Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Barranquilla Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Barranquilla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $747 per month in Cali vs $850 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,229 per month in Cali vs $1,351 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,710 per month in Cali vs $1,852 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Cali is about 12% cheaper than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cali and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Cali 44% lower, Barranquilla 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 COP 11.9K

$4.79 COP 15.6K

-23.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.20 COP 94.9K

$31.41 COP 102.1K

-7.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 COP 24.1K

$7.31 COP 23.8K

1.37%

Cappuccino

$1.58 COP 5,130

$1.76 COP 5,718

-10.23%

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

$0.95 COP 3,095

$0.85 COP 2,761

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,940

$0.64 COP 2,096

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,297

$1.35 COP 4,378

-25.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 COP 8,484

$1.89 COP 6,132

38.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 COP 4,029

$0.99 COP 3,216

25.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 COP 4,770

$1.26 COP 4,107

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 4,076

$1.07 COP 3,477

16.82%

Eggs

$2.48 COP 8,065

$2.06 COP 6,709

20.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 14.1K

$4.70 COP 15.3K

-7.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 COP 17.4K

$5.19 COP 16.9K

3.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 COP 24.4K

$7.15 COP 23.3K

4.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 COP 8,108

$2.87 COP 9,330

-13.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,986

$1.35 COP 4,394

-31.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,749

$1.51 COP 4,919

-23.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,260

$0.82 COP 2,676

59.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 COP 2,881

$0.95 COP 3,084

-6.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,593

$1.43 COP 4,653

-22.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,427

$0.86 COP 2,795

-12.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,211

$0.57 COP 1,868

19.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 COP 9,454

$2.73 COP 8,890

6.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.88 COP 41.9K

$11.25 COP 36.6K

14.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,478

$0.91 COP 2,963

17.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 6,040

$1.34 COP 4,346

38.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,386

$0.71 COP 2,319

2.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.17 COP 65.6K

$32.39 COP 105.3K

-37.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 COP 5,043

$1.92 COP 6,236

-19.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,171

$2.96 COP 9,614

-35.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 COP 30.7K

$4.95 COP 16.1K

90.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,190

$1.00 COP 3,262

-2.00%

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

$21.9K COP 71.3M

$14.9K COP 48.3M

47.56%

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

$29.6K COP 96.2M

$22.4K COP 72.8M

32.15%

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

$83.3 COP 270.9K

$139 COP 451.9K

-40.05%

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

$8.94 COP 29.1K

$8.09 COP 26.3K

10.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.55 COP 79.8K

$21.84 COP 71.0K

12.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.79 COP 64.3K

$21.43 COP 69.7K

-7.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.72 COP 47.9K

$14.66 COP 47.7K

0.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 COP 15.9K

$4.20 COP 13.6K

16.19%

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

$222 COP 720.7K

$61.7 COP 200.7K

259.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 19.1M

$1,834 COP 6.0M

220.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 COP 208.1K

$62.0 COP 201.5K

3.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.51 COP 141.5K

$53.8 COP 174.8K

-19.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 COP 248.1K

$80.0 COP 260.1K

-4.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 291.1K

$71.8 COP 233.3K

24.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 COP 783.0K

$236 COP 765.8K

2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 COP 611.5K

$220 COP 713.8K

-14.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 COP 2.0M

$531 COP 1.7M

15.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 COP 1.3M

$456 COP 1.5M

-12.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,258 COP 4.1M

$1,791 COP 5.8M

-29.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$990 COP 3.2M

$686 COP 2.2M

44.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 COP 1.8M

$544 COP 1.8M

1.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

15.80%

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

Last update for Cali: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Cali versus $236 in Barranquilla. 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 2% higher in Cali, 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 $29.00 in Cali versus $31.00 in Barranquilla. Groceries tell a different story – $184 in Cali vs $175 in Barranquilla – so Barranquilla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Cali vs Barranquilla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barranquilla costs about 14% more than Cali, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,121 per month in Cali and $1,276 in Barranquilla. 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 $29.00 in Cali and $31.00 in Barranquilla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $747 in Cali and $850 in Barranquilla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $747 in Cali and $850 in Barranquilla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cali costs $747 versus $850 in Barranquilla. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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