Cost of Living Comparison Between Pereira and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Pereira and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $772 in Pereira versus $756 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,146 in Pereira versus $1,227 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,520 in Pereira versus $1,698 in Cali.

Living in Pereira is roughly 2% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pereira 42% lower, Cali 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.73 COP 14.9K

$3.56 COP 11.2K

32.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.01 COP 53.6K

$28.88 COP 90.9K

-41.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 COP 22.5K

$7.42 COP 23.4K

-3.91%

Cappuccino

$1.52 COP 4,785

$1.64 COP 5,158

-7.32%

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

$1.06 COP 3,331

$0.88 COP 2,783

20.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 COP 2,229

$0.60 COP 1,884

18.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,177

$1.01 COP 3,194

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 COP 7,323

$2.47 COP 7,779

-5.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,317

$1.23 COP 3,863

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 COP 3,907

$1.48 COP 4,668

-16.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 COP 3,250

$1.25 COP 3,940

-17.60%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,192

$2.47 COP 7,786

-7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 14.2K

$4.21 COP 13.3K

7.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 18.5K

$5.45 COP 17.2K

7.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 28.0K

$7.77 COP 24.5K

14.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 7,108

$2.46 COP 7,733

-8.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 COP 2,683

$0.93 COP 2,914

-8.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,815

$1.19 COP 3,749

28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 COP 2,124

$1.27 COP 3,998

-47.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,549

$0.82 COP 2,579

37.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.09 COP 3,445

7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,644

$0.74 COP 2,331

13.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 2,660

$0.65 COP 2,049

30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 COP 6,654

$2.80 COP 8,828

-24.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.40 COP 39.0K

$13.13 COP 41.4K

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,648

$1.08 COP 3,385

7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,470

$1.86 COP 5,848

27.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 COP 2,192

$0.67 COP 2,097

4.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.68 COP 99.8K

$19.94 COP 62.8K

58.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 COP 4,686

$1.61 COP 5,062

-7.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 COP 5,906

$1.95 COP 6,137

-3.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 COP 25.5K

$9.80 COP 30.9K

-17.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,203

$0.95 COP 2,982

7.37%

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

$14.3K COP 45.1M

$21.5K COP 67.7M

-33.31%

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

$18.4K COP 57.8M

$30.2K COP 95.1M

-39.24%

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

$36.92 COP 116.2K

$82.2 COP 258.7K

-55.07%

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

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$8.73 COP 27.5K

-9.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.27 COP 57.5K

$24.65 COP 77.6K

-25.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.09 COP 53.8K

$20.05 COP 63.1K

-14.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.16 COP 72.9K

$14.40 COP 45.4K

60.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.59 COP 11.3K

$4.82 COP 15.2K

-25.52%

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

$312 COP 983.8K

$225 COP 708.9K

38.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,011 COP 18.9M

$5,871 COP 18.5M

2.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 COP 185.2K

$64.3 COP 202.5K

-8.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.80 COP 103.3K

$43.60 COP 137.3K

-24.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.79 COP 131.6K

$76.5 COP 240.9K

-45.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 332.7K

$89.0 COP 280.3K

18.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$171 COP 537.9K

$235 COP 740.9K

-27.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 COP 815.7K

$189 COP 595.4K

37.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 COP 1.2M

$614 COP 1.9M

-39.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 COP 1.1M

$408 COP 1.3M

-14.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,415 COP 4.5M

$1,261 COP 4.0M

12.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 4.4M

$1,020 COP 3.2M

36.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$576 COP 1.8M

$567 COP 1.8M

1.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.58

15.98%

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

Last update for Pereira: July 25, 2026

Last update for Cali: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $171 in Pereira and $235 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pereira pays 2% 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: $17.00 in Pereira vs $29.00 in Cali. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $185, with Cali 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

Pereira vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Pereira, 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: $171 in Pereira versus $235 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Pereira versus $225 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Pereira. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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 Pereira, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Pereira 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 Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Pereira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.