Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Tunja Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Tunja

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,089 in Cali versus $1,315 in Tunja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,647 in Cali versus $2,022 in Tunja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,204 in Cali versus $2,729 in Tunja.

Living in Cali costs roughly 17% less than in Tunja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 19% lower, Tunja 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 COP 25.3K

$5.72 COP 18.8K

34.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.87 COP 124.7K

$32.70 COP 107.7K

15.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.37 COP 27.6K

$9.48 COP 31.2K

-11.71%

Cappuccino

$1.57 COP 5,160

$2.21 COP 7,278

-28.96%

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

$1.28 COP 4,229

$1.41 COP 4,635

-9.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 COP 2,902

$1.07 COP 3,515

-17.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 COP 10.7K

$1.71 COP 5,638

89.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 COP 12.7K

$2.64 COP 8,701

46.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 COP 5,377

$1.53 COP 5,028

6.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 COP 6,269

$1.49 COP 4,913

27.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,098

$1.76 COP 5,788

-11.93%

Eggs

$2.91 COP 9,574

$3.30 COP 10.9K

-11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 COP 22.0K

$8.27 COP 27.2K

-19.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 COP 22.9K

$14.71 COP 48.5K

-52.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 COP 34.2K

$17.90 COP 58.9K

-42.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 COP 11.7K

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,414

$1.44 COP 4,744

-6.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 COP 5,787

$2.19 COP 7,219

-19.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,606

$1.82 COP 5,979

-6.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,782

$1.44 COP 4,759

0.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 5,062

$1.49 COP 4,920

3.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 COP 3,627

$0.94 COP 3,089

17.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 COP 3,227

$0.94 COP 3,104

4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 COP 12.4K

$4.45 COP 14.7K

-15.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.97 COP 42.7K

$12.95 COP 42.6K

0.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 COP 4,956

$1.45 COP 4,790

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 COP 8,431

$1.68 COP 5,517

52.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 COP 3,749

$1.13 COP 3,709

0.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.57 COP 100.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 COP 2,784

$0.98 COP 3,239

-13.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,750

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 COP 25.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,225

$1.32 COP 4,353

-3.03%

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

$27.5K COP 90.4M

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

$35.9K COP 118.1M

$33.7K COP 111.0M

6.34%

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

$113 COP 371.8K

$180 COP 593.5K

-37.36%

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

$13.20 COP 43.5K

$10.94 COP 36.0K

20.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.95 COP 101.9K

$26.31 COP 86.6K

17.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.18 COP 96.1K

$36.98 COP 121.8K

-21.09%

Cinema Ticket

$8.35 COP 27.5K

$6.51 COP 21.4K

28.26%

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

$641 COP 2.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,693 COP 22.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.6 COP 258.9K

$53.2 COP 175.3K

47.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 COP 181.2K

$57.2 COP 188.5K

-3.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 COP 414.4K

$125 COP 410.9K

0.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 COP 371.3K

$98.0 COP 322.9K

14.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 COP 2.1M

$698 COP 2.3M

-6.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 COP 986.4K

$472 COP 1.6M

-36.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 COP 5.1M

$1,043 COP 3.4M

49.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 COP 1.6M

$985 COP 3.2M

-50.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 COP 6.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,704 COP 5.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$582 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

12.4

-6.61%

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

Last update for Cali: September 20, 2026

Last update for Tunja: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $650 in Cali and $698 in Tunja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Cali vs $33.00 in Tunja. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $306, 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 Tunja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,634 in Cali and $1,972 in Tunja 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: $650 in Cali versus $698 in Tunja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Tunja. 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 $33.00 in Tunja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,089 in Cali versus $1,315 in Tunja, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Tunja. 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 Tunja, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cali and Tunja are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Tunja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.