Cost of Living Comparison Between Cucuta and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Cucuta and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $696 in Cucuta versus $747 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,113 in Cucuta versus $1,229 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,530 in Cucuta versus $1,710 in Cali.

Living in Cucuta costs roughly 7% less than in Cali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cucuta 48% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 COP 12.0K

$3.65 COP 11.9K

0.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.03 COP 78.1K

$29.20 COP 94.9K

-17.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 23.8K

$7.41 COP 24.1K

-1.21%

Cappuccino

$0.99 COP 3,209

$1.58 COP 5,130

-37.34%

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

$0.88 COP 2,863

$0.95 COP 3,095

-7.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 COP 1,136

$0.60 COP 1,940

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 COP 3,934

$1.01 COP 3,297

19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 COP 7,205

$2.61 COP 8,484

-14.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 COP 2,838

$1.24 COP 4,029

-29.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 COP 3,104

$1.47 COP 4,770

-35.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 COP 3,243

$1.25 COP 4,076

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.12 COP 6,886

$2.48 COP 8,065

-14.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.45 COP 17.7K

$4.33 COP 14.1K

25.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 COP 17.2K

$5.36 COP 17.4K

-1.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.29 COP 23.7K

$7.49 COP 24.4K

-2.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 COP 8,275

$2.49 COP 8,108

2.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,455

$0.92 COP 2,986

-18.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.70 COP 2,286

$1.15 COP 3,749

-39.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 COP 2,046

$1.31 COP 4,260

-51.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,467

$0.89 COP 2,881

-14.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 COP 2,070

$1.11 COP 3,593

-42.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 COP 1,901

$0.75 COP 2,427

-22.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 COP 2,431

$0.68 COP 2,211

10.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 COP 7,770

$2.91 COP 9,454

-17.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 COP 38.5K

$12.88 COP 41.9K

-8.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 3,667

$1.07 COP 3,478

5.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 COP 5,581

$1.86 COP 6,040

-7.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,175

$0.73 COP 2,386

-8.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.69 COP 96.5K

$20.17 COP 65.6K

47.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,600

$1.55 COP 5,043

-9.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 COP 4,885

$1.90 COP 6,171

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 COP 17.2K

$9.45 COP 30.7K

-43.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,207

$0.98 COP 3,190

1.02%

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

$17.6K COP 57.4M

$21.9K COP 71.3M

-19.54%

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

$26.0K COP 84.4M

$29.6K COP 96.2M

-12.27%

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

$85.5 COP 277.9K

$83.3 COP 270.9K

2.59%

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

$9.18 COP 29.9K

$8.94 COP 29.1K

2.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.24 COP 62.6K

$24.55 COP 79.8K

-21.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.55 COP 76.6K

$19.79 COP 64.3K

19.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.82 COP 28.7K

$14.72 COP 47.9K

-40.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 COP 13.1K

$4.88 COP 15.9K

-17.83%

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

$324 COP 1.1M

$222 COP 720.7K

46.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,243 COP 13.8M

$5,871 COP 19.1M

-27.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 COP 193.4K

$64.0 COP 208.1K

-7.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.18 COP 104.6K

$43.51 COP 141.5K

-26.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 COP 272.7K

$76.3 COP 248.1K

9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 COP 227.3K

$89.5 COP 291.1K

-21.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 COP 826.4K

$241 COP 783.0K

5.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 COP 550.1K

$188 COP 611.5K

-10.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 COP 1.9M

$615 COP 2.0M

-5.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 COP 1.2M

$398 COP 1.3M

-9.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,770 COP 5.8M

$1,258 COP 4.1M

40.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,295 COP 4.2M

$990 COP 3.2M

30.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 COP 1.6M

$554 COP 1.8M

-9.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

11.58

13.82%

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

Last update for Cucuta: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cali: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $254 in Cucuta and $241 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cucuta vs $29.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $184 per month, with Cucuta 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

Cucuta vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cucuta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Cali. 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: $254 in Cucuta versus $241 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $324 in Cucuta versus $222 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Cali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cucuta gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Cucuta is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cucuta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.