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: $1,090 in Cali versus $1,288 in Neiva.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Cali versus $2,038 in Neiva.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,208 in Cali versus $2,787 in Neiva.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 COP 24.2K

$7.82 COP 24.6K

-1.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.08 COP 119.9K

$41.76 COP 131.5K

-8.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 COP 27.1K

$9.76 COP 30.7K

-11.78%

Cappuccino

$1.62 COP 5,101

$2.55 COP 8,017

-36.47%

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

$1.26 COP 3,965

$1.36 COP 4,277

-7.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 2,749

$0.88 COP 2,759

-1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.2K

$1.93 COP 6,073

68.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 COP 12.1K

$3.83 COP 12.1K

0.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 COP 4,959

$1.65 COP 5,205

-4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 COP 6,269

$2.46 COP 7,762

-19.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,756

$1.56 COP 4,915

-3.21%

Eggs

$2.83 COP 8,904

$3.77 COP 11.9K

-24.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.43 COP 20.3K

$7.25 COP 22.8K

-11.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 COP 22.2K

$7.57 COP 23.8K

-6.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 COP 32.7K

$10.75 COP 33.9K

-3.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 COP 11.0K

$3.35 COP 10.6K

4.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 COP 4,448

$1.78 COP 5,620

-20.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 COP 5,531

$1.87 COP 5,874

-5.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 COP 5,511

$1.73 COP 5,456

1.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,575

$1.47 COP 4,631

-1.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,939

$1.39 COP 4,370

12.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,632

$1.37 COP 4,315

-16.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 COP 3,265

$1.14 COP 3,599

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.70 COP 11.7K

$4.30 COP 13.5K

-13.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 COP 41.8K

$12.65 COP 39.8K

4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 COP 4,560

$1.42 COP 4,465

2.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 COP 7,974

$2.97 COP 9,339

-14.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 COP 3,415

$1.18 COP 3,720

-8.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.95 COP 94.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 COP 2,657

$2.38 COP 7,507

-64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 COP 7,573

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.78 COP 30.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,106

$1.30 COP 4,089

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

$22.0K COP 69.4M

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

$35.7K COP 112.4M

$36.1K COP 113.8M

-1.26%

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

$114 COP 357.6K

$125 COP 394.6K

-9.39%

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

$13.49 COP 42.5K

$16.34 COP 51.5K

-17.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.05 COP 97.8K

$31.01 COP 97.7K

0.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.87 COP 90.9K

$41.23 COP 129.8K

-29.98%

Cinema Ticket

$8.43 COP 26.5K

$7.85 COP 24.7K

7.39%

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

$477 COP 1.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,531 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 COP 252.8K

$81.9 COP 257.9K

-1.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 COP 171.2K

$49.60 COP 156.2K

9.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 COP 391.0K

$143 COP 450.2K

-13.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 343.0K

$110 COP 347.3K

-1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 COP 2.0M

$595 COP 1.9M

7.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 COP 943.0K

$404 COP 1.3M

-25.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 COP 5.0M

$895 COP 2.8M

76.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 COP 1.6M

$987 COP 3.1M

-50.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,181 COP 6.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,848 COP 5.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 COP 1.9M

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: September 1, 2026

Last update for Neiva: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $641 in Cali and $595 in Neiva. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Cali vs $42.00 in Neiva for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $263 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 Neiva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $1,636 in Cali and $1,932 in Neiva 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: $641 in Cali versus $595 in Neiva. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Neiva. 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 $38.00 versus $42.00 in Neiva. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,090 in Cali versus $1,288 in Neiva, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Neiva. 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 Neiva, 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 Neiva. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.