Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calama and Bogota

For one person, living is cheaper in Calama: $595 a month against $1,323 in Bogota, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Calama
🇨🇱 Chile
$595
/mo nomad
Bogota
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,323
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calama and in Bogota

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calama and in Bogota actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $595 per month in Calama vs $1,323 in Bogota, rent included.

  • Calama $595
  • Bogota $1,323

A couple spends around $1,203 per month in Calama vs $2,110 in Bogota, rent included.

  • Calama $1,203
  • Bogota $2,110

A family of three spends $1,812 per month in Calama vs $2,897 in Bogota, rent included.

  • Calama $1,812
  • Bogota $2,897

Calama is about 55% cheaper than Bogota, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Calama and Bogota are more affordable than the global median – Calama 56% lower, Bogota 2% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calama
Bogota
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.95 CLP 6,841
$7.65 COP 24.3K
-9.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.49 CLP 31.0K
$41.44 COP 131.4K
-24.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$10.38 COP 32.9K
-
Cappuccino
$2.05 CLP 2,018
$2.53 COP 8,011
-18.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 CLP 916
$1.35 COP 4,277
-31.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 CLP 929
$0.87 COP 2,752
8.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.12 CLP 3,074
$2.06 COP 6,542
51.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.23 CLP 5,149
$3.98 COP 12.6K
31.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calama
Bogota
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 CLP 1,087
$1.65 COP 5,240
-33.33%
White Bread (500g)
$0.84 CLP 825
$2.40 COP 7,618
-65.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.62 CLP 2,575
$1.69 COP 5,345
55.03%
Eggs
$4.95 CLP 4,876
$3.54 COP 11.2K
39.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.36 CLP 9,217
$7.89 COP 25.0K
18.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.22 CLP 6,119
$7.30 COP 23.1K
-14.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.53 CLP 7,413
$9.87 COP 31.3K
-23.71%
Apples (1kg)
$1.26 CLP 1,242
$3.58 COP 11.4K
-64.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.05 CLP 1,029
$1.84 COP 5,822
-42.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.55 CLP 1,523
$1.90 COP 6,012
-18.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.10 CLP 1,081
$1.74 COP 5,517
-36.78%
Potato (1kg)
$0.90 CLP 884
$1.41 COP 4,484
-36.17%
Onion (1kg)
$0.93 CLP 916
$1.37 COP 4,332
-32.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.30 COP 4,131
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.15 COP 3,643
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.25 CLP 5,170
$4.32 COP 13.7K
21.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.19 CLP 4,128
$12.76 COP 40.5K
-67.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 CLP 990
$1.43 COP 4,542
-29.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 CLP 1,235
$2.83 COP 8,986
-55.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Calama
Bogota
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.95 CLP 931
$1.08 COP 3,434
-12.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$50.8 COP 161.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.38 COP 7,550
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 CLP 1,412
$2.34 COP 7,411
-38.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$9.20 COP 29.2K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 CLP 1,415
$1.33 COP 4,213
8.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$23.5K COP 74.4M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$35.6K COP 113.0M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calama
Bogota
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.05 CLP 39.4K
$125 COP 397.8K
-68.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$16.29 COP 51.6K
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.28 CLP 13.1K
$30.21 COP 95.8K
-56.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calama
Bogota
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.7 CLP 50.9K
$34.11 COP 108.2K
51.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.74 CLP 20.4K
$15.37 COP 48.7K
34.94%
Cinema Ticket
$4.69 CLP 4,617
$7.84 COP 24.8K
-40.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calama
Bogota
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$306 CLP 301.6K
$501 COP 1.6M
-38.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$7,450 COP 23.6M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calama
Bogota
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.08 CLP 35.5K
$82.8 COP 262.6K
-56.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.38 CLP 27.9K
$47.40 COP 150.3K
-40.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$45.82 CLP 45.1K
$142 COP 449.4K
-67.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$61.8 CLP 60.9K
$106 COP 337.4K
-41.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calama
Bogota
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$327 CLP 322.3K
$803 COP 2.5M
-59.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$102 CLP 100.6K
$452 COP 1.4M
-77.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$807 CLP 794.0K
$1,244 COP 3.9M
-35.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$608 CLP 599.0K
$974 COP 3.1M
-37.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,403 CLP 1.4M
$2,816 COP 8.9M
-50.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,229 CLP 1.2M
$2,354 COP 7.5M
-47.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calama
Bogota
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,110 CLP 1.1M
$813 COP 2.6M
36.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
12.81
-60.97%

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

Last update for Calama: October 13, 2026

Last update for Bogota: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Calama
$176 *
Bogota
$261 48% $85
Eating Out
Calama
$114 *
Bogota
$150 31.7% $36
Accommodation & Living
Calama
$102
Bogota
$452 342% $350
Clothing & Footwear
Calama
$77
Bogota
$170 120% $93
Sport & Entertainment
Calama
$61
Bogota
$50 18.5% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calama
$53 *
Bogota
$172 222% $119
Getting Around
Calama
$11 *
Bogota
$69 532% $58

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $327 in Calama versus $803 in Bogota. 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 37% higher in Calama, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Calama versus $41.00 in Bogota. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $261 – making Calama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇱 Calama
🇨🇴 Bogota
🕒 Local time
19:21 7:21 PM
17:21 5:21 PM
2 h behind Calama
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
157,575
8,181,047 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Calama Bogota 3,070 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Calama
  • Bogota

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
Calama vs Bogota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bogota cheaper than Calama?
Yes – Bogota is pricier by about 122%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $893 per month in Calama and $1,985 in Bogota. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Calama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Calama or in Bogota?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Calama and $41.00 in Bogota. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Calama and in Bogota?
Groceries cost about 48% more in Bogota, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Calama or in Bogota?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Calama, where all-in costs run around $595, than in Bogota at $1,323. In Calama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bogota it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Calama or Bogota more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Calama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Calama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bogota makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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