Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Neiva Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Neiva

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $744 in Cali versus $739 in Neiva.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Cali versus $1,125 in Neiva.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,704 in Cali versus $1,510 in Neiva.

Living in Cali is roughly 1% more expensive than Neiva, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 COP 13.0K

$2.87 COP 10.2K

27.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.25 COP 104.5K

$16.01 COP 57.2K

82.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 COP 26.3K

$7.91 COP 28.2K

-6.95%

Cappuccino

$1.61 COP 5,754

$1.35 COP 4,833

19.26%

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

$0.94 COP 3,353

$0.78 COP 2,775

20.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,979

$0.46 COP 1,629

19.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 COP 3,775

$1.00 COP 3,585

6.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 COP 9,130

$2.16 COP 7,717

18.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 COP 4,347

$1.22 COP 4,349

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 COP 5,465

$0.76 COP 2,719

101.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,319

$0.45 COP 1,611

168.89%

Eggs

$2.46 COP 8,779

$1.64 COP 5,857

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 COP 15.3K

$4.63 COP 16.5K

-7.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 COP 19.5K

$5.01 COP 17.9K

9.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 COP 27.1K

$6.46 COP 23.1K

17.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 COP 8,570

$1.49 COP 5,317

61.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,474

$1.08 COP 3,862

-10.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,274

$1.35 COP 4,825

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 4,548

$1.25 COP 4,451

1.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,148

$1.12 COP 3,999

-21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,949

$1.17 COP 4,179

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,679

$0.78 COP 2,799

-3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,323

$0.46 COP 1,644

41.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 COP 10.3K

$1.98 COP 7,086

46.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 COP 41.0K

$13.39 COP 47.8K

-14.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,932

$1.11 COP 3,950

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 COP 6,584

$1.85 COP 6,617

-0.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,407

$0.73 COP 2,616

-8.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.20 COP 72.1K

$29.58 COP 105.6K

-31.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 5,485

$1.18 COP 4,197

30.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 COP 6,707

$1.48 COP 5,303

27.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 COP 35.0K

$6.01 COP 21.4K

63.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 3,304

$0.81 COP 2,876

14.81%

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

$21.4K COP 76.4M

$16.0K COP 57.1M

33.81%

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

$30.3K COP 108.3M

$24.8K COP 88.6M

22.28%

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

$80.9 COP 289.0K

$71.3 COP 254.7K

13.47%

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

$8.78 COP 31.4K

$10.20 COP 36.4K

-13.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.99 COP 85.7K

$12.34 COP 44.1K

94.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.60 COP 70.0K

$23.24 COP 83.0K

-15.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.79 COP 52.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 17.4K

$3.58 COP 12.8K

36.03%

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

$226 COP 807.0K

$297 COP 1.1M

-24.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,039 COP 21.6M

$8,368 COP 29.9M

-27.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 227.5K

$60.3 COP 215.4K

5.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.16 COP 157.7K

$41.40 COP 147.8K

6.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 COP 280.5K

$61.0 COP 217.7K

28.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 319.6K

$60.4 COP 215.5K

48.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 834.7K

$280 COP 999.7K

-16.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 665.2K

$241 COP 861.2K

-22.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 COP 2.2M

$536 COP 1.9M

13.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 COP 1.5M

$421 COP 1.5M

-3.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,101 COP 3.9M

$1,544 COP 5.5M

-28.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$890 COP 3.2M

$1,254 COP 4.5M

-29.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 COP 1.8M

$398 COP 1.4M

24.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

-3.50%

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

Last update for Cali: May 31, 2026

Last update for Neiva: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Cali and $280 in Neiva. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 24% 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 $16.00 in Neiva for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $162 per month, with Neiva 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 Neiva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Cali pays 24% 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 $280 in Neiva. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Cali versus $297 in Neiva. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% 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 Neiva gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Neiva 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 Neiva 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.