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: $739 in Neiva versus $744 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,125 in Neiva versus $1,224 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,510 in Neiva versus $1,704 in Cali.

Living in Neiva costs roughly 1% less than in Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 COP 10.2K

$3.65 COP 13.0K

-21.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.01 COP 57.2K

$29.25 COP 104.5K

-45.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 COP 28.2K

$7.36 COP 26.3K

7.47%

Cappuccino

$1.35 COP 4,833

$1.61 COP 5,754

-16.15%

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

$0.78 COP 2,775

$0.94 COP 3,353

-17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 COP 1,629

$0.55 COP 1,979

-16.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 COP 3,585

$1.06 COP 3,775

-5.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 COP 7,717

$2.56 COP 9,130

-15.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 COP 4,349

$1.22 COP 4,347

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 COP 2,719

$1.53 COP 5,465

-50.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.45 COP 1,611

$1.21 COP 4,319

-62.81%

Eggs

$1.64 COP 5,857

$2.46 COP 8,779

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 COP 16.5K

$4.29 COP 15.3K

7.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.01 COP 17.9K

$5.47 COP 19.5K

-8.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.46 COP 23.1K

$7.60 COP 27.1K

-15.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 COP 5,317

$2.40 COP 8,570

-37.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,862

$0.97 COP 3,474

11.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,825

$1.20 COP 4,274

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 COP 4,451

$1.27 COP 4,548

-1.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,999

$0.88 COP 3,148

27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,179

$1.11 COP 3,949

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 COP 2,799

$0.75 COP 2,679

4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 COP 1,644

$0.65 COP 2,323

-29.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 COP 7,086

$2.90 COP 10.3K

-31.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.39 COP 47.8K

$11.48 COP 41.0K

16.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 COP 3,950

$1.10 COP 3,932

0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 COP 6,617

$1.84 COP 6,584

0.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,616

$0.67 COP 2,407

8.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.58 COP 105.6K

$20.20 COP 72.1K

46.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 COP 4,197

$1.54 COP 5,485

-23.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 COP 5,303

$1.88 COP 6,707

-21.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.01 COP 21.4K

$9.80 COP 35.0K

-38.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 COP 2,876

$0.93 COP 3,304

-12.90%

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

$16.0K COP 57.1M

$21.4K COP 76.4M

-25.27%

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

$24.8K COP 88.6M

$30.3K COP 108.3M

-18.22%

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

$71.3 COP 254.7K

$80.9 COP 289.0K

-11.87%

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

$10.20 COP 36.4K

$8.78 COP 31.4K

16.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.34 COP 44.1K

$23.99 COP 85.7K

-48.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.24 COP 83.0K

$19.60 COP 70.0K

18.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.79 COP 52.8K

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 COP 12.8K

$4.87 COP 17.4K

-26.49%

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

$297 COP 1.1M

$226 COP 807.0K

31.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,368 COP 29.9M

$6,039 COP 21.6M

38.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 COP 215.4K

$63.7 COP 227.5K

-5.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.40 COP 147.8K

$44.16 COP 157.7K

-6.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 COP 217.7K

$78.6 COP 280.5K

-22.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.4 COP 215.5K

$89.5 COP 319.6K

-32.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 COP 999.7K

$234 COP 834.7K

19.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 COP 861.2K

$186 COP 665.2K

29.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 COP 1.9M

$609 COP 2.2M

-11.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 COP 1.5M

$408 COP 1.5M

3.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,544 COP 5.5M

$1,101 COP 3.9M

40.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,254 COP 4.5M

$890 COP 3.2M

40.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$398 COP 1.4M

$494 COP 1.8M

-19.51%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cali: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Neiva and $234 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 24% 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: $16.00 in Neiva vs $29.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $182 per month, with Neiva 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

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

On paper, Cali earns 24% 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: $280 in Neiva versus $234 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $297 in Neiva versus $226 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% 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 Neiva gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Neiva 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 Neiva 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.