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: $744 in Cali versus $805 in Popayan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Cali versus $1,223 in Popayan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,704 in Cali versus $1,640 in Popayan.

Living in Cali costs roughly 8% 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 13.0K

$3.98 COP 14.2K

-8.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.25 COP 104.5K

$24.01 COP 85.7K

21.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 COP 26.3K

$7.18 COP 25.6K

2.51%

Cappuccino

$1.61 COP 5,754

$1.51 COP 5,406

6.62%

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

$0.94 COP 3,353

$0.86 COP 3,073

9.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,979

$0.58 COP 2,069

-5.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 COP 3,775

$1.15 COP 4,101

-7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 COP 9,130

$2.12 COP 7,573

20.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 COP 4,347

$1.05 COP 3,757

16.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 COP 5,465

$1.25 COP 4,447

22.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,319

$1.18 COP 4,199

2.54%

Eggs

$2.46 COP 8,779

$2.21 COP 7,887

11.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 COP 15.3K

$4.54 COP 16.2K

-5.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 COP 19.5K

$5.18 COP 18.5K

5.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 COP 27.1K

$7.14 COP 25.5K

6.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 COP 8,570

$2.43 COP 8,678

-1.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,474

$1.07 COP 3,818

-9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,274

$1.36 COP 4,843

-11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 4,548

$0.85 COP 3,022

49.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,148

$1.11 COP 3,980

-20.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,949

$1.12 COP 4,009

-0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,679

$0.88 COP 3,149

-14.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,323

$0.64 COP 2,279

1.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 COP 10.3K

$2.31 COP 8,264

25.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 COP 41.0K

$10.38 COP 37.1K

10.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,932

$1.13 COP 4,046

-2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 COP 6,584

$1.80 COP 6,437

2.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,407

$0.69 COP 2,461

-2.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.20 COP 72.1K

$29.66 COP 105.9K

-31.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 5,485

$1.46 COP 5,214

5.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 COP 6,707

$1.71 COP 6,104

9.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 COP 35.0K

$6.15 COP 21.9K

59.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 3,304

$0.99 COP 3,543

-6.06%

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

$21.4K COP 76.4M

$17.9K COP 63.9M

19.60%

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

$30.3K COP 108.3M

$25.5K COP 91.2M

18.73%

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

$80.9 COP 289.0K

$83.5 COP 298.2K

-3.08%

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

$8.78 COP 31.4K

$8.86 COP 31.6K

-0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.99 COP 85.7K

$22.84 COP 81.6K

5.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.60 COP 70.0K

$23.53 COP 84.0K

-16.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.79 COP 52.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 17.4K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

23.92%

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

$226 COP 807.0K

$241 COP 861.1K

-6.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,039 COP 21.6M

$6,042 COP 21.6M

-0.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 227.5K

$58.4 COP 208.4K

9.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.16 COP 157.7K

$32.94 COP 117.6K

34.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 COP 280.5K

$82.9 COP 296.0K

-5.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 319.6K

$72.8 COP 259.8K

23.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 834.7K

$284 COP 1.0M

-17.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 665.2K

$242 COP 863.9K

-23.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 COP 2.2M

$525 COP 1.9M

15.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 COP 1.5M

$423 COP 1.5M

-3.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,101 COP 3.9M

$1,434 COP 5.1M

-23.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$890 COP 3.2M

$1,260 COP 4.5M

-29.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Popayan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Cali and $284 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 $182 vs $172 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 Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,116 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: $234 in Cali versus $284 in Popayan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 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 6% 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.