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: $703 in Cucuta versus $744 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,114 in Cucuta versus $1,224 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,524 in Cucuta versus $1,704 in Cali.

Living in Cucuta costs roughly 5% 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

$3.69 COP 13.2K

$3.65 COP 13.0K

1.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.71 COP 84.7K

$29.25 COP 104.5K

-18.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 COP 26.7K

$7.36 COP 26.3K

1.49%

Cappuccino

$0.99 COP 3,526

$1.61 COP 5,754

-38.51%

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

$0.89 COP 3,173

$0.94 COP 3,353

-5.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 COP 1,230

$0.55 COP 1,979

-38.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 COP 4,110

$1.06 COP 3,775

8.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 COP 7,913

$2.56 COP 9,130

-13.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 COP 3,085

$1.22 COP 4,347

-29.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 COP 3,301

$1.53 COP 5,465

-39.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 COP 3,368

$1.21 COP 4,319

-22.31%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,899

$2.46 COP 8,779

-10.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.30 COP 18.9K

$4.29 COP 15.3K

23.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 COP 18.8K

$5.47 COP 19.5K

-3.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.33 COP 26.2K

$7.60 COP 27.1K

-3.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 8,652

$2.40 COP 8,570

0.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,672

$0.97 COP 3,474

-22.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,692

$1.20 COP 4,274

-37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 COP 2,254

$1.27 COP 4,548

-50.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,686

$0.88 COP 3,148

-14.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 COP 2,093

$1.11 COP 3,949

-46.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 COP 2,238

$0.75 COP 2,679

-16.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,566

$0.65 COP 2,323

10.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 COP 8,530

$2.90 COP 10.3K

-17.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 COP 38.6K

$11.48 COP 41.0K

-5.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,900

$1.10 COP 3,932

-0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 COP 6,398

$1.84 COP 6,584

-2.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 COP 2,483

$0.67 COP 2,407

4.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.51 COP 105.4K

$20.20 COP 72.1K

46.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 COP 5,103

$1.54 COP 5,485

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 COP 5,390

$1.88 COP 6,707

-19.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 COP 18.2K

$9.80 COP 35.0K

-48.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,522

$0.93 COP 3,304

6.45%

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

$18.2K COP 65.0M

$21.4K COP 76.4M

-14.95%

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

$25.9K COP 92.4M

$30.3K COP 108.3M

-14.66%

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

$86.4 COP 308.5K

$80.9 COP 289.0K

6.73%

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

$9.04 COP 32.3K

$8.78 COP 31.4K

2.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.60 COP 70.0K

$23.99 COP 85.7K

-18.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.64 COP 84.4K

$19.60 COP 70.0K

20.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.79 COP 31.4K

$14.79 COP 52.8K

-40.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 COP 13.8K

$4.87 COP 17.4K

-20.53%

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

$331 COP 1.2M

$226 COP 807.0K

46.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,202 COP 15.0M

$6,039 COP 21.6M

-30.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 COP 211.5K

$63.7 COP 227.5K

-7.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.31 COP 118.9K

$44.16 COP 157.7K

-24.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 COP 292.0K

$78.6 COP 280.5K

4.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 COP 256.0K

$89.5 COP 319.6K

-19.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 COP 900.5K

$234 COP 834.7K

7.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 COP 610.6K

$186 COP 665.2K

-8.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 COP 2.1M

$609 COP 2.2M

-3.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 COP 1.3M

$408 COP 1.5M

-12.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,554 COP 5.5M

$1,101 COP 3.9M

41.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,144 COP 4.1M

$890 COP 3.2M

28.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$454 COP 1.6M

$494 COP 1.8M

-8.20%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cali: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $252 in Cucuta and $234 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 9% 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 $163 vs $182 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cali earns 9% 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: $252 in Cucuta versus $234 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $331 in Cucuta 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 12% 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 6% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.