 and $1,398 a month, rent and utilities included.

Bogota, Colombia
Popayan, Colombia
Bogota
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,387
/mo nomad
Popayan
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,398
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bogota and in Popayan

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 Popayan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,387 per month in Bogota vs $1,398 in Popayan, rent included.

  • Bogota $1,387
  • Popayan $1,398

A couple spends around $2,151 per month in Bogota vs $2,091 in Popayan, rent included.

  • Bogota $2,151
  • Popayan $2,091

A family of three spends $2,915 per month in Bogota vs $2,783 in Popayan, rent included.

  • Bogota $2,915
  • Popayan $2,783

Bogota and Popayan have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Bogota and Popayan sit above the global median – Bogota by 3%, Popayan by 3%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bogota
Popayan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.94 COP 25.6K
$7.83 COP 25.2K
1.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.83 COP 137.8K
$46.74 COP 150.3K
-8.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.81 COP 34.8K
$9.82 COP 31.6K
10.08%
Cappuccino
$2.47 COP 7,955
$2.77 COP 8,896
-10.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 COP 4,326
$1.36 COP 4,387
-1.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 COP 2,723
$0.91 COP 2,919
-6.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.39 COP 7,696
$2.86 COP 9,208
-16.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.83 COP 15.5K
$4.26 COP 13.7K
13.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bogota
Popayan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 COP 5,245
$1.50 COP 4,819
8.67%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 COP 7,479
$2.07 COP 6,672
12.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.81 COP 5,814
$1.99 COP 6,390
-9.05%
Eggs
$3.52 COP 11.3K
$3.31 COP 10.6K
6.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.84 COP 25.2K
$8.28 COP 26.6K
-5.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.62 COP 24.5K
$11.20 COP 36.0K
-31.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.66 COP 34.3K
$14.18 COP 45.6K
-24.82%
Apples (1kg)
$3.49 COP 11.2K
$3.93 COP 12.6K
-11.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.76 COP 5,668
$1.49 COP 4,792
18.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 COP 6,160
$1.82 COP 5,843
5.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.89 COP 6,091
$1.81 COP 5,833
4.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.41 COP 4,535
$1.62 COP 5,204
-12.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.43 COP 4,598
$1.69 COP 5,438
-15.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.26 COP 4,059
$1.04 COP 3,354
21.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 COP 3,715
$1.34 COP 4,309
-14.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 COP 14.2K
$4.02 COP 12.9K
10.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.31 COP 39.6K
$13.00 COP 41.8K
-5.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.48 COP 4,764
$1.61 COP 5,171
-8.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 COP 10.4K
$2.27 COP 7,296
41.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Bogota
Popayan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.08 COP 3,469
$1.17 COP 3,764
-7.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.2 COP 161.5K
$56.8 COP 182.7K
-11.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.02 COP 6,512
$1.71 COP 5,490
18.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.54 COP 8,181
$2.15 COP 6,929
18.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.49 COP 24.1K
$8.15 COP 26.2K
-8.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,119
$1.33 COP 4,284
-3.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.6M
$36.6K COP 117.9M
-7.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.9K COP 112.1M
$37.8K COP 121.6M
-7.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bogota
Popayan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$127 COP 409.4K
$111 COP 358.5K
14.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.31 COP 52.5K
$14.64 COP 47.1K
11.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.21 COP 97.2K
$27.47 COP 88.4K
9.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bogota
Popayan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.56 COP 108.0K
$39.02 COP 125.5K
-13.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.03 COP 48.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.62 COP 24.5K
$6.76 COP 21.7K
12.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bogota
Popayan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$557 COP 1.8M
$507 COP 1.6M
9.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.1K COP 42.0M
$10.5K COP 33.7M
24.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bogota
Popayan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.1 COP 273.6K
$80.7 COP 259.6K
5.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.17 COP 154.9K
$58.1 COP 186.8K
-17.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 446.9K
$119 COP 384.0K
16.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COP 345.8K
$104 COP 333.4K
3.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bogota
Popayan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$730 COP 2.3M
$802 COP 2.6M
-8.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$504 COP 1.6M
$506 COP 1.6M
-0.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,438 COP 4.6M
$1,349 COP 4.3M
6.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$963 COP 3.1M
$779 COP 2.5M
23.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,946 COP 9.5M
$2,078 COP 6.7M
41.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,250 COP 7.2M
$1,794 COP 5.8M
25.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bogota
Popayan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$811 COP 2.6M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.81
12
6.75%

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

Last update for Bogota: November 3, 2026

Last update for Popayan: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bogota
$504
Popayan
$506 0.4% $2.1
Groceries & Markets
Bogota
$264
Popayan
$292 10.7% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bogota
$174
Popayan
$154 11.6% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Bogota
$171
Popayan
$163 4.7% $8
Eating Out
Bogota
$156
Popayan
$157 0.8% $1.2
Getting Around
Bogota
$69
Popayan
$74 6.8% $4.7
Sport & Entertainment
Bogota
$49
Popayan
$53 7.7% $3.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Bogota versus $802 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 $43 in Bogota versus $47 in Popayan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $292 – making Bogota the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Bogota
🇨🇴 Popayan
🕒 Local time
20:07 8:07 PM
20:07 8:07 PM
Same time as Bogota
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,181,047 Capital
318,059
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,217 COP (10,000 COP = 3.11 USD). 1 EUR = 3,611 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bogota Popayan 380 km
From you
  • Bogota
  • Popayan

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 Popayan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,080 per month in Bogota and $2,098 in Popayan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Bogota and Popayan?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $730 in Bogota and $802 in Popayan. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Is eating out cheaper in Bogota or in Popayan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Bogota and $47 in Popayan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 12% less in Bogota. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is it better to live in Bogota or in Popayan?
It depends on your priorities. Bogota has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,387 in Bogota to $1,398 in Popayan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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