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: $752 in Cali versus $744 in Monteria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,212 in Cali versus $1,159 in Monteria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,672 in Cali versus $1,574 in Monteria.

Living in Cali is roughly 1% more expensive than Monteria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 COP 12.9K

$4.96 COP 17.9K

-28.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.24 COP 105.5K

$31.80 COP 114.8K

-8.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 COP 27.0K

$7.42 COP 26.8K

0.67%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,920

$1.69 COP 6,110

-2.96%

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

$0.87 COP 3,146

$0.91 COP 3,272

-4.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 2,036

$0.63 COP 2,289

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 COP 3,759

$1.37 COP 4,936

-24.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,919

$1.96 COP 7,065

26.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,593

$0.94 COP 3,389

35.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 5,361

$1.29 COP 4,641

14.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 COP 4,492

$1.07 COP 3,855

15.89%

Eggs

$2.53 COP 9,120

$1.42 COP 5,138

78.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 COP 15.5K

$4.47 COP 16.1K

-4.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 19.9K

$2.87 COP 10.4K

92.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 COP 28.1K

$3.82 COP 13.8K

103.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 COP 8,759

$1.98 COP 7,148

22.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,260

$0.50 COP 1,794

80.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,306

$0.92 COP 3,335

29.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,763

$0.79 COP 2,852

67.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 COP 3,119

$0.97 COP 3,502

-11.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,836

$1.01 COP 3,642

4.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 COP 2,681

$0.88 COP 3,159

-15.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,380

$0.47 COP 1,695

40.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 COP 10.7K

$2.85 COP 10.3K

3.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 COP 41.3K

$10.05 COP 36.3K

13.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,980

$0.90 COP 3,261

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 COP 6,795

$1.31 COP 4,739

43.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,612

$0.68 COP 2,466

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.29 COP 73.3K

$29.85 COP 107.8K

-32.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 COP 5,624

$1.91 COP 6,896

-18.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 COP 6,815

$2.87 COP 10.4K

-34.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.60 COP 34.6K

$4.32 COP 15.6K

122.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,405

$0.99 COP 3,578

-5.05%

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

$21.9K COP 78.9M

$14.2K COP 51.2M

54.13%

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

$30.2K COP 109.0M

$22.2K COP 80.2M

35.94%

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

$82.4 COP 297.3K

$95.6 COP 345.2K

-13.87%

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

$8.75 COP 31.6K

$7.40 COP 26.7K

18.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 COP 88.4K

$19.45 COP 70.2K

25.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.72 COP 71.2K

$23.63 COP 85.3K

-16.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 52.9K

$9.90 COP 35.8K

48.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 COP 17.6K

$3.94 COP 14.2K

24.11%

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

$230 COP 832.0K

$169 COP 609.8K

36.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,948 COP 21.5M

$1,846 COP 6.7M

222.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 COP 229.2K

$60.5 COP 218.5K

4.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.13 COP 159.3K

$19.73 COP 71.2K

123.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 COP 280.6K

$61.3 COP 221.3K

26.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 COP 321.8K

$36.71 COP 132.5K

142.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 857.6K

$284 COP 1.0M

-16.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 COP 682.9K

$237 COP 855.8K

-20.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.2M

$530 COP 1.9M

17.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 COP 1.5M

$424 COP 1.5M

-3.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,146 COP 4.1M

$1,556 COP 5.6M

-26.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 COP 3.3M

$1,362 COP 4.9M

-32.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 COP 1.9M

$359 COP 1.3M

43.29%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Monteria: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $238 in Cali and $284 in Monteria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 43% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cali vs $32.00 in Monteria. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $133, 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

Monteria is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cali pays 43% more on average, 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: $238 in Cali versus $284 in Monteria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $230 in Cali versus $169 in Monteria. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Cali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Monteria gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Monteria 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.

Expats usually find Monteria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.