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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $804 per month in Popayan vs $966 in Bogota, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Popayan vs $1,496 in Bogota, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,642 per month in Popayan vs $2,025 in Bogota, rent included.

Popayan is about 17% cheaper than Bogota, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Popayan and Bogota are more affordable than the global median – Popayan 40% lower, Bogota 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 COP 12.4K

$4.97 COP 16.2K

-23.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.83 COP 77.6K

$31.94 COP 104.0K

-25.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 COP 23.7K

$7.81 COP 25.4K

-6.66%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 4,898

$1.81 COP 5,896

-17.13%

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

$0.88 COP 2,866

$1.00 COP 3,261

-12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 COP 1,977

$0.68 COP 2,220

-10.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 COP 3,798

$1.17 COP 3,825

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 COP 7,187

$2.24 COP 7,306

-1.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,602

$1.17 COP 3,816

-5.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,216

$1.48 COP 4,811

-12.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,823

$1.19 COP 3,863

-1.68%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,224

$2.00 COP 6,511

11.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 COP 14.0K

$4.64 COP 15.1K

-7.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 COP 17.0K

$5.11 COP 16.6K

1.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 23.3K

$7.20 COP 23.4K

-0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 COP 8,198

$3.09 COP 10.0K

-18.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,622

$1.09 COP 3,555

1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,449

$1.36 COP 4,423

0.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 COP 2,958

$1.28 COP 4,177

-28.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,647

$1.11 COP 3,620

0.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,684

$1.14 COP 3,698

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,645

$0.73 COP 2,369

10.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,117

$0.83 COP 2,707

-21.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 7,859

$2.89 COP 9,417

-16.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 COP 42.5K

$15.46 COP 50.3K

-15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 COP 3,659

$1.11 COP 3,606

0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,660

$1.85 COP 6,039

-5.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 COP 2,325

$0.76 COP 2,486

-6.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.45 COP 99.1K

$40.87 COP 133.1K

-25.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 4,800

$1.46 COP 4,754

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 COP 5,374

$1.54 COP 5,015

7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 COP 20.1K

$5.98 COP 19.5K

3.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,254

$1.02 COP 3,316

-1.96%

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

$17.6K COP 57.4M

$15.8K COP 51.4M

11.74%

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

$25.7K COP 83.6M

$25.5K COP 83.1M

0.61%

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

$83.9 COP 273.0K

$83.6 COP 272.0K

0.36%

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

$9.26 COP 30.2K

$11.26 COP 36.6K

-17.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.35 COP 72.8K

$26.20 COP 85.3K

-14.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.29 COP 75.8K

$23.99 COP 78.1K

-2.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 COP 35.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 COP 12.6K

$4.90 COP 16.0K

-21.02%

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

$241 COP 784.9K

$291 COP 946.5K

-17.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,914 COP 19.3M

$8,502 COP 27.7M

-30.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 COP 194.6K

$60.4 COP 196.6K

-1.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 106.8K

$42.70 COP 139.0K

-23.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 COP 274.7K

$102 COP 333.6K

-17.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 COP 235.4K

$83.4 COP 271.5K

-13.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 914.1K

$449 COP 1.5M

-37.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 771.1K

$331 COP 1.1M

-28.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 COP 1.7M

$829 COP 2.7M

-37.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 COP 1.4M

$643 COP 2.1M

-33.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,662 COP 5.4M

$2,725 COP 8.9M

-39.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,192 COP 3.9M

$2,051 COP 6.7M

-41.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$725 COP 2.4M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

12.93

1.93%

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

Last update for Popayan: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bogota: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Popayan versus $449 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 $24.00 in Popayan versus $32.00 in Bogota. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $193 – making Popayan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Bogota is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,207 per month in Popayan and $1,449 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $804 in Popayan and $966 in Bogota. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Popayan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Popayan, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Bogota at $966. 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.