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: $1,087 in Cali versus $1,311 in Popayan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,694 in Cali versus $2,104 in Popayan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,301 in Cali versus $2,896 in Popayan.

Living in Cali costs roughly 17% less than in Popayan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 21% lower, Popayan 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 23.7K

$7.42 COP 23.1K

2.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.62 COP 120.5K

$46.79 COP 146.0K

-17.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 COP 26.4K

$9.41 COP 29.3K

-10.10%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,153

$2.43 COP 7,580

-32.10%

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

$1.27 COP 3,971

$1.52 COP 4,731

-16.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 2,638

$0.98 COP 3,069

-13.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 COP 10.2K

$2.65 COP 8,267

23.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 COP 12.0K

$4.33 COP 13.5K

-11.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 COP 5,172

$1.33 COP 4,160

24.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 COP 6,077

$2.51 COP 7,845

-22.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,744

$1.57 COP 4,887

-3.18%

Eggs

$3.00 COP 9,375

$2.82 COP 8,807

6.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.48 COP 20.2K

$8.85 COP 27.6K

-26.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 COP 22.5K

$10.82 COP 33.8K

-33.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 COP 32.4K

$12.63 COP 39.4K

-17.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 COP 11.4K

$3.22 COP 10.1K

13.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,284

$1.65 COP 5,136

-16.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 COP 5,713

$1.79 COP 5,590

2.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,538

$1.66 COP 5,177

6.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 COP 4,556

$1.69 COP 5,286

-13.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,801

$1.48 COP 4,621

4.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,658

$1.28 COP 3,986

-8.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 COP 3,267

$1.09 COP 3,409

-3.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 11.8K

$3.65 COP 11.4K

3.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 COP 41.3K

$13.67 COP 42.6K

-3.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 COP 4,598

$1.36 COP 4,249

8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 COP 7,833

$2.62 COP 8,184

-4.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 COP 3,603

$1.18 COP 3,668

-2.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.69 COP 95.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 COP 2,742

$1.49 COP 4,644

-40.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 COP 6,989

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.46 COP 26.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 COP 4,093

$1.38 COP 4,294

-5.07%

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

$25.1K COP 78.3M

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

$36.1K COP 112.7M

$33.9K COP 105.8M

6.60%

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

$114 COP 357.1K

$115 COP 357.4K

-0.10%

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

$13.68 COP 42.7K

$14.07 COP 43.9K

-2.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.26 COP 97.5K

$25.98 COP 81.1K

20.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.82 COP 93.1K

$38.08 COP 118.8K

-21.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.36 COP 26.1K

$7.53 COP 23.5K

11.02%

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

$628 COP 2.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,376 COP 23.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 COP 248.6K

$84.2 COP 262.7K

-5.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 COP 171.9K

$51.2 COP 159.8K

7.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 COP 405.4K

$136 COP 423.4K

-4.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 COP 357.1K

$116 COP 362.2K

-1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 COP 2.1M

$763 COP 2.4M

-12.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 COP 955.3K

$544 COP 1.7M

-43.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 COP 5.1M

$920 COP 2.9M

76.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 COP 1.6M

$984 COP 3.1M

-48.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,286 COP 7.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 COP 6.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

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

Last update for Cali: September 13, 2026

Last update for Popayan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Cali and $763 in Popayan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Cali vs $47.00 in Popayan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $282 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 Popayan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,630 in Cali and $1,967 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: $666 in Cali versus $763 in Popayan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Popayan. 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 $39.00 versus $47.00 in Popayan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,087 in Cali versus $1,311 in Popayan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Popayan. 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 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 21% less than in Popayan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.