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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $764 per month in Cali vs $806 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,236 per month in Cali vs $1,234 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,708 per month in Cali vs $1,661 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Cali is about 5% cheaper than Buenaventura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cali and Buenaventura are more affordable than the global median – Cali 43% lower, Buenaventura 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 COP 12.0K

$4.04 COP 13.0K

-7.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.03 COP 93.4K

$23.92 COP 77.0K

21.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 COP 23.8K

$7.12 COP 22.9K

4.07%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,285

$1.50 COP 4,828

9.33%

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

$0.95 COP 3,053

$0.93 COP 2,994

2.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,939

$0.56 COP 1,811

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 COP 3,407

$1.21 COP 3,908

-12.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 COP 8,299

$2.14 COP 6,872

20.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,127

$1.06 COP 3,397

20.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 4,757

$1.25 COP 4,019

18.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 3,909

$1.13 COP 3,635

7.08%

Eggs

$2.58 COP 8,303

$2.15 COP 6,933

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.15 COP 13.3K

$4.36 COP 14.0K

-4.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 17.8K

$5.16 COP 16.6K

7.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 COP 23.9K

$7.16 COP 23.1K

3.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 COP 8,031

$2.48 COP 7,971

0.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,986

$1.12 COP 3,588

-16.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,803

$1.31 COP 4,201

-9.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 4,101

$0.87 COP 2,799

45.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 COP 2,783

$1.13 COP 3,629

-23.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 COP 3,395

$1.17 COP 3,773

-10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 COP 2,232

$0.81 COP 2,598

-14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,253

$0.65 COP 2,105

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 COP 9,072

$2.33 COP 7,508

21.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.59 COP 40.5K

$10.87 COP 35.0K

15.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,449

$1.13 COP 3,629

-5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 COP 6,216

$1.79 COP 5,770

7.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,176

$0.72 COP 2,305

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.55 COP 66.1K

$29.68 COP 95.5K

-30.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 COP 5,008

$1.44 COP 4,621

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,259

$1.64 COP 5,285

18.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.59 COP 30.9K

$6.18 COP 19.9K

55.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,049

$0.95 COP 3,070

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

$21.7K COP 69.9M

$17.7K COP 56.9M

22.81%

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

$30.3K COP 97.5M

$25.4K COP 81.7M

19.38%

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

$83.2 COP 267.7K

$83.3 COP 268.1K

-0.16%

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

$8.80 COP 28.3K

$8.87 COP 28.5K

-0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.79 COP 79.8K

$22.32 COP 71.8K

11.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.02 COP 64.4K

$23.66 COP 76.1K

-15.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 46.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 COP 15.4K

$4.02 COP 12.9K

19.15%

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

$227 COP 730.0K

$235 COP 756.2K

-3.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,918 COP 19.0M

$5,945 COP 19.1M

-0.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 COP 205.5K

$60.1 COP 193.2K

6.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.27 COP 139.2K

$32.17 COP 103.5K

34.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 COP 243.2K

$83.8 COP 269.6K

-9.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 COP 284.3K

$74.1 COP 238.4K

19.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 COP 768.1K

$282 COP 907.8K

-15.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 COP 610.4K

$237 COP 761.3K

-19.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 COP 1.9M

$536 COP 1.7M

12.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 COP 1.3M

$433 COP 1.4M

-7.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,228 COP 4.0M

$1,731 COP 5.6M

-29.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,005 COP 3.2M

$1,400 COP 4.5M

-28.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$558 COP 1.8M

$623 COP 2.0M

-10.39%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 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 12% 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: $185 vs $173 – 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: $764 in Cali, $806 in Buenaventura – roughly 6% apart. Buenaventura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,146 per month in Cali and $1,210 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 $764 in Cali and $806 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 $764 in Cali to $806 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.