Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombia and Venezuela Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombia and Venezuela

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,249 per month in Colombia vs $679 in Venezuela, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,957 per month in Colombia vs $1,160 in Venezuela, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,664 per month in Colombia vs $1,641 in Venezuela, rent included.

The cost of living in Colombia is about 84% higher than in Venezuela on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Colombia and Venezuela are more affordable than the global median – Colombia 9% lower, Venezuela 51% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Colombia
Venezuela
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.16 COP 25.1K
$9.90 VES 8,225
-17.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.38 COP 130.4K
$49.84 VES 41.4K
-14.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.09 COP 31.0K
$9.87 VES 8,193
2.23%
Cappuccino
$2.62 COP 8,078
$2.58 VES 2,146
1.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 COP 4,475
$1.36 VES 1,130
6.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 COP 2,978
$1.09 VES 903
-11.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.26 COP 6,947
$1.54 VES 1,275
46.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.23 COP 13.0K
$3.02 VES 2,508
40.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Colombia
Venezuela
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,724
$2.26 VES 1,879
-32.30%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 COP 6,786
$1.94 VES 1,611
13.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.66 COP 5,119
$1.56 VES 1,295
6.41%
Eggs
$3.10 COP 9,550
$2.94 VES 2,442
5.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.00 COP 24.6K
$6.99 VES 5,801
14.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.63 COP 26.6K
$7.47 VES 6,207
15.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.73 COP 36.1K
$8.73 VES 7,251
34.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.63 COP 11.2K
$5.44 VES 4,515
-33.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 COP 4,875
$1.61 VES 1,338
-1.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 COP 5,684
$1.80 VES 1,495
2.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,023
$2.05 VES 1,705
-4.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.54 COP 4,750
$1.82 VES 1,514
-15.38%
Onion (1kg)
$1.47 COP 4,522
$1.93 VES 1,605
-23.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 COP 3,817
$1.46 VES 1,208
-15.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 COP 3,583
$1.98 VES 1,646
-41.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25 COP 13.1K
$3.92 VES 3,256
8.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.38 COP 41.2K
$10.05 VES 8,343
33.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 COP 4,589
$1.29 VES 1,073
15.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 COP 8,380
$2.10 VES 1,743
29.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Colombia
Venezuela
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.15 COP 3,551
$0.52 VES 433
121.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.1 COP 194.2K
$30.03 VES 24.9K
110.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.25 COP 6,912
$5.14 VES 4,269
-56.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.18 COP 6,699
$2.44 VES 2,026
-10.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.66 COP 26.6K
$12.54 VES 10.4K
-30.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,142
$0.67 VES 558
101.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K COP 84.7M
$24.8K VES 20.6M
11.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.1K COP 107.9M
$38.5K VES 31.9M
-8.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Colombia
Venezuela
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$131 COP 404.4K
$21.36 VES 17.7K
515.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.61 COP 41.9K
$10.12 VES 8,406
34.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.37 COP 90.4K
$33.58 VES 27.9K
-12.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Colombia
Venezuela
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.91 COP 113.6K
$38.59 VES 32.0K
-4.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.06 COP 52.5K
$17.07 VES 14.2K
-0.06%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 COP 19.7K
$5.08 VES 4,216
25.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Colombia
Venezuela
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$674 COP 2.1M
$88.6 VES 73.6K
660.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,536 COP 26.3M
$4,186 VES 3.5M
103.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Colombia
Venezuela
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$76.2 COP 234.4K
$47.00 VES 39.0K
62.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.7 COP 168.4K
$38.10 VES 31.6K
43.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 422.0K
$88.4 VES 73.4K
55.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 COP 336.3K
$89.3 VES 74.1K
22.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Colombia
Venezuela
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$697 COP 2.1M
$302 VES 251.0K
130.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$456 COP 1.4M
$192 VES 159.6K
137.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,322 COP 4.1M
$519 VES 431.1K
154.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$869 COP 2.7M
$359 VES 298.3K
142.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,583 COP 8.0M
$754 VES 625.8K
242.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,608 COP 4.9M
$483 VES 400.7K
233.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Colombia
Venezuela
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$631 COP 1.9M
$215 VES 178.6K
193.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.51
22.35
-44.03%

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

Last update for Colombia: September 7, 2026

Last update for Venezuela: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $655 in Colombia vs $161 in Venezuela. For reference, capital cities sit at $714 in Bogota and $608 in Caracas.

Average salary: $643 in Colombia vs $201 in Venezuela. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 307% higher in Colombia.

Salaries are 220% higher in Colombia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Colombia.

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
Colombia vs Venezuela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Colombia or Venezuela?
Venezuela is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 84% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Colombia or in Venezuela?
Housing costs more in Colombia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Colombia consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Colombia vs Venezuela?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Venezuela, contributing to the overall 84% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Colombia and Venezuela on $1,500 per month?
$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Venezuela, but in Colombia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Colombia or Venezuela?
Venezuela is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

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