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: $804 in Popayan versus $747 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Popayan versus $1,229 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,642 in Popayan versus $1,710 in Cali.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 COP 12.4K

$3.65 COP 11.9K

4.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.83 COP 77.6K

$29.20 COP 95.0K

-18.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 COP 23.7K

$7.41 COP 24.1K

-1.62%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 4,898

$1.58 COP 5,137

-5.06%

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

$0.88 COP 2,866

$0.95 COP 3,099

-7.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 COP 1,977

$0.60 COP 1,942

1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 COP 3,798

$1.01 COP 3,301

15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 COP 7,187

$2.61 COP 8,496

-15.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,602

$1.24 COP 4,035

-10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,216

$1.47 COP 4,777

-12.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,823

$1.25 COP 4,082

-6.40%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,224

$2.48 COP 8,076

-10.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 COP 14.0K

$4.33 COP 14.1K

-0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 COP 17.0K

$5.36 COP 17.5K

-2.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 23.3K

$7.49 COP 24.4K

-4.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 COP 8,198

$2.49 COP 8,119

1.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,622

$0.92 COP 2,990

20.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,449

$1.15 COP 3,754

19.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 COP 2,958

$1.31 COP 4,265

-30.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,647

$0.89 COP 2,885

25.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,684

$1.11 COP 3,598

1.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,645

$0.75 COP 2,430

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,117

$0.68 COP 2,214

-4.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 7,859

$2.91 COP 9,467

-17.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 COP 42.5K

$12.88 COP 41.9K

1.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 COP 3,659

$1.07 COP 3,483

4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,660

$1.86 COP 6,049

-6.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 COP 2,325

$0.73 COP 2,389

-2.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.45 COP 99.1K

$20.17 COP 65.7K

50.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 4,800

$1.55 COP 5,049

-5.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 COP 5,374

$1.90 COP 6,180

-13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 COP 20.1K

$9.45 COP 30.8K

-34.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,254

$0.98 COP 3,194

2.04%

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

$17.6K COP 57.4M

$21.9K COP 71.4M

-19.61%

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

$25.7K COP 83.6M

$29.6K COP 96.4M

-13.22%

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

$83.9 COP 273.0K

$83.3 COP 271.3K

0.64%

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

$9.26 COP 30.2K

$8.94 COP 29.1K

3.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.35 COP 72.8K

$24.55 COP 79.9K

-8.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.29 COP 75.8K

$19.79 COP 64.4K

17.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.72 COP 47.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 COP 12.6K

$4.88 COP 15.9K

-20.70%

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

$241 COP 784.9K

$222 COP 721.7K

8.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,914 COP 19.3M

$5,871 COP 19.1M

0.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 COP 194.6K

$64.0 COP 208.3K

-6.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 106.8K

$43.51 COP 141.7K

-24.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 COP 274.7K

$76.3 COP 248.4K

10.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 COP 235.4K

$89.5 COP 291.5K

-19.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 914.1K

$241 COP 784.1K

16.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 771.1K

$188 COP 612.3K

25.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 COP 1.7M

$615 COP 2.0M

-15.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 COP 1.4M

$398 COP 1.3M

8.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,662 COP 5.4M

$1,258 COP 4.1M

32.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,192 COP 3.9M

$990 COP 3.2M

20.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cali: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Popayan and $241 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 $179 vs $184 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 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 $1,121 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: $281 in Popayan versus $241 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $241 in Popayan versus $222 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Popayan pay roughly 3% 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.