Cost of Living Comparison Between Monteria and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Monteria and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $764 in Monteria versus $756 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,174 in Monteria versus $1,227 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,584 in Monteria versus $1,698 in Cali.

Living in Monteria is roughly 1% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 COP 15.8K

$3.56 COP 11.4K

39.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.72 COP 101.2K

$28.88 COP 92.1K

9.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 23.7K

Cappuccino

$1.78 COP 5,665

$1.64 COP 5,226

8.54%

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

$0.87 COP 2,773

$0.88 COP 2,820

-1.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 COP 1,935

$0.60 COP 1,909

1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 COP 4,359

$1.01 COP 3,237

35.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 COP 6,125

$2.47 COP 7,883

-22.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 2,955

$1.23 COP 3,915

-24.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,028

$1.48 COP 4,731

-14.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 COP 3,245

$1.25 COP 3,993

-18.40%

Eggs

$1.49 COP 4,746

$2.47 COP 7,890

-39.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.55 COP 14.5K

$4.21 COP 13.4K

8.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 COP 9,083

$5.45 COP 17.4K

-47.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.84 COP 12.3K

$7.77 COP 24.8K

-50.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 COP 6,232

$2.46 COP 7,837

-20.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.46 COP 1,464

$0.93 COP 2,953

-50.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,944

$1.19 COP 3,799

-22.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,628

$1.27 COP 4,052

-35.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 COP 2,892

$0.82 COP 2,614

10.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 COP 3,243

$1.09 COP 3,491

-6.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 COP 2,729

$0.74 COP 2,362

16.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 COP 1,602

$0.65 COP 2,077

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 COP 9,150

$2.80 COP 8,946

2.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.02 COP 35.1K

$13.13 COP 41.9K

-16.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,909

$1.08 COP 3,430

-15.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,209

$1.86 COP 5,926

-29.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 COP 2,201

$0.67 COP 2,125

2.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.78 COP 95.0K

$19.94 COP 63.6K

49.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 COP 6,009

$1.61 COP 5,130

16.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.84 COP 9,065

$1.95 COP 6,219

45.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$9.80 COP 31.3K

-54.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,014

$0.95 COP 3,021

-1.05%

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

$13.9K COP 44.3M

$21.5K COP 68.6M

-35.45%

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

$22.2K COP 70.7M

$30.2K COP 96.4M

-26.65%

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

$96.0 COP 306.2K

$82.2 COP 262.2K

16.81%

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

$7.35 COP 23.5K

$8.73 COP 27.9K

-15.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.53 COP 62.3K

$24.65 COP 78.6K

-20.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.27 COP 74.2K

$20.05 COP 64.0K

16.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.81 COP 31.3K

$14.40 COP 46.0K

-31.87%

Cinema Ticket

$3.81 COP 12.2K

$4.82 COP 15.4K

-20.95%

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

$170 COP 541.0K

$225 COP 718.3K

-24.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,847 COP 5.9M

$5,871 COP 18.7M

-68.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 COP 196.8K

$64.3 COP 205.2K

-4.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.38 COP 61.8K

$43.60 COP 139.1K

-55.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 COP 190.8K

$76.5 COP 244.2K

-21.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.20 COP 115.5K

$89.0 COP 284.0K

-59.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 COP 884.5K

$235 COP 750.8K

17.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 COP 764.2K

$189 COP 603.3K

26.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 COP 1.7M

$614 COP 2.0M

-14.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 COP 1.4M

$408 COP 1.3M

6.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,582 COP 5.0M

$1,261 COP 4.0M

25.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,388 COP 4.4M

$1,020 COP 3.3M

36.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$403 COP 1.3M

$567 COP 1.8M

-28.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

-13.64%

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

Last update for Monteria: July 25, 2026

Last update for Cali: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $277 in Monteria and $235 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 41% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Monteria vs $29.00 in Cali. Groceries flip the comparison at $135 vs $185, with Monteria cheaper for home cooking.

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

Monteria vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Cali. 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: $277 in Monteria versus $235 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $170 in Monteria versus $225 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Monteria pay roughly 37% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cali gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Monteria, 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 1% less than in Monteria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.