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: $752 in Cali versus $813 in Salento.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,212 in Cali versus $1,207 in Salento.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,672 in Cali versus $1,601 in Salento.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 44% lower, Salento 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 COP 13.0K

$3.99 COP 14.5K

-10.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.24 COP 106.3K

$23.54 COP 85.6K

24.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 COP 27.2K

$7.40 COP 26.9K

0.95%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,964

$1.55 COP 5,639

5.81%

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

$0.87 COP 3,169

$0.93 COP 3,373

-6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 2,051

$0.60 COP 2,196

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 COP 3,787

$1.16 COP 4,213

-10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,985

$2.20 COP 7,992

12.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,628

$1.06 COP 3,854

19.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 5,401

$1.24 COP 4,524

19.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 COP 4,526

$1.17 COP 4,267

5.98%

Eggs

$2.53 COP 9,188

$2.21 COP 8,030

14.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 COP 15.6K

$4.56 COP 16.6K

-5.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 20.1K

$5.25 COP 19.1K

5.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 COP 28.3K

$7.24 COP 26.3K

7.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 COP 8,825

$2.52 COP 9,171

-3.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,285

$1.05 COP 3,816

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,338

$1.31 COP 4,773

-9.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,798

$1.10 COP 4,006

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 COP 3,142

$1.12 COP 4,070

-23.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,864

$1.13 COP 4,110

-6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 COP 2,701

$0.80 COP 2,917

-7.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,398

$0.65 COP 2,365

1.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 COP 10.8K

$2.33 COP 8,469

27.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 COP 41.6K

$9.45 COP 34.4K

21.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 4,010

$1.10 COP 3,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 COP 6,845

$1.76 COP 6,402

6.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,632

$0.67 COP 2,421

7.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.29 COP 73.8K

$30.19 COP 109.8K

-32.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 COP 5,666

$1.44 COP 5,225

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 COP 6,866

$1.79 COP 6,521

5.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$6.22 COP 22.6K

54.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,430

$1.00 COP 3,636

-6.00%

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

$21.9K COP 79.5M

$17.8K COP 64.7M

22.80%

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

$30.2K COP 109.8M

$25.8K COP 94.0M

16.80%

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

$82.4 COP 299.5K

$82.4 COP 299.7K

-0.06%

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

$8.75 COP 31.8K

$9.12 COP 33.2K

-4.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 COP 89.0K

$22.47 COP 81.7K

8.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.72 COP 71.7K

$23.24 COP 84.5K

-15.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 COP 17.8K

$4.00 COP 14.5K

22.25%

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

$230 COP 838.2K

$240 COP 873.9K

-4.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,948 COP 21.6M

$6,005 COP 21.8M

-0.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 COP 231.0K

$59.7 COP 217.2K

6.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.13 COP 160.5K

$32.39 COP 117.8K

36.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 COP 282.7K

$82.4 COP 299.5K

-5.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 COP 324.2K

$71.5 COP 260.1K

24.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 864.0K

$268 COP 973.2K

-11.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 COP 688.0K

$239 COP 870.8K

-20.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.3M

$526 COP 1.9M

17.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 COP 1.5M

$422 COP 1.5M

-3.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,146 COP 4.2M

$1,435 COP 5.2M

-20.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 COP 3.3M

$1,064 COP 3.9M

-13.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 COP 1.9M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Salento: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $238 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 $172 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 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,128 in Cali and $1,219 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: $238 in Cali versus $268 in Salento. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $230 in Cali versus $240 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 8% less than in Salento. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.