Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Salento Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Salento

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,088 in Cali versus $815 in Salento.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,643 in Cali versus $1,219 in Salento.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,199 in Cali versus $1,622 in Salento.

Living in Cali is roughly 33% more expensive than in Salento, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 21% lower, Salento 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 23.7K

$3.97 COP 12.2K

93.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.56 COP 115.6K

$23.82 COP 73.3K

57.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 COP 25.3K

$7.47 COP 23.0K

10.17%

Cappuccino

$1.60 COP 4,929

$1.50 COP 4,619

6.67%

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

$1.32 COP 4,057

$0.92 COP 2,839

43.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 COP 2,515

$0.58 COP 1,781

41.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 COP 10.2K

$1.15 COP 3,525

187.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 COP 11.4K

$2.23 COP 6,861

66.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 COP 4,883

$1.09 COP 3,361

45.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 COP 5,982

$1.29 COP 3,969

50.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,837

$1.15 COP 3,536

36.52%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,892

$2.21 COP 6,788

30.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.67 COP 20.5K

$4.64 COP 14.3K

43.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.07 COP 21.7K

$5.26 COP 16.2K

34.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.31 COP 31.7K

$7.49 COP 23.1K

37.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 COP 11.0K

$2.45 COP 7,529

46.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,240

$1.05 COP 3,227

31.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 COP 5,653

$1.34 COP 4,124

37.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 COP 5,375

$1.11 COP 3,419

57.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 COP 4,483

$1.17 COP 3,594

24.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 COP 4,761

$1.12 COP 3,435

38.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 COP 3,390

$0.85 COP 2,630

29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,045

$0.69 COP 2,139

43.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 COP 12.1K

$2.34 COP 7,195

67.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.12 COP 40.4K

$9.77 COP 30.1K

34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 COP 4,623

$1.14 COP 3,497

31.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 COP 7,848

$1.80 COP 5,543

41.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 COP 3,376

$0.71 COP 2,191

54.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.41 COP 93.6K

$30.58 COP 94.1K

-0.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 COP 2,623

$1.41 COP 4,352

-39.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 COP 5,264

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 COP 18.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 3,983

$0.95 COP 2,937

35.79%

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

$17.9K COP 55.1M

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

$35.2K COP 108.2M

$25.8K COP 79.3M

36.50%

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

$112 COP 345.6K

$80.9 COP 248.9K

38.82%

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

$13.25 COP 40.8K

$9.06 COP 27.9K

46.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.87 COP 95.0K

$23.12 COP 71.1K

33.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.95 COP 89.1K

$23.67 COP 72.9K

22.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.57 COP 26.4K

$3.98 COP 12.2K

115.33%

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

$239 COP 734.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,012 COP 18.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.0 COP 246.1K

$58.8 COP 180.8K

36.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.7 COP 168.3K

$32.48 COP 100.0K

68.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 COP 390.0K

$84.0 COP 258.4K

50.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 COP 346.8K

$74.0 COP 227.6K

52.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 COP 2.0M

$274 COP 844.2K

139.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 COP 907.2K

$237 COP 730.3K

24.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 COP 4.9M

$522 COP 1.6M

205.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 COP 1.5M

$422 COP 1.3M

19.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,401 COP 4.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,075 COP 3.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

13.06

-11.33%

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

Last update for Cali: September 7, 2026

Last update for Salento: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $658 in Cali and $274 in Salento. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Cali vs $24.00 in Salento for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $176 per month, with Salento 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 Salento: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salento is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,632 in Cali and $1,223 in Salento 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: $658 in Cali versus $274 in Salento. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Salento – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $38.00 in Cali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Salento runs roughly 1% less than in Cali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $815 in Salento versus $1,088 in Cali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Salento but tight or insufficient in Cali. The gap between the two cities makes Salento the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Salento 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.

Safety-wise, Cali and Salento are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Salento gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.