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: $752 in Cali versus $732 in Manizales.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,212 in Cali versus $1,078 in Manizales.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,672 in Cali versus $1,424 in Manizales.

Living in Cali is roughly 3% more expensive than Manizales, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 44% lower, Manizales 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 COP 12.9K

$3.58 COP 12.9K

-0.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.24 COP 105.5K

$17.06 COP 61.6K

71.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 COP 27.0K

$7.65 COP 27.6K

-2.35%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,920

$1.31 COP 4,721

25.19%

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

$0.87 COP 3,146

$0.80 COP 2,874

8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 2,036

$0.56 COP 2,032

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 COP 3,759

$1.12 COP 4,050

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,919

$2.15 COP 7,746

14.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,593

$1.03 COP 3,724

23.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 5,361

$1.40 COP 5,043

5.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 COP 4,492

$1.12 COP 4,049

10.71%

Eggs

$2.53 COP 9,120

$1.98 COP 7,133

27.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 COP 15.5K

$4.70 COP 17.0K

-8.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 19.9K

$5.07 COP 18.3K

9.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 COP 28.1K

$7.51 COP 27.1K

3.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 COP 8,759

$3.06 COP 11.1K

-20.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,260

$1.00 COP 3,593

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,306

$1.34 COP 4,843

-11.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,763

$1.30 COP 4,680

1.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 COP 3,119

$1.08 COP 3,916

-20.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,836

$1.16 COP 4,195

-8.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 COP 2,681

$0.78 COP 2,818

-5.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,380

$0.84 COP 3,023

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 COP 10.7K

$2.39 COP 8,617

23.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 COP 41.3K

$9.57 COP 34.5K

19.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,980

$1.12 COP 4,041

-1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 COP 6,795

$1.86 COP 6,715

1.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,612

$0.70 COP 2,528

2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.29 COP 73.3K

$27.14 COP 98.0K

-25.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 COP 5,624

$1.23 COP 4,440

26.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 COP 6,815

$1.28 COP 4,615

47.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.60 COP 34.6K

$5.97 COP 21.6K

60.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,405

$0.99 COP 3,592

-5.05%

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

$21.9K COP 78.9M

$15.5K COP 56.1M

40.70%

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

$30.2K COP 109.0M

$24.9K COP 90.0M

21.09%

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

$82.4 COP 297.3K

$59.1 COP 213.4K

39.32%

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

$8.75 COP 31.6K

$9.04 COP 32.6K

-3.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 COP 88.4K

$25.89 COP 93.5K

-5.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.72 COP 71.2K

$27.49 COP 99.2K

-28.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 52.9K

$19.26 COP 69.5K

-23.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 COP 17.6K

$3.36 COP 12.1K

45.54%

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

$230 COP 832.0K

$246 COP 888.2K

-6.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,948 COP 21.5M

$8,614 COP 31.1M

-30.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 COP 229.2K

$38.47 COP 138.9K

65.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.13 COP 159.3K

$31.13 COP 112.4K

41.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 COP 280.6K

$65.4 COP 236.1K

18.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 COP 321.8K

$60.8 COP 219.5K

46.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 857.6K

$258 COP 931.2K

-7.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 COP 682.9K

$221 COP 799.2K

-14.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.2M

$423 COP 1.5M

46.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 COP 1.5M

$301 COP 1.1M

35.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,146 COP 4.1M

$1,583 COP 5.7M

-27.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 COP 3.3M

$1,461 COP 5.3M

-36.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 COP 1.9M

$740 COP 2.7M

-30.54%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Manizales: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $238 in Cali and $258 in Manizales. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manizales pays 44% 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 $183 vs $179 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 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Manizales earns 44% 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: $238 in Cali versus $258 in Manizales. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $230 in Cali versus $246 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 3% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.