Cost of Living Comparison Between Manizales and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Manizales and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $742 in Manizales versus $756 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,089 in Manizales versus $1,227 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,437 in Manizales versus $1,698 in Cali.

Living in Manizales costs roughly 2% less than in Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manizales 44% lower, Cali 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 COP 11.7K

$3.56 COP 11.2K

4.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.25 COP 54.3K

$28.88 COP 90.9K

-40.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 COP 24.0K

$7.42 COP 23.4K

2.56%

Cappuccino

$1.34 COP 4,231

$1.64 COP 5,158

-18.29%

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

$0.73 COP 2,310

$0.88 COP 2,783

-17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 COP 1,631

$0.60 COP 1,884

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 COP 3,532

$1.01 COP 3,194

10.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 COP 6,660

$2.47 COP 7,779

-14.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 COP 3,263

$1.23 COP 3,863

-15.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 COP 4,437

$1.48 COP 4,668

-4.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,519

$1.25 COP 3,940

-10.40%

Eggs

$2.00 COP 6,282

$2.47 COP 7,786

-19.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.87 COP 15.3K

$4.21 COP 13.3K

15.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 COP 15.9K

$5.45 COP 17.2K

-7.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 COP 23.0K

$7.77 COP 24.5K

-6.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 COP 9,318

$2.46 COP 7,733

20.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 COP 3,254

$0.93 COP 2,914

10.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,304

$1.19 COP 3,749

15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 COP 4,055

$1.27 COP 3,998

1.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,507

$0.82 COP 2,579

35.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,524

$1.09 COP 3,445

2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 COP 2,423

$0.74 COP 2,331

4.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,613

$0.65 COP 2,049

27.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 COP 7,705

$2.80 COP 8,828

-12.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 COP 33.8K

$13.13 COP 41.4K

-18.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 COP 3,500

$1.08 COP 3,385

2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 COP 6,065

$1.86 COP 5,848

3.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,106

$0.67 COP 2,097

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.06 COP 85.2K

$19.94 COP 62.8K

35.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 COP 3,705

$1.61 COP 5,062

-26.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 COP 4,025

$1.95 COP 6,137

-34.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 COP 19.6K

$9.80 COP 30.9K

-36.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,174

$0.95 COP 2,982

6.32%

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

$15.8K COP 49.6M

$21.5K COP 67.7M

-26.67%

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

$25.5K COP 80.4M

$30.2K COP 95.1M

-15.49%

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

$60.2 COP 189.4K

$82.2 COP 258.7K

-26.80%

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

$9.03 COP 28.4K

$8.73 COP 27.5K

3.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.94 COP 78.5K

$24.65 COP 77.6K

1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.66 COP 87.1K

$20.05 COP 63.1K

37.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.02 COP 59.9K

$14.40 COP 45.4K

32.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.21 COP 10.1K

$4.82 COP 15.2K

-33.40%

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

$243 COP 764.3K

$225 COP 708.9K

7.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,515 COP 26.8M

$5,871 COP 18.5M

45.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.22 COP 117.2K

$64.3 COP 202.5K

-42.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.93 COP 97.4K

$43.60 COP 137.3K

-29.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 COP 201.3K

$76.5 COP 240.9K

-16.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 COP 188.0K

$89.0 COP 280.3K

-32.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 COP 824.7K

$235 COP 740.9K

11.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 COP 705.1K

$189 COP 595.4K

18.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 COP 1.3M

$614 COP 1.9M

-30.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 COP 936.8K

$408 COP 1.3M

-27.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,819 COP 5.7M

$1,261 COP 4.0M

44.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,630 COP 5.1M

$1,020 COP 3.2M

59.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$906 COP 2.9M

$567 COP 1.8M

59.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

-5.01%

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

Last update for Manizales: July 28, 2026

Last update for Cali: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Manizales and $235 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manizales 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: $17.00 in Manizales vs $29.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $185 per month, with Manizales 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

Manizales vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manizales is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 60% higher in Manizales, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $262 in Manizales versus $235 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $243 in Manizales versus $225 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Cali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Manizales gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Manizales 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.

Safety-wise, Manizales 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 Manizales gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.