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: $744 in Monteria versus $752 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,159 in Monteria versus $1,212 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,574 in Monteria versus $1,672 in Cali.

Living in Monteria costs roughly 1% less than in Cali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 COP 18.0K

$3.57 COP 13.0K

38.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.80 COP 115.7K

$29.24 COP 106.3K

8.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 27.0K

$7.47 COP 27.2K

-0.67%

Cappuccino

$1.69 COP 6,156

$1.64 COP 5,964

3.05%

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

$0.91 COP 3,296

$0.87 COP 3,169

4.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 COP 2,307

$0.56 COP 2,051

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 COP 4,973

$1.04 COP 3,787

31.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 COP 7,117

$2.47 COP 8,985

-20.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,414

$1.27 COP 4,628

-25.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,676

$1.48 COP 5,401

-12.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,884

$1.24 COP 4,526

-13.71%

Eggs

$1.42 COP 5,176

$2.53 COP 9,188

-43.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.47 COP 16.3K

$4.29 COP 15.6K

4.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 COP 10.4K

$5.53 COP 20.1K

-48.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.82 COP 13.9K

$7.78 COP 28.3K

-50.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 COP 7,202

$2.43 COP 8,825

-18.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.50 COP 1,807

$0.90 COP 3,285

-44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 COP 3,360

$1.19 COP 4,338

-22.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 COP 2,873

$1.32 COP 4,798

-40.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,529

$0.86 COP 3,142

12.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 COP 3,669

$1.06 COP 3,864

-4.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 COP 3,183

$0.74 COP 2,701

18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 COP 1,708

$0.66 COP 2,398

-28.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 COP 10.4K

$2.96 COP 10.8K

-3.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.05 COP 36.5K

$11.44 COP 41.6K

-12.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,286

$1.10 COP 4,010

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,774

$1.88 COP 6,845

-30.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,485

$0.72 COP 2,632

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.85 COP 108.6K

$20.29 COP 73.8K

47.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 COP 6,948

$1.56 COP 5,666

22.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 COP 10.5K

$1.89 COP 6,866

51.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 COP 15.7K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-55.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,605

$0.94 COP 3,430

5.32%

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

$14.2K COP 51.6M

$21.9K COP 79.5M

-35.12%

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

$22.2K COP 80.8M

$30.2K COP 109.8M

-26.44%

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

$95.6 COP 347.8K

$82.4 COP 299.5K

16.10%

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

$7.40 COP 26.9K

$8.75 COP 31.8K

-15.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.45 COP 70.7K

$24.48 COP 89.0K

-20.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.63 COP 85.9K

$19.72 COP 71.7K

19.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.90 COP 36.0K

$14.66 COP 53.3K

-32.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.94 COP 14.3K

$4.89 COP 17.8K

-19.43%

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

$169 COP 614.4K

$230 COP 838.2K

-26.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,846 COP 6.7M

$5,948 COP 21.6M

-68.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 COP 220.2K

$63.5 COP 231.0K

-4.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.73 COP 71.8K

$44.13 COP 160.5K

-55.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 COP 223.0K

$77.7 COP 282.7K

-21.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.71 COP 133.5K

$89.2 COP 324.2K

-58.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 COP 1.0M

$238 COP 864.0K

19.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 862.2K

$189 COP 688.0K

25.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 COP 1.9M

$620 COP 2.3M

-14.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 COP 1.5M

$409 COP 1.5M

3.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,556 COP 5.7M

$1,146 COP 4.2M

35.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,362 COP 5.0M

$920 COP 3.3M

47.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$359 COP 1.3M

$514 COP 1.9M

-30.21%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cali: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Monteria and $238 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 43% 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: $32.00 in Monteria vs $29.00 in Cali. Groceries flip the comparison at $133 vs $183, 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

Monteria is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cali earns 43% 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: $284 in Monteria versus $238 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $169 in Monteria 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 37% higher in Cali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Monteria gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Monteria 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 Monteria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.