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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $803 per month in Buenaventura vs $751 in Cali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,225 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,205 in Cali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,648 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,659 in Cali, rent included.

Buenaventura costs about 7% more than Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Buenaventura and Cali are more affordable than the global median – Buenaventura 40% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 COP 14.2K

$3.73 COP 13.3K

6.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.67 COP 84.4K

$28.95 COP 103.2K

-18.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 COP 26.6K

$7.06 COP 25.2K

5.81%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 5,349

$1.56 COP 5,557

-3.85%

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

$0.86 COP 3,067

$0.88 COP 3,130

-2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 COP 2,201

$0.60 COP 2,158

3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 COP 4,312

$1.05 COP 3,752

15.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 COP 7,978

$2.52 COP 8,993

-11.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.28 COP 4,580

-16.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,450

$1.46 COP 5,201

-14.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 COP 4,082

$1.21 COP 4,313

-5.79%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,693

$2.47 COP 8,810

-12.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.4K

$4.20 COP 15.0K

3.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 COP 18.8K

$5.53 COP 19.7K

-4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 COP 26.9K

$7.85 COP 28.0K

-3.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 COP 8,934

$2.42 COP 8,614

3.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,947

$0.95 COP 3,397

16.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,625

$1.19 COP 4,254

9.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 COP 3,091

$1.30 COP 4,642

-33.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,029

$0.81 COP 2,899

39.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,999

$1.06 COP 3,764

5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 COP 3,130

$0.76 COP 2,708

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,497

$0.70 COP 2,484

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 COP 8,195

$2.85 COP 10.2K

-19.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.24 COP 36.5K

$11.57 COP 41.3K

-11.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,055

$1.07 COP 3,821

6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 6,102

$1.95 COP 6,961

-12.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,609

$0.72 COP 2,576

1.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.19 COP 107.7K

$20.01 COP 71.4K

50.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,081

$1.58 COP 5,642

-10.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 COP 6,121

$1.91 COP 6,819

-9.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 COP 21.3K

$9.72 COP 34.7K

-38.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,583

$0.92 COP 3,264

8.70%

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

$17.7K COP 63.0M

$21.5K COP 76.8M

-17.95%

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

$25.6K COP 91.3M

$30.4K COP 108.2M

-15.63%

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

$83.1 COP 296.2K

$81.2 COP 289.6K

2.28%

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

$8.91 COP 31.8K

$8.63 COP 30.8K

3.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.83 COP 81.4K

$24.09 COP 85.9K

-5.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.22 COP 82.8K

$19.55 COP 69.7K

18.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 51.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 COP 14.3K

$4.94 COP 17.6K

-18.83%

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

$235 COP 836.4K

$227 COP 808.1K

3.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,923 COP 21.1M

$5,871 COP 20.9M

0.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 COP 208.9K

$63.7 COP 227.1K

-8.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.76 COP 116.8K

$44.88 COP 160.1K

-27.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 COP 300.2K

$75.8 COP 270.3K

11.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 COP 261.8K

$89.7 COP 320.0K

-18.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 COP 1.0M

$242 COP 864.5K

16.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 850.3K

$186 COP 664.1K

28.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 COP 1.9M

$608 COP 2.2M

-14.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 COP 1.5M

$397 COP 1.4M

7.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,606 COP 5.7M

$1,114 COP 4.0M

44.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 COP 4.4M

$920 COP 3.3M

34.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$553 COP 2.0M

$512 COP 1.8M

8.10%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Buenaventura versus $242 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 8% 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: $174 vs $183 – 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: $803 in Buenaventura, $751 in Cali – roughly 7% apart. Buenaventura costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,204 per month in Buenaventura and $1,127 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 5% 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 $803 in Buenaventura and $751 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 $751 in Cali to $803 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.