Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Cucuta Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Cucuta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $747 in Cali versus $696 in Cucuta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,229 in Cali versus $1,113 in Cucuta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,710 in Cali versus $1,530 in Cucuta.

Living in Cali is roughly 7% more expensive than in Cucuta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 44% lower, Cucuta 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 COP 11.9K

$3.68 COP 12.0K

-0.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.20 COP 94.9K

$24.03 COP 78.1K

21.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 COP 24.1K

$7.32 COP 23.8K

1.23%

Cappuccino

$1.58 COP 5,130

$0.99 COP 3,209

59.60%

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

$0.95 COP 3,095

$0.88 COP 2,863

7.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,940

$0.35 COP 1,136

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,297

$1.21 COP 3,934

-16.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 COP 8,484

$2.22 COP 7,205

17.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 COP 4,029

$0.87 COP 2,838

42.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 COP 4,770

$0.95 COP 3,104

54.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 4,076

$1.00 COP 3,243

25.00%

Eggs

$2.48 COP 8,065

$2.12 COP 6,886

16.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 14.1K

$5.45 COP 17.7K

-20.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 COP 17.4K

$5.29 COP 17.2K

1.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 COP 24.4K

$7.29 COP 23.7K

2.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 COP 8,108

$2.55 COP 8,275

-2.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,986

$0.75 COP 2,455

22.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,749

$0.70 COP 2,286

64.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,260

$0.63 COP 2,046

107.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 COP 2,881

$0.76 COP 2,467

17.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,593

$0.64 COP 2,070

73.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,427

$0.58 COP 1,901

29.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,211

$0.75 COP 2,431

-9.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 COP 9,454

$2.39 COP 7,770

21.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.88 COP 41.9K

$11.84 COP 38.5K

8.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,478

$1.13 COP 3,667

-5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 6,040

$1.72 COP 5,581

8.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,386

$0.67 COP 2,175

8.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.17 COP 65.6K

$29.69 COP 96.5K

-32.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 COP 5,043

$1.41 COP 4,600

9.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,171

$1.50 COP 4,885

26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 COP 30.7K

$5.30 COP 17.2K

78.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,190

$0.99 COP 3,207

-1.01%

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

$21.9K COP 71.3M

$17.6K COP 57.4M

24.28%

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

$29.6K COP 96.2M

$26.0K COP 84.4M

13.99%

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

$83.3 COP 270.9K

$85.5 COP 277.9K

-2.53%

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

$8.94 COP 29.1K

$9.18 COP 29.9K

-2.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.55 COP 79.8K

$19.24 COP 62.6K

27.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.79 COP 64.3K

$23.55 COP 76.6K

-15.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.72 COP 47.9K

$8.82 COP 28.7K

66.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 COP 15.9K

$4.01 COP 13.1K

21.70%

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

$222 COP 720.7K

$324 COP 1.1M

-31.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 19.1M

$4,243 COP 13.8M

38.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 COP 208.1K

$59.5 COP 193.4K

7.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.51 COP 141.5K

$32.18 COP 104.6K

35.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 COP 248.1K

$83.9 COP 272.7K

-9.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 291.1K

$69.9 COP 227.3K

28.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 COP 783.0K

$254 COP 826.4K

-5.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 COP 611.5K

$169 COP 550.1K

11.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 COP 2.0M

$579 COP 1.9M

6.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 COP 1.3M

$359 COP 1.2M

11.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,258 COP 4.1M

$1,770 COP 5.8M

-28.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$990 COP 3.2M

$1,295 COP 4.2M

-23.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 COP 1.8M

$500 COP 1.6M

10.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

13.18

-12.14%

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

Last update for Cali: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cucuta: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Cali and $254 in Cucuta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cali vs $24.00 in Cucuta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $166 per month, with Cucuta 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 Cucuta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cucuta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 11% 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: $241 in Cali versus $254 in Cucuta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Cali versus $324 in Cucuta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Cali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

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

Expats usually find Cucuta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.