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: $775 in Cali versus $769 in Monteria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,229 in Cali versus $1,173 in Monteria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,683 in Cali versus $1,578 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 42% lower, Monteria 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 COP 12.4K

$4.79 COP 16.4K

-24.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.48 COP 97.6K

$30.89 COP 105.9K

-7.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.37 COP 25.2K

$7.40 COP 25.4K

-0.41%

Cappuccino

$1.59 COP 5,438

$1.72 COP 5,878

-7.56%

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

$0.89 COP 3,063

$0.85 COP 2,915

4.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,050

$0.64 COP 2,203

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 COP 3,567

$1.31 COP 4,480

-20.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 COP 8,925

$1.91 COP 6,562

36.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 COP 4,330

$0.92 COP 3,139

36.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 COP 5,239

$1.31 COP 4,501

16.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 COP 4,177

$1.02 COP 3,481

19.61%

Eggs

$2.58 COP 8,854

$1.49 COP 5,099

73.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.25 COP 14.6K

$4.55 COP 15.6K

-6.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 COP 18.1K

$2.83 COP 9,692

86.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 COP 25.9K

$3.91 COP 13.4K

93.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 8,282

$1.92 COP 6,570

26.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,360

$0.50 COP 1,727

96.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,083

$1.01 COP 3,466

17.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,540

$0.79 COP 2,697

67.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,805

$0.96 COP 3,296

-14.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,617

$1.00 COP 3,442

6.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,567

$0.82 COP 2,819

-8.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,204

$0.47 COP 1,596

36.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 COP 9,708

$2.75 COP 9,439

2.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 COP 40.1K

$10.11 COP 34.6K

15.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 COP 3,624

$0.91 COP 3,124

16.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 6,392

$1.31 COP 4,496

41.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,478

$0.68 COP 2,316

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.58 COP 70.5K

$30.16 COP 103.4K

-31.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 5,503

$1.91 COP 6,532

-15.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,512

$2.96 COP 10.1K

-35.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.57 COP 32.8K

$4.41 COP 15.1K

117.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,238

$0.98 COP 3,363

-4.08%

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

$22.0K COP 75.4M

$14.1K COP 48.3M

56.11%

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

$29.6K COP 101.6M

$22.3K COP 76.4M

32.98%

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

$81.9 COP 280.6K

$96.2 COP 329.8K

-14.90%

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

$8.97 COP 30.8K

$7.18 COP 24.6K

24.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.94 COP 82.0K

$19.05 COP 65.3K

25.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.42 COP 66.6K

$23.36 COP 80.1K

-16.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.56 COP 49.9K

$9.91 COP 34.0K

46.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 COP 16.9K

$3.79 COP 13.0K

30.08%

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

$222 COP 761.4K

$166 COP 570.2K

33.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,072 COP 20.8M

$1,825 COP 6.3M

232.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 COP 221.9K

$60.6 COP 207.7K

6.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.55 COP 152.7K

$19.29 COP 66.1K

130.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 COP 264.4K

$60.1 COP 205.9K

28.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 COP 309.7K

$35.81 COP 122.7K

152.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 803.5K

$287 COP 984.1K

-18.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 COP 631.2K

$236 COP 810.5K

-22.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 COP 2.1M

$525 COP 1.8M

15.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 COP 1.4M

$431 COP 1.5M

-7.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,172 COP 4.0M

$1,747 COP 6.0M

-32.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$951 COP 3.3M

$1,281 COP 4.4M

-25.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$522 COP 1.8M

$375 COP 1.3M

39.24%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Monteria: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Cali and $287 in Monteria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 39% 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: $28.00 in Cali vs $31.00 in Monteria. Groceries flip the comparison at $182 vs $134, 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 39% 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: $234 in Cali versus $287 in Monteria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Cali versus $166 in Monteria. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% 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.