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: $1,321 in Cucuta versus $1,090 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,076 in Cucuta versus $1,649 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,831 in Cucuta versus $2,208 in Cali.

Living in Cucuta is roughly 21% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cucuta 4% lower, Cali 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 COP 22.2K

$7.70 COP 24.3K

-8.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.76 COP 128.6K

$38.08 COP 120.1K

7.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.7K

$8.61 COP 27.2K

9.41%

Cappuccino

$2.53 COP 7,987

$1.62 COP 5,111

56.17%

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

$1.44 COP 4,533

$1.26 COP 3,973

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,112

$0.87 COP 2,755

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 COP 8,179

$3.25 COP 10.2K

-20.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 COP 12.1K

$3.85 COP 12.1K

-0.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,772

$1.57 COP 4,969

-3.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 COP 7,939

$1.99 COP 6,282

26.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,133

$1.51 COP 4,765

7.95%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 8,896

$2.83 COP 8,921

-0.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 COP 22.3K

$6.43 COP 20.3K

9.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.04 COP 34.8K

$7.06 COP 22.3K

56.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.63 COP 39.9K

$10.39 COP 32.8K

21.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 COP 11.5K

$3.49 COP 11.0K

4.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,762

$1.41 COP 4,456

7.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 COP 5,952

$1.76 COP 5,542

7.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 COP 5,927

$1.75 COP 5,522

7.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,535

$1.45 COP 4,584

-0.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,667

$1.57 COP 4,949

-5.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,791

$1.15 COP 3,640

4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,464

$1.04 COP 3,272

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 COP 12.9K

$3.70 COP 11.7K

10.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.89 COP 43.8K

$13.26 COP 41.8K

4.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 COP 4,498

$1.45 COP 4,569

-1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 COP 9,208

$2.53 COP 7,990

15.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,931

$1.08 COP 3,422

15.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.95 COP 94.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 4,856

$0.84 COP 2,662

83.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 COP 6,688

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.71 COP 30.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,117

$1.30 COP 4,114

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

$23.3K COP 73.5M

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

$33.7K COP 106.3M

$35.7K COP 112.6M

-5.57%

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

$108 COP 341.3K

$114 COP 358.3K

-4.73%

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

$15.01 COP 47.4K

$13.49 COP 42.6K

11.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.72 COP 87.5K

$31.05 COP 98.0K

-10.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.59 COP 115.5K

$28.87 COP 91.1K

26.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.25 COP 22.9K

$8.43 COP 26.6K

-14.00%

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

$701 COP 2.2M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,768 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 COP 277.8K

$80.3 COP 253.3K

9.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.3 COP 202.9K

$54.4 COP 171.6K

18.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 COP 422.7K

$124 COP 391.8K

7.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 COP 373.8K

$109 COP 343.7K

8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 COP 2.2M

$641 COP 2.0M

7.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$484 COP 1.5M

$299 COP 944.9K

61.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 COP 3.5M

$1,577 COP 5.0M

-30.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$964 COP 3.0M

$493 COP 1.6M

95.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,887 COP 6.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,648 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 COP 1.9M

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 Cucuta: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cali: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Cucuta and $641 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Cucuta vs $38.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $244 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

Cucuta vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $1,981 in Cucuta and $1,636 in Cali 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: $687 in Cucuta versus $641 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Cucuta. 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 Cucuta. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,090 in Cali versus $1,321 in Cucuta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Cucuta. 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 Cucuta, 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 21% less than in Cucuta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.