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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,288 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,090 in Cali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,649 in Cali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,820 per month in Buenaventura vs $2,208 in Cali, rent included.

Buenaventura costs about 18% more than Cali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Buenaventura and Cali are more affordable than the global median – Buenaventura 6% lower, Cali 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 24.0K

$7.70 COP 24.0K

-0.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.60 COP 145.4K

$38.08 COP 118.8K

22.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 COP 27.6K

$8.61 COP 26.9K

2.56%

Cappuccino

$2.32 COP 7,252

$1.62 COP 5,055

43.21%

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

$1.48 COP 4,620

$1.26 COP 3,929

17.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 COP 3,066

$0.87 COP 2,725

12.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 COP 7,226

$3.25 COP 10.1K

-28.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 COP 11.3K

$3.85 COP 12.0K

-5.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 COP 4,439

$1.57 COP 4,915

-9.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 COP 8,459

$1.99 COP 6,214

36.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 COP 5,644

$1.51 COP 4,714

19.87%

Eggs

$2.77 COP 8,649

$2.83 COP 8,824

-2.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 COP 23.6K

$6.43 COP 20.1K

17.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.63 COP 33.2K

$7.06 COP 22.0K

50.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.54 COP 42.3K

$10.39 COP 32.4K

30.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 COP 9,676

$3.49 COP 10.9K

-11.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,130

$1.41 COP 4,408

-6.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,723

$1.76 COP 5,482

22.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,106

$1.75 COP 5,462

12.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,452

$1.45 COP 4,534

-1.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 COP 4,655

$1.57 COP 4,895

-5.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 COP 3,977

$1.15 COP 3,600

10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,102

$1.04 COP 3,236

-4.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 COP 14.0K

$3.70 COP 11.6K

20.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.59 COP 48.7K

$13.26 COP 41.4K

17.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 COP 5,033

$1.45 COP 4,519

11.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 COP 9,759

$2.53 COP 7,903

23.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,814

$1.08 COP 3,385

12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.95 COP 93.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 4,797

$0.84 COP 2,633

83.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 COP 7,567

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 COP 4,694

$1.30 COP 4,069

15.38%

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

$26.7K COP 83.3M

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

$39.5K COP 123.4M

$35.7K COP 111.4M

10.78%

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

$117 COP 365.4K

$114 COP 354.4K

3.12%

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

$12.98 COP 40.5K

$13.49 COP 42.1K

-3.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.02 COP 99.9K

$31.05 COP 96.9K

3.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.99 COP 103.0K

$28.87 COP 90.1K

14.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 COP 19.5K

$8.43 COP 26.3K

-25.86%

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

$571 COP 1.8M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,325 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.2 COP 262.9K

$80.3 COP 250.6K

4.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 COP 183.2K

$54.4 COP 169.7K

7.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 COP 449.9K

$124 COP 387.6K

16.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 COP 294.8K

$109 COP 340.0K

-13.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 COP 2.4M

$641 COP 2.0M

20.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 COP 1.6M

$299 COP 934.6K

69.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 COP 3.7M

$1,577 COP 4.9M

-25.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$877 COP 2.7M

$493 COP 1.5M

77.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,059 COP 6.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,447 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

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

Last update for Buenaventura: August 29, 2026

Last update for Cali: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $773 in Buenaventura versus $641 in Cali. 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 $47.00 in Buenaventura versus $38.00 in Cali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $244 – making Cali 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: $1,288 in Buenaventura, $1,090 in Cali – roughly 18% apart. Buenaventura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,932 per month in Buenaventura and $1,636 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Buenaventura and $38.00 in Cali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,288 in Buenaventura and $1,090 in Cali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cali, where all-in costs run around $1,090, than in Buenaventura at $1,288. In Cali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buenaventura it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,090 in Cali to $1,288 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.