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: $751 in Cali versus $980 in Soledad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,205 in Cali versus $1,432 in Soledad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,659 in Cali versus $1,883 in Soledad.

Living in Cali costs roughly 23% less than in Soledad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 44% lower, Soledad 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 COP 13.3K

$6.00 COP 21.4K

-37.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.95 COP 103.2K

$23.29 COP 83.1K

24.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 COP 25.2K

$9.75 COP 34.8K

-27.59%

Cappuccino

$1.56 COP 5,557

$1.57 COP 5,603

-0.64%

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

$0.88 COP 3,130

$0.81 COP 2,893

8.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,158

$0.72 COP 2,571

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 COP 3,752

$1.29 COP 4,589

-18.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 COP 8,993

$2.94 COP 10.5K

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,580

$1.14 COP 4,079

12.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 COP 5,201

$1.84 COP 6,577

-20.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,313

$1.38 COP 4,926

-12.32%

Eggs

$2.47 COP 8,810

$2.18 COP 7,758

13.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.20 COP 15.0K

$6.76 COP 24.1K

-37.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 19.7K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-7.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 COP 28.0K

$7.98 COP 28.4K

-1.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 8,614

$3.25 COP 11.6K

-25.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.11 COP 3,961

-14.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,254

$1.45 COP 5,180

-17.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,642

$1.60 COP 5,703

-18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 COP 2,899

$1.54 COP 5,488

-47.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.07 COP 3,810

-0.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 COP 2,708

$1.01 COP 3,599

-24.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,484

$0.60 COP 2,124

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 COP 10.2K

$2.34 COP 8,346

21.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 COP 41.3K

$18.09 COP 64.5K

-36.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,821

$0.99 COP 3,519

8.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 COP 6,961

$0.98 COP 3,508

98.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,576

$0.72 COP 2,565

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.01 COP 71.4K

$29.99 COP 106.9K

-33.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 COP 5,642

$1.92 COP 6,859

-17.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,819

$1.71 COP 6,115

11.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.72 COP 34.7K

$4.91 COP 17.5K

97.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,264

$1.02 COP 3,638

-9.80%

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

$21.5K COP 76.8M

$18.8K COP 67.2M

14.35%

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

$30.4K COP 108.2M

$30.8K COP 109.8M

-1.42%

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

$81.2 COP 289.6K

$143 COP 508.6K

-43.05%

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

$8.63 COP 30.8K

$10.94 COP 39.0K

-21.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.09 COP 85.9K

$25.33 COP 90.3K

-4.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.55 COP 69.7K

$23.80 COP 84.9K

-17.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 51.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$2.94 COP 10.5K

68.03%

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

$227 COP 808.1K

$144 COP 514.2K

57.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 20.9M

$5,892 COP 21.0M

-0.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 227.1K

$48.10 COP 171.6K

32.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.88 COP 160.1K

$38.58 COP 137.6K

16.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 COP 270.3K

$126 COP 450.9K

-40.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 COP 320.0K

$115 COP 410.2K

-22.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 864.5K

$283 COP 1.0M

-14.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 664.1K

$235 COP 839.0K

-20.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 COP 2.2M

$521 COP 1.9M

16.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 COP 1.4M

$422 COP 1.5M

-6.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,114 COP 4.0M

$1,581 COP 5.6M

-29.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 COP 3.3M

$1,353 COP 4.8M

-32.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Soledad: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Cali and $283 in Soledad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cali vs $23.00 in Soledad. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $216, 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 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,127 in Cali and $1,471 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: $242 in Cali versus $283 in Soledad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $227 in Cali versus $144 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 30% less than in Soledad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.