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: $751 in Cali versus $802 in Salento.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,205 in Cali versus $1,200 in Salento.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,659 in Cali versus $1,597 in Salento.

Living in Cali costs roughly 6% less than in Salento, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 COP 13.0K

$3.85 COP 13.5K

-3.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.95 COP 101.0K

$23.55 COP 82.2K

22.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 COP 24.6K

$7.39 COP 25.8K

-4.47%

Cappuccino

$1.56 COP 5,438

$1.50 COP 5,227

4.00%

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

$0.88 COP 3,063

$0.89 COP 3,093

-1.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,111

$0.56 COP 1,960

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 COP 3,672

$1.19 COP 4,154

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 COP 8,800

$2.14 COP 7,473

17.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,482

$1.11 COP 3,872

15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 COP 5,090

$1.28 COP 4,476

14.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,221

$1.13 COP 3,941

7.08%

Eggs

$2.47 COP 8,621

$2.19 COP 7,639

12.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.20 COP 14.7K

$4.49 COP 15.7K

-6.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 19.3K

$5.15 COP 18.0K

7.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 COP 27.4K

$7.16 COP 25.0K

9.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 8,430

$2.47 COP 8,611

-2.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,324

$1.09 COP 3,801

-12.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,163

$1.30 COP 4,536

-8.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,542

$1.10 COP 3,835

18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 COP 2,837

$1.11 COP 3,864

-27.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,684

$1.13 COP 3,933

-6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 COP 2,650

$0.82 COP 2,849

-7.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,431

$0.69 COP 2,406

1.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 COP 9,948

$2.34 COP 8,183

21.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 COP 40.4K

$9.62 COP 33.6K

20.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,739

$1.08 COP 3,764

-0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 COP 6,812

$1.78 COP 6,219

9.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,521

$0.73 COP 2,534

-1.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.01 COP 69.8K

$29.72 COP 103.7K

-32.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 COP 5,521

$1.44 COP 5,016

9.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,674

$1.79 COP 6,232

6.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.72 COP 33.9K

$6.03 COP 21.1K

61.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,194

$0.93 COP 3,235

-1.08%

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

$21.5K COP 75.2M

$17.7K COP 61.9M

21.46%

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

$30.4K COP 105.9M

$25.2K COP 88.0M

20.40%

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

$81.2 COP 283.4K

$83.2 COP 290.5K

-2.44%

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

$8.63 COP 30.1K

$8.85 COP 30.9K

-2.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.09 COP 84.1K

$22.58 COP 78.8K

6.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.55 COP 68.2K

$22.94 COP 80.1K

-14.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 50.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 COP 17.3K

$3.96 COP 13.8K

24.75%

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

$227 COP 790.8K

$243 COP 846.7K

-6.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 20.5M

$6,075 COP 21.2M

-3.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 222.3K

$59.1 COP 206.3K

7.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.88 COP 156.6K

$32.20 COP 112.4K

39.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 COP 264.5K

$84.3 COP 294.0K

-10.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 COP 313.1K

$71.4 COP 249.2K

25.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 846.1K

$268 COP 936.5K

-9.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 649.9K

$238 COP 832.2K

-21.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 COP 2.1M

$530 COP 1.8M

14.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 COP 1.4M

$413 COP 1.4M

-3.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,114 COP 3.9M

$1,400 COP 4.9M

-20.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 COP 3.2M

$1,046 COP 3.7M

-12.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Salento: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Cali and $268 in Salento. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cali vs $24.00 in Salento for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $173 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

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,127 in Cali and $1,203 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: $242 in Cali versus $268 in Salento. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $227 in Cali versus $243 in Salento. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Salento 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 Salento, 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 Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Salento. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.