Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Manizales Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Manizales

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $756 in Cali versus $742 in Manizales.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,227 in Cali versus $1,089 in Manizales.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,698 in Cali versus $1,437 in Manizales.

Living in Cali is roughly 2% more expensive than in Manizales, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 43% lower, Manizales 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 COP 11.2K

$3.71 COP 11.7K

-4.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.88 COP 90.9K

$17.25 COP 54.3K

67.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 23.4K

$7.61 COP 24.0K

-2.50%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,158

$1.34 COP 4,231

22.39%

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

$0.88 COP 2,783

$0.73 COP 2,310

20.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,884

$0.52 COP 1,631

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,194

$1.12 COP 3,532

-9.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 7,779

$2.12 COP 6,660

16.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 COP 3,863

$1.04 COP 3,263

18.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 4,668

$1.41 COP 4,437

4.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,940

$1.12 COP 3,519

11.61%

Eggs

$2.47 COP 7,786

$2.00 COP 6,282

23.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.21 COP 13.3K

$4.87 COP 15.3K

-13.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.45 COP 17.2K

$5.05 COP 15.9K

7.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 COP 24.5K

$7.30 COP 23.0K

6.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 COP 7,733

$2.96 COP 9,318

-16.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,914

$1.03 COP 3,254

-9.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 3,749

$1.37 COP 4,304

-13.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 3,998

$1.29 COP 4,055

-1.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,579

$1.11 COP 3,507

-26.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,445

$1.12 COP 3,524

-2.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 COP 2,331

$0.77 COP 2,423

-3.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,049

$0.83 COP 2,613

-21.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 COP 8,828

$2.45 COP 7,705

14.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.13 COP 41.4K

$10.74 COP 33.8K

22.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,385

$1.11 COP 3,500

-2.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 5,848

$1.93 COP 6,065

-3.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,097

$0.67 COP 2,106

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.94 COP 62.8K

$27.06 COP 85.2K

-26.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 5,062

$1.18 COP 3,705

36.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,137

$1.28 COP 4,025

52.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 COP 30.9K

$6.22 COP 19.6K

57.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 2,982

$1.01 COP 3,174

-5.94%

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

$21.5K COP 67.7M

$15.8K COP 49.6M

36.37%

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

$30.2K COP 95.1M

$25.5K COP 80.4M

18.32%

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

$82.2 COP 258.7K

$60.2 COP 189.4K

36.61%

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

$8.73 COP 27.5K

$9.03 COP 28.4K

-3.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.65 COP 77.6K

$24.94 COP 78.5K

-1.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.05 COP 63.1K

$27.66 COP 87.1K

-27.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.40 COP 45.4K

$19.02 COP 59.9K

-24.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 COP 15.2K

$3.21 COP 10.1K

50.16%

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

$225 COP 708.9K

$243 COP 764.3K

-7.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 18.5M

$8,515 COP 26.8M

-31.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 COP 202.5K

$37.22 COP 117.2K

72.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.60 COP 137.3K

$30.93 COP 97.4K

40.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 COP 240.9K

$63.9 COP 201.3K

19.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 COP 280.3K

$59.7 COP 188.0K

49.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 740.9K

$262 COP 824.7K

-10.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 COP 595.4K

$224 COP 705.1K

-15.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 COP 1.9M

$425 COP 1.3M

44.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 COP 1.3M

$298 COP 936.8K

37.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,261 COP 4.0M

$1,819 COP 5.7M

-30.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,020 COP 3.2M

$1,630 COP 5.1M

-37.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 COP 1.8M

$906 COP 2.9M

-37.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

5.27%

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

Last update for Cali: July 26, 2026

Last update for Manizales: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Cali and $262 in Manizales. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manizales 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 $17.00 in Manizales for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $181 per month, with Manizales 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 Manizales: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manizales is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 60% lower in Manizales. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $235 in Cali versus $262 in Manizales. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $225 in Cali versus $243 in Manizales. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Cali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Manizales gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Manizales 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.

Safety-wise, Cali and Manizales 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 Manizales gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.