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: $753 in Cali versus $985 in Soledad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,207 in Cali versus $1,454 in Soledad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,661 in Cali versus $1,923 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

$3.72 COP 13.3K

$5.98 COP 21.4K

-37.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.96 COP 103.7K

$23.15 COP 82.8K

25.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 COP 25.3K

$9.41 COP 33.7K

-24.87%

Cappuccino

$1.58 COP 5,667

$1.59 COP 5,689

-0.63%

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

$0.94 COP 3,364

$0.82 COP 2,935

14.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 2,026

$0.72 COP 2,576

-20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 COP 3,751

$1.31 COP 4,679

-19.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 COP 9,273

$2.96 COP 10.6K

-12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,572

$1.20 COP 4,299

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.94 COP 6,927

-24.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 4,480

$1.39 COP 4,959

-10.07%

Eggs

$2.56 COP 9,161

$2.18 COP 7,813

17.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.27 COP 15.3K

$7.00 COP 25.1K

-39.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 COP 19.1K

$6.00 COP 21.5K

-10.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 COP 27.2K

$7.88 COP 28.2K

-3.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 COP 8,512

$3.31 COP 11.9K

-28.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 COP 3,433

$1.11 COP 3,959

-13.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,292

$1.46 COP 5,208

-17.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,721

$1.63 COP 5,830

-19.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,138

$1.54 COP 5,511

-42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,913

$1.06 COP 3,807

2.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 COP 2,485

$1.05 COP 3,753

-34.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,301

$0.60 COP 2,141

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 COP 10.2K

$2.36 COP 8,451

20.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.39 COP 40.8K

$18.60 COP 66.6K

-38.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 COP 3,977

$0.98 COP 3,492

13.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 COP 6,988

$0.98 COP 3,519

98.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 COP 2,549

$0.73 COP 2,619

-2.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.03 COP 71.7K

$30.27 COP 108.3K

-33.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 COP 5,708

$2.00 COP 7,142

-20.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,799

$1.72 COP 6,167

10.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.74 COP 34.9K

$4.70 COP 16.8K

107.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,390

$1.03 COP 3,696

-7.77%

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

$21.6K COP 77.5M

$18.9K COP 67.5M

14.77%

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

$29.4K COP 105.4M

$30.1K COP 107.8M

-2.30%

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

$83.0 COP 296.9K

$142 COP 509.1K

-41.68%

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

$9.11 COP 32.6K

$10.65 COP 38.1K

-14.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.66 COP 88.3K

$24.75 COP 88.6K

-0.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.17 COP 72.2K

$23.19 COP 83.0K

-13.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.58 COP 52.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 COP 17.0K

$2.89 COP 10.3K

64.01%

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

$227 COP 811.6K

$140 COP 501.8K

61.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,005 COP 21.5M

$6,010 COP 21.5M

-0.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 COP 224.9K

$49.22 COP 176.2K

27.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.59 COP 156.0K

$38.44 COP 137.6K

13.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 COP 277.8K

$126 COP 452.3K

-38.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 COP 317.8K

$113 COP 405.6K

-21.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 838.7K

$281 COP 1.0M

-16.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 COP 662.9K

$235 COP 840.8K

-21.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 COP 2.2M

$535 COP 1.9M

13.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 COP 1.5M

$427 COP 1.5M

-4.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,127 COP 4.0M

$1,812 COP 6.5M

-37.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$901 COP 3.2M

$1,264 COP 4.5M

-28.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 COP 1.9M

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Soledad: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Cali and $281 in Soledad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29 in Cali vs $23 in Soledad. Groceries flip the comparison at $182 vs $220, 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 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,130 in Cali and $1,477 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: $234 in Cali versus $281 in Soledad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $227 in Cali versus $140 in Soledad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% 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 31% less than in Soledad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.