Cost of Living Comparison Between Popayan and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Popayan and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $805 in Popayan versus $744 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Popayan versus $1,224 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,640 in Popayan versus $1,704 in Cali.

Living in Popayan is roughly 8% more expensive than Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Popayan 40% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 COP 14.2K

$3.65 COP 13.0K

9.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.01 COP 85.7K

$29.25 COP 104.5K

-17.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 COP 25.6K

$7.36 COP 26.3K

-2.45%

Cappuccino

$1.51 COP 5,406

$1.61 COP 5,754

-6.21%

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

$0.86 COP 3,073

$0.94 COP 3,353

-8.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 2,069

$0.55 COP 1,979

5.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 COP 4,101

$1.06 COP 3,775

8.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 COP 7,573

$2.56 COP 9,130

-17.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,757

$1.22 COP 4,347

-13.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,447

$1.53 COP 5,465

-18.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,199

$1.21 COP 4,319

-2.48%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,887

$2.46 COP 8,779

-10.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.54 COP 16.2K

$4.29 COP 15.3K

5.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 COP 18.5K

$5.47 COP 19.5K

-5.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 COP 25.5K

$7.60 COP 27.1K

-6.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 COP 8,678

$2.40 COP 8,570

1.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,818

$0.97 COP 3,474

10.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,843

$1.20 COP 4,274

13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 COP 3,022

$1.27 COP 4,548

-33.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,980

$0.88 COP 3,148

26.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,009

$1.11 COP 3,949

0.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 COP 3,149

$0.75 COP 2,679

17.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,279

$0.65 COP 2,323

-1.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 COP 8,264

$2.90 COP 10.3K

-20.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 COP 37.1K

$11.48 COP 41.0K

-9.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 4,046

$1.10 COP 3,932

2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 COP 6,437

$1.84 COP 6,584

-2.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 COP 2,461

$0.67 COP 2,407

2.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.66 COP 105.9K

$20.20 COP 72.1K

46.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 COP 5,214

$1.54 COP 5,485

-5.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 COP 6,104

$1.88 COP 6,707

-9.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 COP 21.9K

$9.80 COP 35.0K

-37.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,543

$0.93 COP 3,304

6.45%

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

$17.9K COP 63.9M

$21.4K COP 76.4M

-16.39%

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

$25.5K COP 91.2M

$30.3K COP 108.3M

-15.78%

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

$83.5 COP 298.2K

$80.9 COP 289.0K

3.18%

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

$8.86 COP 31.6K

$8.78 COP 31.4K

0.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.84 COP 81.6K

$23.99 COP 85.7K

-4.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.53 COP 84.0K

$19.60 COP 70.0K

20.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.79 COP 52.8K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.87 COP 17.4K

-19.30%

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

$241 COP 861.1K

$226 COP 807.0K

6.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,042 COP 21.6M

$6,039 COP 21.6M

0.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 COP 208.4K

$63.7 COP 227.5K

-8.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.94 COP 117.6K

$44.16 COP 157.7K

-25.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 COP 296.0K

$78.6 COP 280.5K

5.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 COP 259.8K

$89.5 COP 319.6K

-18.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 COP 1.0M

$234 COP 834.7K

21.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 863.9K

$186 COP 665.2K

29.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$525 COP 1.9M

$609 COP 2.2M

-13.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$423 COP 1.5M

$408 COP 1.5M

3.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,434 COP 5.1M

$1,101 COP 3.9M

30.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,260 COP 4.5M

$890 COP 3.2M

41.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

11.58

13.82%

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

Last update for Popayan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cali: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Popayan and $234 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Popayan vs $29.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $182 per month, with Popayan 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

Popayan vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,207 in Popayan and $1,116 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: $284 in Popayan versus $234 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $241 in Popayan versus $226 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Popayan pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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 Popayan, 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 8% less than in Popayan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.