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: $751 in Manizales versus $751 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,070 in Manizales versus $1,205 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,389 in Manizales versus $1,659 in Cali.

Monthly costs are close between Manizales and Cali; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 COP 12.8K

$3.73 COP 13.0K

-1.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.07 COP 59.6K

$28.95 COP 101.0K

-41.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 COP 26.7K

$7.06 COP 24.6K

8.36%

Cappuccino

$1.34 COP 4,692

$1.56 COP 5,438

-14.10%

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

$0.75 COP 2,607

$0.88 COP 3,063

-14.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 1,949

$0.60 COP 2,111

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 COP 3,765

$1.05 COP 3,672

2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 COP 7,549

$2.52 COP 8,800

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,321

$1.28 COP 4,482

-25.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 COP 5,136

$1.46 COP 5,090

0.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,928

$1.21 COP 4,221

-6.61%

Eggs

$1.90 COP 6,615

$2.47 COP 8,621

-23.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.67 COP 16.3K

$4.20 COP 14.7K

11.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 COP 17.4K

$5.53 COP 19.3K

-9.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 25.0K

$7.85 COP 27.4K

-8.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 COP 10.9K

$2.42 COP 8,430

28.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 COP 3,493

$0.95 COP 3,324

5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,722

$1.19 COP 4,163

13.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 COP 4,499

$1.30 COP 4,542

-0.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,906

$0.81 COP 2,837

38.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,079

$1.06 COP 3,684

10.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 COP 2,494

$0.76 COP 2,650

-6.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 COP 2,755

$0.70 COP 2,431

12.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 COP 8,516

$2.85 COP 9,948

-14.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.82 COP 34.3K

$11.57 COP 40.4K

-15.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,000

$1.07 COP 3,739

7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 COP 6,777

$1.95 COP 6,812

-0.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 COP 2,260

$0.72 COP 2,521

-9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.57 COP 96.2K

$20.01 COP 69.8K

37.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 COP 4,144

$1.58 COP 5,521

-24.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 COP 4,489

$1.91 COP 6,674

-32.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 COP 20.9K

$9.72 COP 33.9K

-38.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,372

$0.92 COP 3,194

5.43%

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

$15.9K COP 55.5M

$21.5K COP 75.2M

-26.11%

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

$24.6K COP 86.0M

$30.4K COP 105.9M

-18.85%

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

$58.8 COP 205.1K

$81.2 COP 283.4K

-27.62%

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

$9.28 COP 32.4K

$8.63 COP 30.1K

7.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.75 COP 89.9K

$24.09 COP 84.1K

6.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.70 COP 96.7K

$19.55 COP 68.2K

41.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.57 COP 68.3K

$14.36 COP 50.1K

36.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.21 COP 11.2K

$4.94 COP 17.3K

-35.02%

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

$239 COP 833.3K

$227 COP 790.8K

5.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,430 COP 29.4M

$5,871 COP 20.5M

43.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.98 COP 132.6K

$63.7 COP 222.3K

-40.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 COP 107.0K

$44.88 COP 156.6K

-31.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.5 COP 221.6K

$75.8 COP 264.5K

-16.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.8 COP 208.5K

$89.7 COP 313.1K

-33.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 COP 918.6K

$242 COP 846.1K

8.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 COP 770.5K

$186 COP 649.9K

18.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 COP 1.5M

$608 COP 2.1M

-27.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 COP 1.0M

$397 COP 1.4M

-25.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,606 COP 5.6M

$1,114 COP 3.9M

44.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,485 COP 5.2M

$920 COP 3.2M

61.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$753 COP 2.6M

$512 COP 1.8M

47.09%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $263 in Manizales and $242 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manizales pays 47% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $17.00 in Manizales vs $29.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $183 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 pays 47% more on average, 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: $263 in Manizales versus $242 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $239 in Manizales versus $227 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Manizales – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $29.00 in Cali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Manizales wins on affordability, Cali on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.