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: $732 in Manizales versus $752 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,078 in Manizales versus $1,212 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,424 in Manizales versus $1,672 in Cali.

Living in Manizales costs roughly 3% less than in Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manizales 45% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 COP 12.9K

$3.57 COP 12.9K

0.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.06 COP 61.6K

$29.24 COP 105.5K

-41.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$7.47 COP 27.0K

2.41%

Cappuccino

$1.31 COP 4,721

$1.64 COP 5,920

-20.12%

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

$0.80 COP 2,874

$0.87 COP 3,146

-8.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 2,032

$0.56 COP 2,036

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 COP 4,050

$1.04 COP 3,759

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 COP 7,746

$2.47 COP 8,919

-12.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,724

$1.27 COP 4,593

-18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 COP 5,043

$1.48 COP 5,361

-5.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,049

$1.24 COP 4,492

-9.68%

Eggs

$1.98 COP 7,133

$2.53 COP 9,120

-21.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.70 COP 17.0K

$4.29 COP 15.5K

9.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 COP 18.3K

$5.53 COP 19.9K

-8.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 COP 27.1K

$7.78 COP 28.1K

-3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 COP 11.1K

$2.43 COP 8,759

25.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 COP 3,593

$0.90 COP 3,260

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,843

$1.19 COP 4,306

12.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,680

$1.32 COP 4,763

-1.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,916

$0.86 COP 3,119

25.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,195

$1.06 COP 3,836

9.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 COP 2,818

$0.74 COP 2,681

5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,023

$0.66 COP 2,380

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 COP 8,617

$2.96 COP 10.7K

-19.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 COP 34.5K

$11.44 COP 41.3K

-16.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 COP 4,041

$1.10 COP 3,980

1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 6,715

$1.88 COP 6,795

-1.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 COP 2,528

$0.72 COP 2,612

-2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.14 COP 98.0K

$20.29 COP 73.3K

33.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 COP 4,440

$1.56 COP 5,624

-21.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 COP 4,615

$1.89 COP 6,815

-32.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 COP 21.6K

$9.60 COP 34.6K

-37.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,592

$0.94 COP 3,405

5.32%

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

$15.5K COP 56.1M

$21.9K COP 78.9M

-28.93%

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

$24.9K COP 90.0M

$30.2K COP 109.0M

-17.42%

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

$59.1 COP 213.4K

$82.4 COP 297.3K

-28.22%

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

$9.04 COP 32.6K

$8.75 COP 31.6K

3.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.89 COP 93.5K

$24.48 COP 88.4K

5.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.49 COP 99.2K

$19.72 COP 71.2K

39.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.26 COP 69.5K

$14.66 COP 52.9K

31.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.36 COP 12.1K

$4.89 COP 17.6K

-31.29%

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

$246 COP 888.2K

$230 COP 832.0K

6.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,614 COP 31.1M

$5,948 COP 21.5M

44.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.47 COP 138.9K

$63.5 COP 229.2K

-39.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.13 COP 112.4K

$44.13 COP 159.3K

-29.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 COP 236.1K

$77.7 COP 280.6K

-15.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 COP 219.5K

$89.2 COP 321.8K

-31.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 COP 931.2K

$238 COP 857.6K

8.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 COP 799.2K

$189 COP 682.9K

17.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 COP 1.5M

$620 COP 2.2M

-31.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 COP 1.1M

$409 COP 1.5M

-26.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,583 COP 5.7M

$1,146 COP 4.1M

38.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 COP 5.3M

$920 COP 3.3M

58.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$740 COP 2.7M

$514 COP 1.9M

43.96%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Cali: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Manizales and $238 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manizales pays 44% 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 $179 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 is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Manizales pays 44% 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: $258 in Manizales versus $238 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $246 in Manizales versus $230 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 3% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.