Cost of Living Comparison Between Popayan and Bogota Cost of Living Comparison Between Popayan and Bogota

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,308 per month in Popayan vs $1,312 in Bogota, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Popayan vs $2,108 in Bogota, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,778 per month in Popayan vs $2,904 in Bogota, rent included.

Popayan and Bogota have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Popayan and Bogota are more affordable than the global median – Popayan 5% lower, Bogota 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 COP 20.5K

$7.95 COP 25.0K

-17.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.39 COP 120.9K

$41.12 COP 129.5K

-6.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 COP 28.0K

$10.25 COP 32.3K

-13.17%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,247

$2.62 COP 8,262

12.21%

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

$1.46 COP 4,604

$1.33 COP 4,191

9.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,612

$0.83 COP 2,628

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 COP 7,333

$1.88 COP 5,912

23.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 COP 13.1K

$3.72 COP 11.7K

12.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 COP 4,392

$1.66 COP 5,227

-16.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 COP 7,950

$2.49 COP 7,834

1.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,311

$1.63 COP 5,124

-15.95%

Eggs

$2.93 COP 9,220

$3.62 COP 11.4K

-19.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 COP 23.3K

$7.10 COP 22.3K

4.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 COP 34.4K

$7.41 COP 23.3K

47.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 COP 41.2K

$10.69 COP 33.7K

22.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 COP 11.2K

$3.49 COP 11.0K

2.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,828

$1.80 COP 5,683

-15.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,157

$1.93 COP 6,080

1.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,373

$1.81 COP 5,706

11.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,537

$1.44 COP 4,527

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,058

$1.39 COP 4,372

15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,141

$1.32 COP 4,164

-24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 COP 3,135

$1.09 COP 3,430

-8.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 COP 12.9K

$4.31 COP 13.6K

-4.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 COP 48.0K

$12.47 COP 39.3K

22.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,170

$1.42 COP 4,464

-7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 COP 8,866

$2.97 COP 9,363

-5.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 COP 3,080

$1.14 COP 3,600

-14.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 COP 161.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 COP 5,533

$2.41 COP 7,585

-26.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 COP 6,535

$2.45 COP 7,722

-15.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 COP 27.7K

$9.37 COP 29.5K

-5.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,258

$1.35 COP 4,252

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

$22.1K COP 69.6M

$22.6K COP 71.2M

-2.22%

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

$34.8K COP 109.7M

$36.1K COP 113.7M

-3.52%

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

$117 COP 368.4K

$124 COP 390.7K

-5.71%

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

$11.88 COP 37.4K

$16.18 COP 51.0K

-26.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.04 COP 107.2K

$31.23 COP 98.4K

9.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$35.21 COP 110.9K

-9.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.32 COP 48.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 COP 21.0K

$7.84 COP 24.7K

-14.80%

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

$676 COP 2.1M

$478 COP 1.5M

41.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,426 COP 20.2M

$6,417 COP 20.2M

0.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 279.7K

$80.7 COP 254.0K

10.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 COP 177.0K

$49.43 COP 155.7K

13.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 COP 418.8K

$141 COP 444.8K

-5.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 308.4K

$114 COP 360.2K

-14.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$708 COP 2.2M

$710 COP 2.2M

-0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 COP 1.4M

$446 COP 1.4M

-0.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 COP 2.9M

$1,299 COP 4.1M

-28.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$861 COP 2.7M

$997 COP 3.1M

-13.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,137 COP 6.7M

$2,928 COP 9.2M

-27.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,654 COP 5.2M

$2,202 COP 6.9M

-24.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$788 COP 2.5M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

12.81

-9.60%

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

Last update for Popayan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bogota: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $708 in Popayan versus $710 in Bogota. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Popayan versus $41.00 in Bogota. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Popayan vs $261 in Bogota – so Bogota wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Popayan vs Bogota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,962 per month in Popayan and $1,968 in Bogota. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Popayan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Popayan and $41.00 in Bogota. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $676 per month in Popayan and $478 in Bogota. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Popayan, where all-in costs run around $1,308, than in Bogota at $1,312. In Popayan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bogota it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Popayan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Popayan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bogota makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.