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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $797 per month in Buenaventura vs $753 in Cali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,202 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,207 in Cali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,608 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,661 in Cali, rent included.

Buenaventura costs about 6% more than Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Buenaventura and Cali are more affordable than the global median – Buenaventura 41% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 COP 14.7K

$3.72 COP 13.3K

10.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.58 COP 84.4K

$28.96 COP 103.7K

-18.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 5,545

$1.58 COP 5,667

-1.90%

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

$0.92 COP 3,307

$0.94 COP 3,364

-2.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 2,014

$0.57 COP 2,026

-1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 COP 4,139

$1.05 COP 3,751

10.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 COP 7,656

$2.59 COP 9,273

-17.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,781

$1.28 COP 4,572

-17.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 COP 4,400

$1.47 COP 5,264

-16.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,105

$1.25 COP 4,480

-8.00%

Eggs

$2.15 COP 7,680

$2.56 COP 9,161

-16.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 COP 15.7K

$4.27 COP 15.3K

2.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 COP 18.8K

$5.35 COP 19.1K

-1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.18 COP 25.7K

$7.59 COP 27.2K

-5.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 8,653

$2.38 COP 8,512

1.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,831

$0.96 COP 3,433

11.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,850

$1.20 COP 4,292

13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 COP 3,338

$1.32 COP 4,721

-29.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,178

$0.88 COP 3,138

32.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,185

$1.09 COP 3,913

7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 COP 3,106

$0.69 COP 2,485

26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,455

$0.64 COP 2,301

7.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 COP 8,250

$2.85 COP 10.2K

-18.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 COP 32.6K

$11.39 COP 40.8K

-20.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.11 COP 3,977

-1.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 6,307

$1.95 COP 6,988

-9.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,446

$0.71 COP 2,549

-4.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.84 COP 106.8K

$20.03 COP 71.7K

48.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 COP 5,308

$1.59 COP 5,708

-6.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 COP 6,184

$1.90 COP 6,799

-8.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 COP 21.1K

$9.74 COP 34.9K

-39.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,643

$0.95 COP 3,390

7.37%

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

$17.6K COP 63.1M

$21.6K COP 77.5M

-18.60%

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

$25.7K COP 91.8M

$29.4K COP 105.4M

-12.83%

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

$82.1 COP 293.8K

$83.0 COP 296.9K

-1.05%

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

$8.94 COP 32.0K

$9.11 COP 32.6K

-1.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.34 COP 79.9K

$24.66 COP 88.3K

-9.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.31 COP 83.4K

$20.17 COP 72.2K

15.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.58 COP 52.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 COP 14.5K

$4.74 COP 17.0K

-14.35%

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

$237 COP 847.8K

$227 COP 811.6K

4.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,929 COP 21.2M

$6,005 COP 21.5M

-1.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.2K

$62.8 COP 224.9K

-6.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.13 COP 118.6K

$43.59 COP 156.0K

-24.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 COP 297.8K

$77.6 COP 277.8K

7.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.6 COP 256.1K

$88.8 COP 317.8K

-19.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$287 COP 1.0M

$234 COP 838.7K

22.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 847.6K

$185 COP 662.9K

27.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 COP 1.9M

$609 COP 2.2M

-12.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 COP 1.5M

$409 COP 1.5M

5.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,652 COP 5.9M

$1,127 COP 4.0M

46.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,366 COP 4.9M

$901 COP 3.2M

51.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$550 COP 2.0M

$524 COP 1.9M

4.96%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Cali: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $287 in Buenaventura versus $234 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 5% 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 in Buenaventura versus $29 in Cali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $182 – 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: $797 in Buenaventura, $753 in Cali – roughly 6% apart. Buenaventura costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,195 per month in Buenaventura and $1,130 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 $797 in Buenaventura and $753 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 $753 in Cali to $797 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.