Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Soledad

For one person, living is cheaper in Cali: $1,241 a month against $1,338 in Soledad, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Cali, Colombia
Soledad, Colombia
Cali
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,241
/mo nomad
Soledad
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,338
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cali and in Soledad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cali and in Soledad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,241 in Cali versus $1,338 in Soledad.

  • Cali $1,241
  • Soledad $1,338

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Cali versus $2,071 in Soledad.

  • Cali $1,856
  • Soledad $2,071

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,470 in Cali versus $2,805 in Soledad.

  • Cali $2,470
  • Soledad $2,805

Living in Cali costs roughly 7% less than in Soledad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 9% lower, Soledad 2% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cali
Soledad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.33 COP 16.8K
$5.68 COP 17.9K
-6.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.5 COP 180.8K
$46.25 COP 145.5K
24.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.19 COP 19.5K
$10.15 COP 31.9K
-39.01%
Cappuccino
$3.18 COP 10.0K
$2.69 COP 8,469
18.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,446
$2.50 COP 7,868
-5.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 COP 6,932
$2.27 COP 7,137
-3.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.47 COP 10.9K
$3.18 COP 9,996
9.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 COP 11.6K
$5.08 COP 16.0K
-27.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cali
Soledad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 COP 5,255
$1.83 COP 5,746
-8.74%
White Bread (500g)
$1.82 COP 5,735
$2.82 COP 8,864
-35.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,264
$1.49 COP 4,672
12.08%
Eggs
$3.08 COP 9,697
$4.91 COP 15.4K
-37.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.78 COP 27.6K
$8.24 COP 25.9K
6.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.45 COP 29.7K
$9.79 COP 30.8K
-3.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.89 COP 34.3K
$13.59 COP 42.8K
-19.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.89 COP 12.2K
$3.26 COP 10.2K
19.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.21 COP 3,793
$1.25 COP 3,938
-3.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.35 COP 4,257
$1.82 COP 5,731
-25.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 COP 6,566
$1.81 COP 5,695
15.47%
Potato (1kg)
$1.69 COP 5,327
$1.65 COP 5,186
2.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 COP 5,091
$1.29 COP 4,072
25.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 COP 3,197
$1.20 COP 3,768
-15.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 COP 2,682
$1.14 COP 3,593
-25.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.54 COP 14.3K
$3.60 COP 11.3K
26.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.12 COP 53.9K
$14.33 COP 45.1K
19.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 4,960
$1.38 COP 4,346
14.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 COP 6,190
$2.63 COP 8,275
-25.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Cali
Soledad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.13 COP 3,549
$0.99 COP 3,128
14.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.3 COP 211.8K
$70.2 COP 220.7K
-4.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.19 COP 3,733
$1.54 COP 4,852
-22.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 COP 1,801
$3.68 COP 11.6K
-84.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.39 COP 10.7K
$9.36 COP 29.4K
-63.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,258
$1.34 COP 4,220
0.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.3M
$35.0K COP 110.0M
-0.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K COP 108.2M
$34.5K COP 108.5M
-0.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cali
Soledad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$102 COP 319.7K
$78.2 COP 246.0K
29.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.18 COP 47.7K
$14.30 COP 45.0K
6.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.67 COP 87.0K
$24.69 COP 77.7K
12.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cali
Soledad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.03 COP 97.6K
$35.20 COP 110.7K
-11.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.43 COP 32.8K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.11 COP 16.1K
$8.39 COP 26.4K
-39.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cali
Soledad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$404 COP 1.3M
$630 COP 2.0M
-35.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K COP 36.3M
$5,897 COP 18.5M
95.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cali
Soledad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.3 COP 261.9K
$85.8 COP 269.8K
-2.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.25 COP 136.1K
$58.1 COP 182.8K
-25.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 COP 364.9K
$152 COP 476.8K
-23.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$100 COP 314.8K
$101 COP 318.8K
-1.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cali
Soledad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$713 COP 2.2M
$795 COP 2.5M
-10.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$412 COP 1.3M
$450 COP 1.4M
-8.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,466 COP 4.6M
$1,497 COP 4.7M
-2.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$542 COP 1.7M
$780 COP 2.5M
-30.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,750 COP 5.5M
$2,199 COP 6.9M
-20.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,488 COP 4.7M
$1,903 COP 6.0M
-21.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cali
Soledad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$589 COP 1.9M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.88
15
-7.47%

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

Last update for Cali: October 26, 2026

Last update for Soledad: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cali
$412
Soledad
$450 9.2% $38
Groceries & Markets
Cali
$271
Soledad
$293 8.1% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Cali
$154
Soledad
$179 15.8% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cali
$144
Soledad
$117 18.9% $27
Eating Out
Cali
$142
Soledad
$153 7.7% $11
Getting Around
Cali
$76
Soledad
$94 24% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Cali
$41
Soledad
$52 26% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $713 in Cali and $795 in Soledad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $57 in Cali vs $46 in Soledad. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $293, with Cali cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Cali
🇨🇴 Soledad
🕒 Local time
13:39 1:39 PM
13:39 1:39 PM
Same time as Cali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,568,609
582,156
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cali Soledad 850 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Cali
  • Soledad

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Cali cheaper than Soledad?
Cali is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, groceries, and transport. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,862 in Cali and $2,007 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.
What is the rent difference between Cali and Soledad?
Rent for a central apartment: $713 in Cali versus $795 in Soledad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $404 in Cali versus $630 in Soledad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Cali and in Soledad?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Soledad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 enough for either Cali or Soledad?
Either city works on $1,500 a month, though Cali gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Cali or in Soledad?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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