Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenaventura and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenaventura and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $806 per month in Buenaventura vs $764 in Cali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,234 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,236 in Cali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,661 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,708 in Cali, rent included.

Buenaventura costs about 6% more than Cali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Buenaventura and Cali are more affordable than the global median – Buenaventura 40% lower, Cali 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 COP 13.0K

$3.72 COP 12.0K

8.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.92 COP 77.0K

$29.03 COP 93.4K

-17.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$7.41 COP 23.8K

-3.91%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 4,828

$1.64 COP 5,285

-8.54%

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

$0.93 COP 2,994

$0.95 COP 3,053

-2.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 1,811

$0.60 COP 1,939

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 COP 3,908

$1.06 COP 3,407

14.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 COP 6,872

$2.58 COP 8,299

-17.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.28 COP 4,127

-17.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,019

$1.48 COP 4,757

-15.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,635

$1.21 COP 3,909

-6.61%

Eggs

$2.15 COP 6,933

$2.58 COP 8,303

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.36 COP 14.0K

$4.15 COP 13.3K

5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 COP 16.6K

$5.53 COP 17.8K

-6.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 23.1K

$7.42 COP 23.9K

-3.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 COP 7,971

$2.50 COP 8,031

-0.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,588

$0.93 COP 2,986

20.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,201

$1.18 COP 3,803

11.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 COP 2,799

$1.27 COP 4,101

-31.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,629

$0.86 COP 2,783

31.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,773

$1.05 COP 3,395

11.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,598

$0.69 COP 2,232

17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,105

$0.70 COP 2,253

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,508

$2.82 COP 9,072

-17.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 COP 35.0K

$12.59 COP 40.5K

-13.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 3,629

$1.07 COP 3,449

5.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 COP 5,770

$1.93 COP 6,216

-7.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,305

$0.68 COP 2,176

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.68 COP 95.5K

$20.55 COP 66.1K

44.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 4,621

$1.56 COP 5,008

-7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 COP 5,285

$1.95 COP 6,259

-15.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 COP 19.9K

$9.59 COP 30.9K

-35.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,070

$0.95 COP 3,049

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

$17.7K COP 56.9M

$21.7K COP 69.9M

-18.58%

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

$25.4K COP 81.7M

$30.3K COP 97.5M

-16.23%

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

$83.3 COP 268.1K

$83.2 COP 267.7K

0.16%

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

$8.87 COP 28.5K

$8.80 COP 28.3K

0.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.32 COP 71.8K

$24.79 COP 79.8K

-9.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.66 COP 76.1K

$20.02 COP 64.4K

18.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 46.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.02 COP 12.9K

$4.79 COP 15.4K

-16.08%

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

$235 COP 756.2K

$227 COP 730.0K

3.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,945 COP 19.1M

$5,918 COP 19.0M

0.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 COP 193.2K

$63.9 COP 205.5K

-5.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.17 COP 103.5K

$43.27 COP 139.2K

-25.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 COP 269.6K

$75.6 COP 243.2K

10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.1 COP 238.4K

$88.4 COP 284.3K

-16.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 COP 907.8K

$239 COP 768.1K

18.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 761.3K

$190 COP 610.4K

24.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 COP 1.7M

$603 COP 1.9M

-11.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 COP 1.4M

$400 COP 1.3M

8.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,731 COP 5.6M

$1,228 COP 4.0M

40.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,400 COP 4.5M

$1,005 COP 3.2M

39.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 COP 2.0M

$558 COP 1.8M

11.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

11.58

13.82%

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

Last update for Buenaventura: July 22, 2026

Last update for Cali: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Buenaventura versus $239 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 12% higher in Buenaventura, 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 $24.00 in Buenaventura versus $29.00 in Cali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 vs $185 – making Buenaventura 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

Buenaventura vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $806 in Buenaventura, $764 in Cali – roughly 6% apart. Buenaventura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,210 per month in Buenaventura and $1,146 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Buenaventura – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Buenaventura and $29.00 in Cali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $806 in Buenaventura and $764 in Cali, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Cali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $764 in Cali to $806 in Buenaventura. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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