Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Cartago Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Cartago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,090 in Cali versus $1,232 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Cali versus $1,965 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,208 in Cali versus $2,699 in Cartago.

Living in Cali costs roughly 11% less than in Cartago, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 21% lower, Cartago 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 COP 24.2K

$7.66 COP 24.1K

0.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.08 COP 119.7K

$38.34 COP 120.5K

-0.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 COP 27.1K

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-0.12%

Cappuccino

$1.62 COP 5,091

$1.61 COP 5,068

0.62%

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

$1.26 COP 3,957

$1.30 COP 4,095

-3.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 2,744

$0.87 COP 2,724

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.2K

$3.12 COP 9,820

4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 COP 12.1K

$3.86 COP 12.1K

-0.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 COP 4,950

$1.63 COP 5,121

-3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 COP 6,258

$2.00 COP 6,272

-0.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,747

$1.49 COP 4,689

1.34%

Eggs

$2.83 COP 8,887

$2.89 COP 9,089

-2.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.43 COP 20.2K

$6.44 COP 20.3K

-0.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 COP 22.2K

$6.93 COP 21.8K

1.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 COP 32.7K

$10.09 COP 31.7K

2.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 COP 11.0K

$3.54 COP 11.1K

-1.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 COP 4,439

$1.35 COP 4,248

4.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 COP 5,520

$1.81 COP 5,703

-2.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 COP 5,500

$1.66 COP 5,231

5.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,566

$1.44 COP 4,514

0.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,930

$1.58 COP 4,968

-0.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,625

$1.14 COP 3,586

0.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 COP 3,259

$1.01 COP 3,186

2.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.70 COP 11.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 COP 41.7K

$12.96 COP 40.7K

2.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 COP 4,551

$1.51 COP 4,742

-3.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 COP 7,959

$2.54 COP 7,999

-0.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 COP 3,409

$1.19 COP 3,731

-9.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.95 COP 94.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 COP 2,652

$0.86 COP 2,688

-2.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 COP 5,876

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 COP 25.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,098

$1.33 COP 4,191

-2.26%

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

$23.6K COP 74.1M

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

$35.7K COP 112.2M

$35.9K COP 112.8M

-0.56%

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

$114 COP 356.9K

$113 COP 356.4K

0.13%

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

$13.49 COP 42.4K

$13.29 COP 41.8K

1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.05 COP 97.6K

$31.50 COP 99.0K

-1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.87 COP 90.8K

$35.54 COP 111.7K

-18.77%

Cinema Ticket

$8.43 COP 26.5K

$8.49 COP 26.7K

-0.71%

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

$658 COP 2.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,616 COP 20.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 COP 252.4K

$78.7 COP 247.3K

2.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 COP 170.9K

$55.1 COP 173.3K

-1.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 COP 390.3K

$126 COP 395.7K

-1.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 342.4K

$109 COP 343.5K

-0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 COP 2.0M

$646 COP 2.0M

-0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 COP 941.2K

$502 COP 1.6M

-40.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 COP 5.0M

$1,123 COP 3.5M

40.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 COP 1.5M

$1,010 COP 3.2M

-51.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,687 COP 5.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,900 COP 6.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 COP 1.9M

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 Cartago: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $641 in Cali and $646 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Cali vs $38.00 in Cartago. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $242, with Cartago cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,636 in Cali and $1,847 in Cartago to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $641 in Cali versus $646 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Cartago pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Cali – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $38.00 in Cartago. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,090 in Cali versus $1,232 in Cartago, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Cartago. 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 Cartago, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cali and Cartago are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.