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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Cali is about 5% cheaper than Buenaventura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 COP 13.3K

$4.11 COP 14.7K

-9.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.96 COP 103.7K

$23.58 COP 84.4K

22.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.58 COP 5,667

$1.55 COP 5,545

1.94%

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

$0.94 COP 3,364

$0.92 COP 3,307

2.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 2,026

$0.56 COP 2,014

1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 COP 3,751

$1.16 COP 4,139

-9.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 COP 9,273

$2.14 COP 7,656

21.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,572

$1.06 COP 3,781

20.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.23 COP 4,400

19.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 4,480

$1.15 COP 4,105

8.70%

Eggs

$2.56 COP 9,161

$2.15 COP 7,680

19.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.27 COP 15.3K

$4.38 COP 15.7K

-2.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 COP 19.1K

$5.26 COP 18.8K

1.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 COP 27.2K

$7.18 COP 25.7K

5.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 COP 8,512

$2.42 COP 8,653

-1.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 COP 3,433

$1.07 COP 3,831

-10.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,292

$1.36 COP 4,850

-11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,721

$0.93 COP 3,338

41.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,138

$1.17 COP 4,178

-24.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,913

$1.17 COP 4,185

-6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 COP 2,485

$0.87 COP 3,106

-20.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,301

$0.69 COP 2,455

-7.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 COP 10.2K

$2.31 COP 8,250

23.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.39 COP 40.8K

$9.11 COP 32.6K

25.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 COP 3,977

$1.09 COP 3,906

1.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 COP 6,988

$1.76 COP 6,307

10.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 COP 2,549

$0.68 COP 2,446

4.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.03 COP 71.7K

$29.84 COP 106.8K

-32.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 COP 5,708

$1.48 COP 5,308

7.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,799

$1.73 COP 6,184

9.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.74 COP 34.9K

$5.91 COP 21.1K

64.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,390

$1.02 COP 3,643

-6.86%

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

$21.6K COP 77.5M

$17.6K COP 63.1M

22.85%

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

$29.4K COP 105.4M

$25.7K COP 91.8M

14.72%

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

$83.0 COP 296.9K

$82.1 COP 293.8K

1.06%

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

$9.11 COP 32.6K

$8.94 COP 32.0K

1.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.66 COP 88.3K

$22.34 COP 79.9K

10.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.17 COP 72.2K

$23.31 COP 83.4K

-13.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.58 COP 52.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 COP 17.0K

$4.06 COP 14.5K

16.75%

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

$227 COP 811.6K

$237 COP 847.8K

-4.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,005 COP 21.5M

$5,929 COP 21.2M

1.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 COP 224.9K

$58.7 COP 210.2K

7.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.59 COP 156.0K

$33.13 COP 118.6K

31.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 COP 277.8K

$83.2 COP 297.8K

-6.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 COP 317.8K

$71.6 COP 256.1K

24.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 838.7K

$287 COP 1.0M

-18.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 COP 662.9K

$237 COP 847.6K

-21.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 COP 2.2M

$531 COP 1.9M

14.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 COP 1.5M

$432 COP 1.5M

-5.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,127 COP 4.0M

$1,652 COP 5.9M

-31.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$901 COP 3.2M

$1,366 COP 4.9M

-34.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 COP 1.9M

$550 COP 2.0M

-4.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

13.18

-12.14%

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

Last update for Cali: April 20, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Cali versus $287 in Buenaventura. 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 $29 in Cali versus $24 in Buenaventura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $170 – 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

Cali vs Buenaventura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $753 in Cali, $797 in Buenaventura – roughly 6% apart. Buenaventura costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,130 per month in Cali and $1,195 in Buenaventura. 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 $29.00 in Cali and $24.00 in Buenaventura. 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 $753 in Cali and $797 in Buenaventura, 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.