Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Soledad Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Soledad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $764 in Cali versus $974 in Soledad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,236 in Cali versus $1,437 in Soledad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,708 in Cali versus $1,901 in Soledad.

Living in Cali costs roughly 22% less than in Soledad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 43% lower, Soledad 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 COP 12.0K

$6.08 COP 19.6K

-38.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.03 COP 93.4K

$23.84 COP 76.7K

21.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 COP 23.8K

$9.58 COP 30.8K

-22.65%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,285

$1.62 COP 5,223

1.23%

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

$0.95 COP 3,053

$0.87 COP 2,804

9.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,939

$0.67 COP 2,159

-10.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 COP 3,407

$1.26 COP 4,038

-15.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 COP 8,299

$2.84 COP 9,147

-9.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,127

$1.18 COP 3,810

8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 4,757

$1.86 COP 5,992

-20.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 3,909

$1.38 COP 4,429

-12.32%

Eggs

$2.58 COP 8,303

$2.11 COP 6,794

22.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.15 COP 13.3K

$6.84 COP 22.0K

-39.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 17.8K

$6.18 COP 19.9K

-10.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 COP 23.9K

$7.70 COP 24.8K

-3.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 COP 8,031

$3.17 COP 10.2K

-21.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,986

$1.10 COP 3,551

-15.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,803

$1.46 COP 4,711

-19.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 4,101

$1.60 COP 5,143

-20.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 COP 2,783

$1.61 COP 5,182

-46.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 COP 3,395

$1.12 COP 3,598

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 COP 2,232

$1.05 COP 3,370

-34.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,253

$0.63 COP 2,037

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 COP 9,072

$2.24 COP 7,222

25.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.59 COP 40.5K

$18.22 COP 58.6K

-30.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,449

$0.99 COP 3,177

8.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 COP 6,216

$1.03 COP 3,312

87.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,176

$0.68 COP 2,180

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.55 COP 66.1K

$29.60 COP 95.2K

-30.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 COP 5,008

$1.95 COP 6,277

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,259

$1.67 COP 5,358

16.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.59 COP 30.9K

$4.73 COP 15.2K

102.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,049

$0.96 COP 3,103

-1.04%

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

$21.7K COP 69.9M

$19.1K COP 61.6M

13.48%

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

$30.3K COP 97.5M

$30.0K COP 96.4M

1.14%

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

$83.2 COP 267.7K

$141 COP 453.5K

-40.96%

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

$8.80 COP 28.3K

$10.96 COP 35.3K

-19.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.79 COP 79.8K

$25.03 COP 80.5K

-0.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.02 COP 64.4K

$23.35 COP 75.1K

-14.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 46.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 COP 15.4K

$2.95 COP 9,503

62.37%

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

$227 COP 730.0K

$142 COP 457.5K

59.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,918 COP 19.0M

$6,040 COP 19.4M

-2.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 COP 205.5K

$47.81 COP 153.8K

33.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.27 COP 139.2K

$38.77 COP 124.8K

11.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 COP 243.2K

$126 COP 405.6K

-40.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 COP 284.3K

$113 COP 365.1K

-22.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 COP 768.1K

$285 COP 916.4K

-16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 COP 610.4K

$240 COP 772.6K

-20.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 COP 1.9M

$522 COP 1.7M

15.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 COP 1.3M

$430 COP 1.4M

-6.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,228 COP 4.0M

$1,821 COP 5.9M

-32.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,005 COP 3.2M

$1,346 COP 4.3M

-25.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$558 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

-22.80%

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

Last update for Cali: July 20, 2026

Last update for Soledad: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $239 in Cali and $285 in Soledad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cali vs $24.00 in Soledad. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $218, with Cali cheaper for home cooking.

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 Soledad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,146 in Cali and $1,461 in Soledad 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: $239 in Cali versus $285 in Soledad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $227 in Cali versus $142 in Soledad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Soledad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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 Soledad, 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 27% less than in Soledad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.