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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $744 per month in Cali vs $866 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,224 per month in Cali vs $1,363 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,704 per month in Cali vs $1,859 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Cali is about 14% cheaper than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cali and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Cali 44% lower, Barranquilla 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 COP 13.0K

$4.94 COP 17.6K

-26.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.25 COP 104.5K

$30.96 COP 110.6K

-5.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 COP 26.3K

$7.16 COP 25.6K

2.79%

Cappuccino

$1.61 COP 5,754

$1.75 COP 6,267

-8.00%

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

$0.94 COP 3,353

$0.92 COP 3,296

2.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,979

$0.60 COP 2,146

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 COP 3,775

$1.37 COP 4,886

-22.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 COP 9,130

$1.93 COP 6,877

32.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 COP 4,347

$0.94 COP 3,360

29.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 COP 5,465

$1.33 COP 4,749

15.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,319

$1.03 COP 3,667

17.48%

Eggs

$2.46 COP 8,779

$2.03 COP 7,266

21.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 COP 15.3K

$4.51 COP 16.1K

-4.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 COP 19.5K

$5.21 COP 18.6K

4.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 COP 27.1K

$7.14 COP 25.5K

6.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 COP 8,570

$2.88 COP 10.3K

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,474

$1.36 COP 4,852

-28.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,274

$1.52 COP 5,434

-21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 4,548

$0.85 COP 3,037

49.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,148

$0.90 COP 3,226

-2.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,949

$1.50 COP 5,361

-26.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,679

$0.81 COP 2,909

-7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,323

$0.62 COP 2,202

4.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 COP 10.3K

$2.81 COP 10.0K

3.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 COP 41.0K

$9.55 COP 34.1K

20.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,932

$0.89 COP 3,179

23.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 COP 6,584

$1.31 COP 4,694

40.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,407

$0.76 COP 2,732

-11.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.20 COP 72.1K

$32.20 COP 115.0K

-37.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 5,485

$1.92 COP 6,848

-19.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 COP 6,707

$2.82 COP 10.1K

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 COP 35.0K

$4.94 COP 17.6K

98.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 3,304

$1.00 COP 3,584

-7.00%

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

$21.4K COP 76.4M

$15.0K COP 53.6M

42.60%

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

$30.3K COP 108.3M

$22.1K COP 78.9M

37.29%

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

$80.9 COP 289.0K

$139 COP 495.3K

-41.64%

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

$8.78 COP 31.4K

$8.13 COP 29.0K

8.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.99 COP 85.7K

$21.37 COP 76.3K

12.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.60 COP 70.0K

$21.44 COP 76.6K

-8.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.79 COP 52.8K

$14.36 COP 51.3K

2.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 17.4K

$4.16 COP 14.8K

17.07%

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

$226 COP 807.0K

$61.2 COP 218.5K

269.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,039 COP 21.6M

$1,837 COP 6.6M

228.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 227.5K

$61.3 COP 219.1K

3.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.16 COP 157.7K

$52.6 COP 187.8K

-16.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 COP 280.5K

$80.3 COP 286.7K

-2.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 319.6K

$71.5 COP 255.3K

25.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 834.7K

$235 COP 838.4K

-0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 665.2K

$224 COP 800.1K

-16.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 COP 2.2M

$544 COP 1.9M

11.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 COP 1.5M

$456 COP 1.6M

-10.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,101 COP 3.9M

$1,574 COP 5.6M

-30.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$890 COP 3.2M

$605 COP 2.2M

47.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 COP 1.8M

$486 COP 1.7M

1.64%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Cali versus $235 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 – $182 in Cali vs $171 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 16% 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 $1,116 per month in Cali and $1,299 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 $744 in Cali and $866 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 $744 in Cali and $866 in Barranquilla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cali costs $744 versus $866 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.