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: $751 in Cali versus $1,070 in Cartagena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,205 in Cali versus $1,619 in Cartagena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,659 in Cali versus $2,168 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 44% lower, Cartagena 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 COP 13.0K

$5.89 COP 20.5K

-36.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.95 COP 101.0K

$46.71 COP 163.0K

-38.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 COP 24.6K

$9.43 COP 32.9K

-25.13%

Cappuccino

$1.56 COP 5,438

$1.62 COP 5,658

-3.70%

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

$0.88 COP 3,063

$0.82 COP 2,855

7.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,111

$0.66 COP 2,309

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 COP 3,672

$1.25 COP 4,347

-16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 COP 8,800

$2.88 COP 10.1K

-12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,482

$1.15 COP 4,020

11.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 COP 5,090

$1.92 COP 6,695

-23.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,221

$1.38 COP 4,818

-12.32%

Eggs

$2.47 COP 8,621

$2.10 COP 7,317

17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.20 COP 14.7K

$6.73 COP 23.5K

-37.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 19.3K

$6.13 COP 21.4K

-9.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 COP 27.4K

$7.82 COP 27.3K

0.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 8,430

$3.22 COP 11.2K

-24.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,324

$1.93 COP 6,729

-50.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,163

$1.44 COP 5,011

-17.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,542

$1.65 COP 5,757

-21.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 COP 2,837

$1.54 COP 5,378

-47.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,684

$1.06 COP 3,716

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 COP 2,650

$1.00 COP 3,489

-24.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,431

$0.64 COP 2,224

9.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 COP 9,948

$2.28 COP 7,973

25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 COP 40.4K

$18.45 COP 64.4K

-37.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,739

$0.94 COP 3,272

13.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 COP 6,812

$0.97 COP 3,392

101.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,521

$1.03 COP 3,583

-30.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.01 COP 69.8K

$28.09 COP 98.0K

-28.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 COP 5,521

$2.46 COP 8,570

-35.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,674

$2.44 COP 8,521

-21.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.72 COP 33.9K

$4.73 COP 16.5K

105.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,194

$1.02 COP 3,552

-9.80%

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

$21.5K COP 75.2M

$21.4K COP 74.8M

0.51%

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

$30.4K COP 105.9M

$23.6K COP 82.3M

28.69%

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

$81.2 COP 283.4K

$139 COP 486.8K

-41.78%

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

$8.63 COP 30.1K

$10.98 COP 38.3K

-21.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.09 COP 84.1K

$25.01 COP 87.3K

-3.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.55 COP 68.2K

$34.52 COP 120.5K

-43.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 50.1K

$8.50 COP 29.7K

68.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 COP 17.3K

$2.85 COP 9,936

73.33%

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

$227 COP 790.8K

$139 COP 485.5K

62.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 20.5M

$5,857 COP 20.4M

0.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 222.3K

$47.52 COP 165.9K

34.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.88 COP 156.6K

$38.12 COP 133.0K

17.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 COP 264.5K

$126 COP 440.8K

-39.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 COP 313.1K

$114 COP 396.4K

-21.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 846.1K

$725 COP 2.5M

-66.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 649.9K

$334 COP 1.2M

-44.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 COP 2.1M

$1,271 COP 4.4M

-52.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 COP 1.4M

$466 COP 1.6M

-14.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,114 COP 3.9M

$3,075 COP 10.7M

-63.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 COP 3.2M

$842 COP 2.9M

9.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$410 COP 1.4M

24.84%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Cali and $725 in Cartagena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 25% 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 $183 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 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cali pays 25% more on average, 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: $242 in Cali versus $725 in Cartagena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $227 in Cali versus $139 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 $751 in Cali versus $1,070 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 42% less than in Cartagena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.