Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Cartagena Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Cartagena

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $756 in Cali versus $1,086 in Cartagena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,227 in Cali versus $1,604 in Cartagena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,698 in Cali versus $2,121 in Cartagena.

Living in Cali costs roughly 30% less than in Cartagena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 43% lower, Cartagena 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 COP 11.2K

$5.93 COP 18.7K

-39.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.88 COP 90.9K

$47.34 COP 149.1K

-38.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 23.4K

$9.95 COP 31.3K

-25.43%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,158

$1.57 COP 4,950

4.46%

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

$0.88 COP 2,783

$0.82 COP 2,579

7.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,884

$0.68 COP 2,128

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,194

$1.31 COP 4,111

-22.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 7,779

$2.89 COP 9,107

-14.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 COP 3,863

$1.14 COP 3,590

7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 4,668

$1.83 COP 5,777

-19.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,940

$1.37 COP 4,324

-8.76%

Eggs

$2.47 COP 7,786

$2.19 COP 6,910

12.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.21 COP 13.3K

$6.81 COP 21.5K

-38.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.45 COP 17.2K

$6.22 COP 19.6K

-12.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 COP 24.5K

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 COP 7,733

$3.26 COP 10.3K

-24.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,914

$1.91 COP 6,014

-51.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 3,749

$1.45 COP 4,556

-17.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 3,998

$1.62 COP 5,101

-21.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,579

$1.61 COP 5,074

-49.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,445

$1.08 COP 3,400

0.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 COP 2,331

$1.01 COP 3,177

-26.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,049

$0.59 COP 1,865

10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 COP 8,828

$2.35 COP 7,403

19.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.13 COP 41.4K

$18.80 COP 59.2K

-30.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,385

$0.98 COP 3,083

10.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 5,848

$0.98 COP 3,081

89.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,097

$1.05 COP 3,311

-36.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.94 COP 62.8K

$28.98 COP 91.2K

-31.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 5,062

$2.46 COP 7,753

-34.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,137

$2.37 COP 7,461

-17.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 COP 30.9K

$4.86 COP 15.3K

101.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 2,982

$1.02 COP 3,204

-6.86%

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

$21.5K COP 67.7M

$21.1K COP 66.5M

1.80%

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

$30.2K COP 95.1M

$24.0K COP 75.7M

25.67%

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

$82.2 COP 258.7K

$143 COP 449.0K

-42.38%

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

$8.73 COP 27.5K

$10.93 COP 34.4K

-20.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.65 COP 77.6K

$25.27 COP 79.6K

-2.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.05 COP 63.1K

$35.26 COP 111.0K

-43.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.40 COP 45.4K

$8.60 COP 27.1K

67.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 COP 15.2K

$2.84 COP 8,948

69.72%

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

$225 COP 708.9K

$144 COP 453.7K

56.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 18.5M

$6,062 COP 19.1M

-3.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 COP 202.5K

$47.97 COP 151.0K

34.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.60 COP 137.3K

$38.50 COP 121.2K

13.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 COP 240.9K

$125 COP 393.7K

-38.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 COP 280.3K

$112 COP 351.2K

-20.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 740.9K

$720 COP 2.3M

-67.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 COP 595.4K

$333 COP 1.0M

-43.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 COP 1.9M

$1,292 COP 4.1M

-52.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 COP 1.3M

$471 COP 1.5M

-13.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,261 COP 4.0M

$3,492 COP 11.0M

-63.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,020 COP 3.2M

$935 COP 2.9M

9.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 COP 1.8M

$467 COP 1.5M

21.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

-22.80%

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

Last update for Cali: July 26, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Cali and $720 in Cartagena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cali vs $47.00 in Cartagena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $223 per month, with Cali cheaper across the board.

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 Cartagena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 21% higher in Cali, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $235 in Cali versus $720 in Cartagena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $225 in Cali versus $144 in Cartagena. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Cartagena. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $756 in Cali versus $1,086 in Cartagena, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Cartagena. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cartagena, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Cartagena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.