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: $744 in Cali versus $821 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Cali versus $1,255 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,704 in Cali versus $1,689 in Cartago.

Living in Cali costs roughly 9% less than in Cartago, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 44% lower, Cartago 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 COP 13.0K

$3.71 COP 13.3K

-1.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.25 COP 104.5K

$28.89 COP 103.2K

1.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 COP 26.3K

$7.33 COP 26.2K

0.41%

Cappuccino

$1.61 COP 5,754

$1.57 COP 5,610

2.55%

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

$0.94 COP 3,353

$0.92 COP 3,289

2.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,979

$0.59 COP 2,112

-6.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 COP 3,775

$1.01 COP 3,622

4.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 COP 9,130

$2.59 COP 9,265

-1.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 COP 4,347

$1.23 COP 4,398

-0.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 COP 5,465

$1.53 COP 5,454

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,319

$1.25 COP 4,452

-3.20%

Eggs

$2.46 COP 8,779

$2.46 COP 8,767

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 COP 15.3K

$4.35 COP 15.5K

-1.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 COP 19.5K

$5.48 COP 19.6K

-0.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 COP 27.1K

$7.55 COP 26.9K

0.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 COP 8,570

$2.46 COP 8,802

-2.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,474

$0.92 COP 3,300

5.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,274

$1.14 COP 4,073

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 4,548

$1.32 COP 4,714

-3.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,148

$0.87 COP 3,102

1.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,949

$1.11 COP 3,952

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,679

$0.71 COP 2,542

5.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,323

$0.70 COP 2,501

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 COP 10.3K

$2.81 COP 10.0K

3.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 COP 41.0K

$11.32 COP 40.4K

1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,932

$1.06 COP 3,781

3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 COP 6,584

$1.95 COP 6,969

-5.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,407

$0.69 COP 2,463

-2.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.20 COP 72.1K

$29.69 COP 106.0K

-31.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 5,485

$1.52 COP 5,442

1.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 COP 6,707

$1.89 COP 6,741

-0.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 COP 35.0K

$9.87 COP 35.2K

-0.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 3,304

$0.94 COP 3,359

-1.06%

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

$21.4K COP 76.4M

$21.8K COP 78.0M

-2.04%

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

$30.3K COP 108.3M

$30.0K COP 107.1M

1.11%

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

$80.9 COP 289.0K

$80.6 COP 287.7K

0.45%

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

$8.78 COP 31.4K

$8.70 COP 31.1K

0.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.99 COP 85.7K

$24.15 COP 86.2K

-0.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.60 COP 70.0K

$23.66 COP 84.5K

-17.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.79 COP 52.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 17.4K

$4.91 COP 17.5K

-0.81%

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

$226 COP 807.0K

$224 COP 799.3K

0.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,039 COP 21.6M

$5,901 COP 21.1M

2.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 227.5K

$63.6 COP 227.1K

0.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.16 COP 157.7K

$44.20 COP 157.8K

-0.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 COP 280.5K

$77.4 COP 276.2K

1.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 319.6K

$90.4 COP 322.8K

-1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 834.7K

$281 COP 1.0M

-16.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 665.2K

$238 COP 849.6K

-21.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 COP 2.2M

$527 COP 1.9M

15.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 COP 1.5M

$424 COP 1.5M

-3.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,101 COP 3.9M

$1,428 COP 5.1M

-22.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$890 COP 3.2M

$1,172 COP 4.2M

-24.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 COP 1.8M

$308 COP 1.1M

60.44%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cartago: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Cali and $281 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 60% 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 $29.00 in Cartago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $182 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 Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cali pays 60% 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: $234 in Cali versus $281 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Cali versus $224 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Cartago. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cali gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 10% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.