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: $1,088 in Cali versus $1,272 in Soledad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,643 in Cali versus $2,032 in Soledad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,199 in Cali versus $2,791 in Soledad.

Living in Cali costs roughly 14% less than in Soledad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 21% lower, Soledad 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 23.7K

$4.96 COP 15.3K

55.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.56 COP 115.6K

$41.34 COP 127.2K

-9.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 COP 25.3K

$9.92 COP 30.5K

-17.04%

Cappuccino

$1.60 COP 4,929

$3.52 COP 10.8K

-54.55%

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

$1.32 COP 4,057

$1.93 COP 5,925

-31.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 COP 2,515

$1.83 COP 5,647

-55.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 COP 10.2K

$1.94 COP 5,985

70.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 COP 11.4K

$4.84 COP 14.9K

-23.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 COP 4,883

$1.94 COP 5,970

-18.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 COP 5,982

$2.36 COP 7,275

-17.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,837

$1.43 COP 4,395

9.79%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,892

$4.91 COP 15.1K

-41.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.67 COP 20.5K

$7.23 COP 22.3K

-7.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.07 COP 21.7K

$10.96 COP 33.7K

-35.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.31 COP 31.7K

$12.75 COP 39.2K

-19.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 COP 11.0K

$3.48 COP 10.7K

2.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,240

$1.57 COP 4,827

-12.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 COP 5,653

$1.89 COP 5,812

-2.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 COP 5,375

$1.81 COP 5,571

-3.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 COP 4,483

$1.43 COP 4,402

2.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 COP 4,761

$1.46 COP 4,497

6.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 COP 3,390

$1.14 COP 3,521

-3.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,045

$1.13 COP 3,493

-12.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 COP 12.1K

$4.00 COP 12.3K

-2.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.12 COP 40.4K

$14.37 COP 44.2K

-8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 COP 4,623

$1.47 COP 4,517

2.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 COP 7,848

$2.96 COP 9,096

-13.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 COP 3,376

$1.16 COP 3,572

-5.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.41 COP 93.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 COP 2,623

$1.56 COP 4,805

-45.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.77 COP 11.6K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.61 COP 29.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 3,983

$1.29 COP 3,977

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

$23.9K COP 73.5M

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

$35.2K COP 108.2M

$34.3K COP 105.4M

2.68%

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

$112 COP 345.6K

$79.4 COP 244.3K

41.46%

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

$13.25 COP 40.8K

$13.29 COP 40.9K

-0.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.87 COP 95.0K

$30.12 COP 92.7K

2.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.95 COP 89.1K

$36.24 COP 111.5K

-20.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.57 COP 26.4K

$8.28 COP 25.5K

3.50%

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

$645 COP 2.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,855 COP 18.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.0 COP 246.1K

$83.3 COP 256.3K

-3.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.7 COP 168.3K

$56.7 COP 174.4K

-3.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 COP 390.0K

$141 COP 433.6K

-10.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 COP 346.8K

$108 COP 331.5K

4.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 COP 2.0M

$673 COP 2.1M

-2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 COP 907.2K

$475 COP 1.5M

-37.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 COP 4.9M

$1,018 COP 3.1M

56.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 COP 1.5M

$947 COP 2.9M

-46.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,937 COP 6.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,704 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Soledad: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $658 in Cali and $673 in Soledad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Cali vs $41.00 in Soledad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $294 per month, with Cali 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 Soledad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,632 in Cali and $1,908 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: $658 in Cali versus $673 in Soledad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Soledad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cali – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $41.00 in Soledad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,088 in Cali versus $1,272 in Soledad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Soledad. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 17% less than in Soledad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.