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: $747 in Cali versus $736 in Neiva.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,229 in Cali versus $1,125 in Neiva.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,710 in Cali versus $1,515 in Neiva.

Living in Cali is roughly 2% more expensive than in 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 11.9K

$2.88 COP 9,385

26.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.20 COP 95.0K

$15.43 COP 50.2K

89.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 COP 24.1K

$7.77 COP 25.3K

-4.63%

Cappuccino

$1.58 COP 5,137

$1.36 COP 4,425

16.18%

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

$0.95 COP 3,099

$0.75 COP 2,446

26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,942

$0.47 COP 1,528

27.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,301

$1.04 COP 3,387

-2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 COP 8,496

$2.17 COP 7,058

20.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 COP 4,035

$1.17 COP 3,814

5.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 COP 4,777

$0.71 COP 2,328

107.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 4,082

$0.43 COP 1,384

190.70%

Eggs

$2.48 COP 8,076

$1.56 COP 5,078

58.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 14.1K

$4.61 COP 15.0K

-6.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 COP 17.5K

$5.14 COP 16.7K

4.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 COP 24.4K

$6.84 COP 22.3K

9.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 COP 8,119

$1.42 COP 4,630

75.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,990

$1.08 COP 3,522

-14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,754

$1.36 COP 4,424

-15.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,265

$1.24 COP 4,045

5.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 COP 2,885

$1.17 COP 3,812

-23.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,598

$1.17 COP 3,796

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,430

$0.77 COP 2,494

-2.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,214

$0.46 COP 1,501

47.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 COP 9,467

$1.89 COP 6,155

53.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.88 COP 41.9K

$15.49 COP 50.4K

-16.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,483

$1.10 COP 3,583

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 6,049

$1.87 COP 6,085

-0.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,389

$0.68 COP 2,219

7.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.17 COP 65.7K

$29.52 COP 96.1K

-31.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 COP 5,049

$1.20 COP 3,895

29.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,180

$1.48 COP 4,832

28.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 COP 30.8K

$5.95 COP 19.4K

58.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,194

$0.73 COP 2,389

34.25%

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

$21.9K COP 71.4M

$15.8K COP 51.6M

38.40%

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

$29.6K COP 96.4M

$24.8K COP 80.6M

19.57%

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

$83.3 COP 271.3K

$73.4 COP 238.9K

13.56%

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

$8.94 COP 29.1K

$10.14 COP 33.0K

-11.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.55 COP 79.9K

$12.15 COP 39.6K

102.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.79 COP 64.4K

$23.40 COP 76.2K

-15.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.72 COP 47.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 COP 15.9K

$3.49 COP 11.4K

39.83%

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

$222 COP 721.7K

$292 COP 951.8K

-24.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 19.1M

$8,511 COP 27.7M

-31.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 COP 208.3K

$58.4 COP 190.0K

9.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.51 COP 141.7K

$42.15 COP 137.2K

3.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 COP 248.4K

$60.3 COP 196.5K

26.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 291.5K

$60.1 COP 195.5K

49.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 COP 784.1K

$278 COP 905.2K

-13.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 COP 612.3K

$237 COP 772.9K

-20.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 COP 2.0M

$530 COP 1.7M

16.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 COP 1.3M

$421 COP 1.4M

-5.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,258 COP 4.1M

$1,513 COP 4.9M

-16.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$990 COP 3.2M

$1,286 COP 4.2M

-23.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 COP 1.8M

$454 COP 1.5M

21.96%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Neiva: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Cali and $278 in Neiva. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 22% 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 $15.00 in Neiva for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $167 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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% 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: $241 in Cali versus $278 in Neiva. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Cali versus $292 in Neiva. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% 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 2% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.