Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Bogota Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Bogota

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $747 per month in Cali vs $966 in Bogota, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,229 per month in Cali vs $1,496 in Bogota, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,710 per month in Cali vs $2,025 in Bogota, rent included.

Cali is about 23% cheaper than Bogota, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cali and Bogota are more affordable than the global median – Cali 44% lower, Bogota 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 COP 11.9K

$4.97 COP 16.2K

-26.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.20 COP 94.9K

$31.94 COP 103.8K

-8.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 COP 24.1K

$7.81 COP 25.4K

-5.12%

Cappuccino

$1.58 COP 5,130

$1.81 COP 5,888

-12.71%

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

$0.95 COP 3,095

$1.00 COP 3,256

-5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,940

$0.68 COP 2,217

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,297

$1.17 COP 3,820

-13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 COP 8,484

$2.24 COP 7,296

16.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 COP 4,029

$1.17 COP 3,811

5.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 COP 4,770

$1.48 COP 4,804

-0.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 4,076

$1.19 COP 3,858

5.04%

Eggs

$2.48 COP 8,065

$2.00 COP 6,502

24.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 14.1K

$4.64 COP 15.1K

-6.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 COP 17.4K

$5.11 COP 16.6K

4.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 COP 24.4K

$7.20 COP 23.4K

4.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 COP 8,108

$3.09 COP 10.0K

-19.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,986

$1.09 COP 3,550

-15.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,749

$1.36 COP 4,417

-15.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,260

$1.28 COP 4,171

2.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 COP 2,881

$1.11 COP 3,615

-19.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,593

$1.14 COP 3,693

-2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,427

$0.73 COP 2,366

2.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,211

$0.83 COP 2,703

-18.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 COP 9,454

$2.89 COP 9,404

0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.88 COP 41.9K

$15.46 COP 50.3K

-16.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,478

$1.11 COP 3,601

-3.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 6,040

$1.85 COP 6,031

0.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,386

$0.76 COP 2,482

-3.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.17 COP 65.6K

$40.87 COP 132.9K

-50.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 COP 5,043

$1.46 COP 4,747

6.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,171

$1.54 COP 5,008

23.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 COP 30.7K

$5.98 COP 19.4K

58.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,190

$1.02 COP 3,312

-3.92%

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

$21.9K COP 71.3M

$15.8K COP 51.3M

39.00%

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

$29.6K COP 96.2M

$25.5K COP 83.0M

15.94%

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

$83.3 COP 270.9K

$83.6 COP 271.6K

-0.28%

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

$8.94 COP 29.1K

$11.26 COP 36.6K

-20.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.55 COP 79.8K

$26.20 COP 85.2K

-6.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.79 COP 64.3K

$23.99 COP 78.0K

-17.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.72 COP 47.9K

$10.93 COP 35.5K

34.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 COP 15.9K

$4.90 COP 15.9K

-0.41%

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

$222 COP 720.7K

$291 COP 945.2K

-23.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 19.1M

$8,502 COP 27.6M

-30.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 COP 208.1K

$60.4 COP 196.3K

6.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.51 COP 141.5K

$42.70 COP 138.8K

1.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 COP 248.1K

$102 COP 333.2K

-25.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 291.1K

$83.4 COP 271.1K

7.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 COP 783.0K

$449 COP 1.5M

-46.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 COP 611.5K

$331 COP 1.1M

-43.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 COP 2.0M

$829 COP 2.7M

-25.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 COP 1.3M

$643 COP 2.1M

-38.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,258 COP 4.1M

$2,725 COP 8.9M

-53.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$990 COP 3.2M

$2,051 COP 6.7M

-51.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 COP 1.8M

$725 COP 2.4M

-23.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

12.93

-10.44%

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

Last update for Cali: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bogota: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Cali versus $449 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 31% higher in Bogota, 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 $29.00 in Cali versus $32.00 in Bogota. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $193 – 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

Cali vs Bogota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bogota is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,121 per month in Cali and $1,449 in Bogota. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $747 in Cali and $966 in Bogota. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 103% less in Cali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cali, where all-in costs run around $747, than in Bogota at $966. In Cali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bogota it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cali. 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.