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: $751 in Cali versus $751 in Manizales.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,205 in Cali versus $1,070 in Manizales.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,659 in Cali versus $1,389 in Manizales.

Monthly costs are close between Cali and Manizales; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 COP 13.0K

$3.66 COP 12.8K

1.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.95 COP 101.0K

$17.07 COP 59.6K

69.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 COP 24.6K

$7.65 COP 26.7K

-7.71%

Cappuccino

$1.56 COP 5,438

$1.34 COP 4,692

16.42%

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

$0.88 COP 3,063

$0.75 COP 2,607

17.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,111

$0.56 COP 1,949

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 COP 3,672

$1.08 COP 3,765

-2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 COP 8,800

$2.16 COP 7,549

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,482

$0.95 COP 3,321

34.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 COP 5,090

$1.47 COP 5,136

-0.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,221

$1.13 COP 3,928

7.08%

Eggs

$2.47 COP 8,621

$1.90 COP 6,615

30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.20 COP 14.7K

$4.67 COP 16.3K

-10.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 19.3K

$5.00 COP 17.4K

10.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 COP 27.4K

$7.16 COP 25.0K

9.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 8,430

$3.11 COP 10.9K

-22.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,324

$1.00 COP 3,493

-5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,163

$1.35 COP 4,722

-11.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,542

$1.29 COP 4,499

0.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 COP 2,837

$1.12 COP 3,906

-27.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,684

$1.17 COP 4,079

-9.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 COP 2,650

$0.71 COP 2,494

7.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,431

$0.79 COP 2,755

-11.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 COP 9,948

$2.44 COP 8,516

16.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 COP 40.4K

$9.82 COP 34.3K

17.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,739

$1.15 COP 4,000

-6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 COP 6,812

$1.94 COP 6,777

0.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,521

$0.65 COP 2,260

10.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.01 COP 69.8K

$27.57 COP 96.2K

-27.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 COP 5,521

$1.19 COP 4,144

32.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,674

$1.29 COP 4,489

48.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.72 COP 33.9K

$5.98 COP 20.9K

62.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,194

$0.97 COP 3,372

-5.15%

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

$21.5K COP 75.2M

$15.9K COP 55.5M

35.34%

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

$30.4K COP 105.9M

$24.6K COP 86.0M

23.23%

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

$81.2 COP 283.4K

$58.8 COP 205.1K

38.16%

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

$8.63 COP 30.1K

$9.28 COP 32.4K

-7.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.09 COP 84.1K

$25.75 COP 89.9K

-6.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.55 COP 68.2K

$27.70 COP 96.7K

-29.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 50.1K

$19.57 COP 68.3K

-26.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 COP 17.3K

$3.21 COP 11.2K

53.89%

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

$227 COP 790.8K

$239 COP 833.3K

-5.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 20.5M

$8,430 COP 29.4M

-30.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 222.3K

$37.98 COP 132.6K

67.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.88 COP 156.6K

$30.67 COP 107.0K

46.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 COP 264.5K

$63.5 COP 221.6K

19.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 COP 313.1K

$59.8 COP 208.5K

50.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 846.1K

$263 COP 918.6K

-7.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 649.9K

$221 COP 770.5K

-15.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 COP 2.1M

$439 COP 1.5M

38.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 COP 1.4M

$296 COP 1.0M

33.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,114 COP 3.9M

$1,606 COP 5.6M

-30.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 COP 3.2M

$1,485 COP 5.2M

-38.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$753 COP 2.6M

-32.01%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Manizales: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Cali and $263 in Manizales. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manizales pays 47% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cali vs $17.00 in Manizales for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $177 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

On paper, Manizales earns 47% less. 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: $242 in Cali versus $263 in Manizales. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $227 in Cali versus $239 in Manizales. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Manizales – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $29.00 in Cali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Manizales wins on affordability, Cali on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.