Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Monteria Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Monteria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,087 in Cali versus $1,280 in Monteria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,694 in Cali versus $2,055 in Monteria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,301 in Cali versus $2,831 in Monteria.

Living in Cali costs roughly 15% less than in Monteria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 21% lower, Monteria 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 23.7K

$4.95 COP 15.4K

53.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.62 COP 120.5K

$42.47 COP 132.5K

-9.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 COP 26.4K

$9.93 COP 31.0K

-14.80%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,153

$3.54 COP 11.1K

-53.39%

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

$1.27 COP 3,971

$1.89 COP 5,886

-32.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 2,638

$1.81 COP 5,647

-53.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 COP 10.2K

$2.07 COP 6,475

58.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 COP 12.0K

$4.93 COP 15.4K

-21.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 COP 5,172

$1.89 COP 5,903

-12.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 COP 6,077

$2.91 COP 9,085

-32.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,744

$1.47 COP 4,587

3.40%

Eggs

$3.00 COP 9,375

$5.02 COP 15.7K

-40.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.48 COP 20.2K

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-19.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 COP 22.5K

$9.89 COP 30.9K

-27.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 COP 32.4K

$11.76 COP 36.7K

-11.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 COP 11.4K

$3.76 COP 11.7K

-2.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,284

$1.38 COP 4,300

-0.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 COP 5,713

$1.81 COP 5,653

1.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,538

$1.88 COP 5,875

-5.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 COP 4,556

$1.45 COP 4,532

0.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,801

$1.55 COP 4,845

-0.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,658

$1.05 COP 3,284

11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 COP 3,267

$1.18 COP 3,669

-11.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 11.8K

$4.06 COP 12.7K

-6.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 COP 41.3K

$14.76 COP 46.0K

-10.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 COP 4,598

$1.40 COP 4,365

5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 COP 7,833

$2.59 COP 8,092

-3.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 COP 3,603

$1.03 COP 3,201

11.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.69 COP 95.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 COP 2,742

$1.58 COP 4,934

-44.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.85 COP 12.0K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.58 COP 29.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 COP 4,093

$1.37 COP 4,263

-4.38%

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

$24.1K COP 75.3M

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

$36.1K COP 112.7M

$35.6K COP 111.1M

1.50%

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

$114 COP 357.1K

$81.3 COP 253.8K

40.68%

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

$13.68 COP 42.7K

$13.02 COP 40.6K

5.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.26 COP 97.5K

$31.71 COP 98.9K

-1.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.82 COP 93.1K

$39.52 COP 123.3K

-24.54%

Cinema Ticket

$8.36 COP 26.1K

$8.17 COP 25.5K

2.33%

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

$640 COP 2.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,997 COP 18.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 COP 248.6K

$97.7 COP 304.8K

-18.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 COP 171.9K

$61.2 COP 191.0K

-9.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 COP 405.4K

$132 COP 412.5K

-1.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 COP 357.1K

$104 COP 324.1K

10.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 COP 2.1M

$724 COP 2.3M

-8.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 COP 955.3K

$524 COP 1.6M

-41.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 COP 5.1M

$1,000 COP 3.1M

62.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 COP 1.6M

$901 COP 2.8M

-43.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,748 COP 5.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

-22.80%

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

Last update for Cali: September 13, 2026

Last update for Monteria: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Cali and $724 in Monteria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Cali vs $42.00 in Monteria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $294 per month, with Cali 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 Monteria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,630 in Cali and $1,919 in Monteria to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $666 in Cali versus $724 in Monteria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Monteria. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cali – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $42.00 in Monteria. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,087 in Cali versus $1,280 in Monteria, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Monteria. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Monteria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.