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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $751 per month in Cali vs $803 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,205 per month in Cali vs $1,225 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,659 per month in Cali vs $1,648 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Cali is about 6% cheaper than Buenaventura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cali and Buenaventura are more affordable than the global median – Cali 44% lower, Buenaventura 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 COP 13.3K

$3.98 COP 14.2K

-6.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.95 COP 103.2K

$23.67 COP 84.4K

22.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 COP 25.2K

$7.47 COP 26.6K

-5.49%

Cappuccino

$1.56 COP 5,557

$1.50 COP 5,349

4.00%

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

$0.88 COP 3,130

$0.86 COP 3,067

2.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,158

$0.62 COP 2,201

-3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 COP 3,752

$1.21 COP 4,312

-13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 COP 8,993

$2.24 COP 7,978

12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,580

$1.07 COP 3,814

19.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 COP 5,201

$1.25 COP 4,450

16.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,313

$1.14 COP 4,082

6.14%

Eggs

$2.47 COP 8,810

$2.16 COP 7,693

14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.20 COP 15.0K

$4.33 COP 15.4K

-3.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 19.7K

$5.27 COP 18.8K

4.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 COP 28.0K

$7.55 COP 26.9K

3.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 8,614

$2.51 COP 8,934

-3.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.11 COP 3,947

-14.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,254

$1.30 COP 4,625

-8.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,642

$0.87 COP 3,091

49.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 COP 2,899

$1.13 COP 4,029

-28.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.12 COP 3,999

-5.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 COP 2,708

$0.88 COP 3,130

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,484

$0.70 COP 2,497

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 COP 10.2K

$2.30 COP 8,195

23.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 COP 41.3K

$10.24 COP 36.5K

12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,821

$1.14 COP 4,055

-6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 COP 6,961

$1.71 COP 6,102

14.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,576

$0.73 COP 2,609

-1.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.01 COP 71.4K

$30.19 COP 107.7K

-33.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 COP 5,642

$1.42 COP 5,081

11.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,819

$1.72 COP 6,121

11.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.72 COP 34.7K

$5.97 COP 21.3K

62.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,264

$1.00 COP 3,583

-8.00%

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

$21.5K COP 76.8M

$17.7K COP 63.0M

21.88%

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

$30.4K COP 108.2M

$25.6K COP 91.3M

18.53%

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

$81.2 COP 289.6K

$83.1 COP 296.2K

-2.23%

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

$8.63 COP 30.8K

$8.91 COP 31.8K

-3.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.09 COP 85.9K

$22.83 COP 81.4K

5.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.55 COP 69.7K

$23.22 COP 82.8K

-15.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 51.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$4.01 COP 14.3K

23.19%

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

$227 COP 808.1K

$235 COP 836.4K

-3.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 20.9M

$5,923 COP 21.1M

-0.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 227.1K

$58.6 COP 208.9K

8.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.88 COP 160.1K

$32.76 COP 116.8K

37.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 COP 270.3K

$84.2 COP 300.2K

-9.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 COP 320.0K

$73.4 COP 261.8K

22.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 864.5K

$282 COP 1.0M

-13.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 664.1K

$238 COP 850.3K

-21.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 COP 2.2M

$520 COP 1.9M

16.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 COP 1.4M

$425 COP 1.5M

-6.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,114 COP 4.0M

$1,606 COP 5.7M

-30.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 COP 3.3M

$1,236 COP 4.4M

-25.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$553 COP 2.0M

-7.49%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Cali versus $282 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 8% 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 $29.00 in Cali versus $24.00 in Buenaventura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $174 – 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: $751 in Cali, $803 in Buenaventura – roughly 7% apart. Buenaventura costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,127 per month in Cali and $1,204 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 5% 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 $751 in Cali and $803 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 $751 in Cali to $803 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.