Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Popayan Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Popayan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $747 in Cali versus $804 in Popayan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,229 in Cali versus $1,223 in Popayan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,710 in Cali versus $1,642 in Popayan.

Living in Cali costs roughly 7% less than in Popayan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 44% lower, Popayan 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 COP 11.9K

$3.82 COP 12.4K

-4.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.20 COP 95.0K

$23.83 COP 77.6K

22.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 COP 24.1K

$7.29 COP 23.7K

1.65%

Cappuccino

$1.58 COP 5,137

$1.50 COP 4,898

5.33%

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

$0.95 COP 3,099

$0.88 COP 2,866

7.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,942

$0.61 COP 1,977

-1.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,301

$1.17 COP 3,798

-13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 COP 8,495

$2.21 COP 7,187

18.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 COP 4,035

$1.11 COP 3,602

11.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 COP 4,776

$1.29 COP 4,215

13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 4,081

$1.17 COP 3,823

6.84%

Eggs

$2.48 COP 8,075

$2.22 COP 7,224

11.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 14.1K

$4.31 COP 14.0K

0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 COP 17.4K

$5.21 COP 17.0K

2.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 COP 24.4K

$7.16 COP 23.3K

4.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 COP 8,119

$2.52 COP 8,197

-1.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,990

$1.11 COP 3,622

-17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,754

$1.37 COP 4,449

-16.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,265

$0.91 COP 2,958

43.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 COP 2,885

$1.12 COP 3,647

-20.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,597

$1.13 COP 3,684

-1.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,430

$0.81 COP 2,645

-7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,214

$0.65 COP 2,116

4.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 COP 9,466

$2.41 COP 7,859

20.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.88 COP 41.9K

$13.06 COP 42.5K

-1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,482

$1.12 COP 3,658

-4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 6,048

$1.74 COP 5,659

6.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,389

$0.71 COP 2,325

2.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.17 COP 65.6K

$30.45 COP 99.1K

-33.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 COP 5,049

$1.47 COP 4,800

5.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,179

$1.65 COP 5,373

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 COP 30.7K

$6.19 COP 20.1K

52.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,194

$1.00 COP 3,254

-2.00%

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

$21.9K COP 71.4M

$17.6K COP 57.4M

24.39%

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

$29.6K COP 96.3M

$25.7K COP 83.6M

15.24%

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

$83.3 COP 271.2K

$83.9 COP 273.0K

-0.63%

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

$8.94 COP 29.1K

$9.26 COP 30.1K

-3.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.55 COP 79.9K

$22.35 COP 72.8K

9.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.79 COP 64.4K

$23.29 COP 75.8K

-15.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.72 COP 47.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 COP 15.9K

$3.87 COP 12.6K

26.10%

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

$222 COP 721.6K

$241 COP 784.9K

-8.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 19.1M

$5,914 COP 19.3M

-0.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 COP 208.3K

$59.8 COP 194.6K

7.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.51 COP 141.6K

$32.82 COP 106.8K

32.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 COP 248.4K

$84.4 COP 274.7K

-9.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 291.4K

$72.3 COP 235.4K

23.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 COP 784.0K

$281 COP 914.1K

-14.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 COP 612.3K

$237 COP 771.0K

-20.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 COP 2.0M

$519 COP 1.7M

18.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 COP 1.3M

$430 COP 1.4M

-7.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,258 COP 4.1M

$1,662 COP 5.4M

-24.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$990 COP 3.2M

$1,192 COP 3.9M

-16.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

13.18

-12.14%

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

Last update for Cali: July 12, 2026

Last update for Popayan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Cali and $281 in Popayan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cali vs $24.00 in Popayan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $179 per month, with Popayan 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 Popayan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,121 in Cali and $1,207 in Popayan 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: $241 in Cali versus $281 in Popayan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Cali versus $241 in Popayan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Popayan pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cali gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Popayan, 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 8% less than in Popayan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.