Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $821 in Cartago versus $744 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Cartago versus $1,224 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,689 in Cartago versus $1,704 in Cali.

Living in Cartago is roughly 10% more expensive than Cali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cartago 39% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 COP 13.3K

$3.65 COP 13.0K

1.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.89 COP 103.2K

$29.25 COP 104.5K

-1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.33 COP 26.2K

$7.36 COP 26.3K

-0.41%

Cappuccino

$1.57 COP 5,610

$1.61 COP 5,754

-2.48%

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

$0.92 COP 3,289

$0.94 COP 3,353

-2.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 COP 2,112

$0.55 COP 1,979

7.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,622

$1.06 COP 3,775

-4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 COP 9,265

$2.56 COP 9,130

1.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 COP 4,398

$1.22 COP 4,347

0.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 COP 5,454

$1.53 COP 5,465

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 4,452

$1.21 COP 4,319

3.31%

Eggs

$2.46 COP 8,767

$2.46 COP 8,779

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$4.29 COP 15.3K

1.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 COP 19.6K

$5.47 COP 19.5K

0.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 COP 26.9K

$7.60 COP 27.1K

-0.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 COP 8,802

$2.40 COP 8,570

2.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 COP 3,300

$0.97 COP 3,474

-5.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 COP 4,073

$1.20 COP 4,274

-5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,714

$1.27 COP 4,548

3.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 COP 3,102

$0.88 COP 3,148

-1.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,952

$1.11 COP 3,949

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 COP 2,542

$0.75 COP 2,679

-5.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,501

$0.65 COP 2,323

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 COP 10.0K

$2.90 COP 10.3K

-3.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 COP 40.4K

$11.48 COP 41.0K

-1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 COP 3,781

$1.10 COP 3,932

-3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 COP 6,969

$1.84 COP 6,584

5.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 COP 2,463

$0.67 COP 2,407

2.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.69 COP 106.0K

$20.20 COP 72.1K

46.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 COP 5,442

$1.54 COP 5,485

-1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 COP 6,741

$1.88 COP 6,707

0.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.87 COP 35.2K

$9.80 COP 35.0K

0.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,359

$0.93 COP 3,304

1.08%

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

$21.8K COP 78.0M

$21.4K COP 76.4M

2.08%

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

$30.0K COP 107.1M

$30.3K COP 108.3M

-1.10%

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

$80.6 COP 287.7K

$80.9 COP 289.0K

-0.44%

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

$8.70 COP 31.1K

$8.78 COP 31.4K

-0.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.15 COP 86.2K

$23.99 COP 85.7K

0.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.66 COP 84.5K

$19.60 COP 70.0K

20.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.79 COP 52.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 COP 17.5K

$4.87 COP 17.4K

0.82%

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

$224 COP 799.3K

$226 COP 807.0K

-0.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,901 COP 21.1M

$6,039 COP 21.6M

-2.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 COP 227.1K

$63.7 COP 227.5K

-0.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.20 COP 157.8K

$44.16 COP 157.7K

0.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 COP 276.2K

$78.6 COP 280.5K

-1.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 COP 322.8K

$89.5 COP 319.6K

1.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 1.0M

$234 COP 834.7K

20.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 849.6K

$186 COP 665.2K

27.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 COP 1.9M

$609 COP 2.2M

-13.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 COP 1.5M

$408 COP 1.5M

3.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,428 COP 5.1M

$1,101 COP 3.9M

29.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,172 COP 4.2M

$890 COP 3.2M

31.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$308 COP 1.1M

$494 COP 1.8M

-37.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

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

Last update for Cartago: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cali: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Cali pays 60% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cartago vs $29.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $182 per month, with Cartago 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

Cartago vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cali earns 60% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $281 in Cartago versus $234 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $224 in Cartago versus $226 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Cartago. 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 Cartago, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cartago and Cali 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 10% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.