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: $756 in Cali versus $764 in Monteria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,227 in Cali versus $1,174 in Monteria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,698 in Cali versus $1,584 in Monteria.

Living in Cali costs roughly 1% less than in Monteria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 COP 11.2K

$4.96 COP 15.6K

-28.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.88 COP 90.9K

$31.72 COP 99.9K

-8.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 23.4K

$7.42 COP 23.3K

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,158

$1.78 COP 5,590

-7.87%

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

$0.88 COP 2,783

$0.87 COP 2,736

1.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,884

$0.61 COP 1,910

-1.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,194

$1.37 COP 4,302

-26.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 7,779

$1.92 COP 6,045

28.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 COP 3,863

$0.93 COP 2,916

32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 4,668

$1.26 COP 3,974

17.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,940

$1.02 COP 3,202

22.55%

Eggs

$2.47 COP 7,786

$1.49 COP 4,683

65.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.21 COP 13.3K

$4.55 COP 14.3K

-7.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.45 COP 17.2K

$2.85 COP 8,963

91.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 COP 24.5K

$3.84 COP 12.1K

102.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 COP 7,733

$1.95 COP 6,150

26.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,914

$0.46 COP 1,445

102.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 3,749

$0.92 COP 2,905

29.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 3,998

$0.82 COP 2,593

54.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,579

$0.91 COP 2,854

-9.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,445

$1.02 COP 3,200

6.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 COP 2,331

$0.86 COP 2,693

-13.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,049

$0.50 COP 1,580

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 COP 8,828

$2.87 COP 9,029

-2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.13 COP 41.4K

$11.02 COP 34.7K

19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,385

$0.91 COP 2,871

18.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 5,848

$1.32 COP 4,154

40.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,097

$0.69 COP 2,172

-2.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.94 COP 62.8K

$29.78 COP 93.7K

-33.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 5,062

$1.88 COP 5,930

-14.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,137

$2.84 COP 8,946

-31.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 COP 30.9K

$4.42 COP 13.9K

121.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 2,982

$0.94 COP 2,975

1.06%

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

$21.5K COP 67.7M

$13.9K COP 43.7M

54.92%

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

$30.2K COP 95.1M

$22.2K COP 69.8M

36.32%

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

$82.2 COP 258.7K

$96.0 COP 302.2K

-14.39%

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

$8.73 COP 27.5K

$7.35 COP 23.1K

18.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.65 COP 77.6K

$19.53 COP 61.5K

26.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.05 COP 63.1K

$23.27 COP 73.2K

-13.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.40 COP 45.4K

$9.81 COP 30.9K

46.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 COP 15.2K

$3.81 COP 12.0K

26.51%

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

$225 COP 708.9K

$170 COP 533.9K

32.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 18.5M

$1,847 COP 5.8M

217.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 COP 202.5K

$61.7 COP 194.2K

4.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.60 COP 137.3K

$19.38 COP 61.0K

124.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 COP 240.9K

$59.8 COP 188.3K

27.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 COP 280.3K

$36.20 COP 114.0K

145.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 740.9K

$277 COP 872.9K

-15.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 COP 595.4K

$240 COP 754.2K

-21.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 COP 1.9M

$527 COP 1.7M

16.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 COP 1.3M

$435 COP 1.4M

-6.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,261 COP 4.0M

$1,582 COP 5.0M

-20.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,020 COP 3.2M

$1,388 COP 4.4M

-26.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 COP 1.8M

$403 COP 1.3M

40.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

15.80%

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

Last update for Cali: July 26, 2026

Last update for Monteria: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Cali and $277 in Monteria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 41% 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 $32.00 in Monteria. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $135, with Monteria cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Cali, 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: $235 in Cali versus $277 in Monteria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $225 in Cali versus $170 in Monteria. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Monteria pay roughly 37% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cali gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 1% less than in Monteria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.