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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,090 per month in Cali vs $1,288 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,649 per month in Cali vs $2,054 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,208 per month in Cali vs $2,820 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Cali is about 15% cheaper than Buenaventura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cali and Buenaventura are more affordable than the global median – Cali 21% lower, Buenaventura 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 COP 24.0K

$7.69 COP 24.0K

0.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.08 COP 118.8K

$46.60 COP 145.4K

-18.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 COP 26.9K

$8.83 COP 27.6K

-2.49%

Cappuccino

$1.62 COP 5,055

$2.32 COP 7,252

-30.17%

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

$1.26 COP 3,929

$1.48 COP 4,620

-14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 2,725

$0.98 COP 3,066

-11.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.1K

$2.32 COP 7,226

40.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 COP 12.0K

$3.62 COP 11.3K

6.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 COP 4,915

$1.42 COP 4,439

10.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 COP 6,214

$2.71 COP 8,459

-26.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,714

$1.81 COP 5,644

-16.57%

Eggs

$2.83 COP 8,824

$2.77 COP 8,649

2.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.43 COP 20.1K

$7.55 COP 23.6K

-14.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 COP 22.0K

$10.63 COP 33.2K

-33.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 COP 32.4K

$13.54 COP 42.3K

-23.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 COP 10.9K

$3.10 COP 9,676

12.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 COP 4,408

$1.32 COP 4,130

6.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 COP 5,482

$2.15 COP 6,723

-18.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 COP 5,462

$1.96 COP 6,106

-10.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,534

$1.43 COP 4,452

1.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,895

$1.49 COP 4,655

5.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,600

$1.27 COP 3,977

-9.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 COP 3,236

$0.99 COP 3,102

5.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.70 COP 11.6K

$4.47 COP 14.0K

-17.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 COP 41.4K

$15.59 COP 48.7K

-14.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 COP 4,519

$1.61 COP 5,033

-9.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 COP 7,903

$3.13 COP 9,759

-19.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 COP 3,385

$1.22 COP 3,814

-11.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.95 COP 93.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 COP 2,633

$1.54 COP 4,797

-45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 COP 7,567

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,069

$1.50 COP 4,694

-13.33%

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

$26.7K COP 83.3M

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

$35.7K COP 111.4M

$39.5K COP 123.4M

-9.73%

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

$114 COP 354.4K

$117 COP 365.4K

-3.02%

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

$13.49 COP 42.1K

$12.98 COP 40.5K

3.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.05 COP 96.9K

$32.02 COP 99.9K

-3.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.87 COP 90.1K

$32.99 COP 103.0K

-12.49%

Cinema Ticket

$8.43 COP 26.3K

$6.25 COP 19.5K

34.88%

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

$571 COP 1.8M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,325 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 COP 250.6K

$84.2 COP 262.9K

-4.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 COP 169.7K

$58.7 COP 183.2K

-7.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 COP 387.6K

$144 COP 449.9K

-13.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 340.0K

$94.5 COP 294.8K

15.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 COP 2.0M

$773 COP 2.4M

-17.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 COP 934.6K

$507 COP 1.6M

-40.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 COP 4.9M

$1,174 COP 3.7M

34.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 COP 1.5M

$877 COP 2.7M

-43.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,059 COP 6.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,447 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

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

Last update for Cali: September 1, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $641 in Cali versus $773 in Buenaventura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Cali versus $47.00 in Buenaventura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $288 – 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 Buenaventura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,090 in Cali, $1,288 in Buenaventura – roughly 18% apart. Buenaventura costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,636 per month in Cali and $1,932 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Cali and $47.00 in Buenaventura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,090 in Cali and $1,288 in Buenaventura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cali, where all-in costs run around $1,090, than in Buenaventura at $1,288. In Cali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buenaventura it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,090 in Cali to $1,288 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.