Cost of Living Comparison Between Neiva and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Neiva and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,288 in Neiva versus $1,090 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Neiva versus $1,649 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,787 in Neiva versus $2,208 in Cali.

Living in Neiva is roughly 18% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Neiva 6% lower, Cali 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 COP 24.6K

$7.70 COP 24.2K

1.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.76 COP 131.5K

$38.08 COP 119.9K

9.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 COP 30.7K

$8.61 COP 27.1K

13.36%

Cappuccino

$2.55 COP 8,017

$1.62 COP 5,101

57.41%

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

$1.36 COP 4,277

$1.26 COP 3,965

7.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 COP 2,759

$0.87 COP 2,749

1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 COP 6,073

$3.25 COP 10.2K

-40.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 COP 12.1K

$3.85 COP 12.1K

-0.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 COP 5,205

$1.57 COP 4,959

5.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 COP 7,762

$1.99 COP 6,269

23.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 COP 4,915

$1.51 COP 4,756

3.31%

Eggs

$3.77 COP 11.9K

$2.83 COP 8,904

33.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.25 COP 22.8K

$6.43 COP 20.3K

12.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 COP 23.8K

$7.06 COP 22.2K

7.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.75 COP 33.9K

$10.39 COP 32.7K

3.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 COP 10.6K

$3.49 COP 11.0K

-4.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 COP 5,620

$1.41 COP 4,448

26.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 COP 5,874

$1.76 COP 5,531

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 COP 5,456

$1.75 COP 5,511

-1.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,631

$1.45 COP 4,575

1.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,370

$1.57 COP 4,939

-11.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 COP 4,315

$1.15 COP 3,632

19.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,599

$1.04 COP 3,265

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 COP 13.5K

$3.70 COP 11.7K

16.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 COP 39.8K

$13.26 COP 41.8K

-4.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,465

$1.45 COP 4,560

-2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 COP 9,339

$2.53 COP 7,974

17.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,720

$1.08 COP 3,415

9.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.95 COP 94.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 COP 7,507

$0.84 COP 2,657

183.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 COP 7,573

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.78 COP 30.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,089

$1.30 COP 4,106

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

$22.0K COP 69.4M

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

$36.1K COP 113.8M

$35.7K COP 112.4M

1.27%

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

$125 COP 394.6K

$114 COP 357.6K

10.37%

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

$16.34 COP 51.5K

$13.49 COP 42.5K

21.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.01 COP 97.7K

$31.05 COP 97.8K

-0.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.23 COP 129.8K

$28.87 COP 90.9K

42.81%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 COP 24.7K

$8.43 COP 26.5K

-6.88%

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

$477 COP 1.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,531 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.9 COP 257.9K

$80.3 COP 252.8K

1.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.60 COP 156.2K

$54.4 COP 171.2K

-8.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 COP 450.2K

$124 COP 391.0K

15.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 COP 347.3K

$109 COP 343.0K

1.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 COP 1.9M

$641 COP 2.0M

-7.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$404 COP 1.3M

$299 COP 943.0K

35.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 COP 2.8M

$1,577 COP 5.0M

-43.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 COP 3.1M

$493 COP 1.6M

100.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,181 COP 6.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,848 COP 5.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

3.63%

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

Last update for Neiva: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cali: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $595 in Neiva and $641 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Neiva vs $38.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $263 vs $244 per month, with Cali 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

Neiva vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,932 in Neiva and $1,636 in Cali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $595 in Neiva versus $641 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Neiva. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cali – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $42.00 in Neiva. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,090 in Cali versus $1,288 in Neiva, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Neiva. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Neiva, 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 18% less than in Neiva. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.