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: $744 in Cali versus $703 in Cucuta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Cali versus $1,114 in Cucuta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,704 in Cali versus $1,524 in Cucuta.

Living in Cali is roughly 6% more expensive than 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 13.0K

$3.69 COP 13.2K

-1.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.25 COP 104.5K

$23.71 COP 84.7K

23.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 COP 26.3K

$7.47 COP 26.7K

-1.47%

Cappuccino

$1.61 COP 5,754

$0.99 COP 3,526

62.63%

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

$0.94 COP 3,353

$0.89 COP 3,173

5.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,979

$0.34 COP 1,230

61.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 COP 3,775

$1.15 COP 4,110

-7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 COP 9,130

$2.22 COP 7,913

15.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 COP 4,347

$0.86 COP 3,085

41.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 COP 5,465

$0.92 COP 3,301

66.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,319

$0.94 COP 3,368

28.72%

Eggs

$2.46 COP 8,779

$2.21 COP 7,899

11.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 COP 15.3K

$5.30 COP 18.9K

-19.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 COP 19.5K

$5.26 COP 18.8K

3.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 COP 27.1K

$7.33 COP 26.2K

3.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 COP 8,570

$2.42 COP 8,652

-0.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,474

$0.75 COP 2,672

29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,274

$0.75 COP 2,692

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 4,548

$0.63 COP 2,254

101.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,148

$0.75 COP 2,686

17.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,949

$0.59 COP 2,093

88.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,679

$0.63 COP 2,238

19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,323

$0.72 COP 2,566

-9.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 COP 10.3K

$2.39 COP 8,530

21.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 COP 41.0K

$10.81 COP 38.6K

6.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,932

$1.09 COP 3,900

0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 COP 6,584

$1.79 COP 6,398

2.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,407

$0.70 COP 2,483

-4.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.20 COP 72.1K

$29.51 COP 105.4K

-31.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 5,485

$1.43 COP 5,103

7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 COP 6,707

$1.51 COP 5,390

24.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 COP 35.0K

$5.09 COP 18.2K

92.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 3,304

$0.99 COP 3,522

-6.06%

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

$21.4K COP 76.4M

$18.2K COP 65.0M

17.58%

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

$30.3K COP 108.3M

$25.9K COP 92.4M

17.18%

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

$80.9 COP 289.0K

$86.4 COP 308.5K

-6.31%

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

$8.78 COP 31.4K

$9.04 COP 32.3K

-2.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.99 COP 85.7K

$19.60 COP 70.0K

22.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.60 COP 70.0K

$23.64 COP 84.4K

-17.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.79 COP 52.8K

$8.79 COP 31.4K

68.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 17.4K

$3.87 COP 13.8K

25.84%

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

$226 COP 807.0K

$331 COP 1.2M

-31.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,039 COP 21.6M

$4,202 COP 15.0M

43.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 227.5K

$59.2 COP 211.5K

7.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.16 COP 157.7K

$33.31 COP 118.9K

32.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 COP 280.5K

$81.8 COP 292.0K

-3.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 319.6K

$71.7 COP 256.0K

24.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 834.7K

$252 COP 900.5K

-7.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 665.2K

$171 COP 610.6K

8.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 COP 2.2M

$586 COP 2.1M

3.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 COP 1.5M

$357 COP 1.3M

14.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,101 COP 3.9M

$1,554 COP 5.5M

-29.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$890 COP 3.2M

$1,144 COP 4.1M

-22.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 COP 1.8M

$454 COP 1.6M

8.94%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cucuta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Cali and $252 in Cucuta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 9% 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 $182 vs $163 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cali pays 9% 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 $252 in Cucuta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Cali versus $331 in Cucuta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% 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 6% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.