Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Popayan and Cordoba

For one person, living costs are similar in Popayan and in Cordoba: $1,340 and $1,368 a month, rent and utilities included.

Popayan
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,340
/mo nomad
Cordoba
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,368
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Popayan and in Cordoba

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Popayan and in Cordoba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,340 per month in Popayan vs $1,368 in Cordoba, rent included.

  • Popayan $1,340
  • Cordoba $1,368

A couple spends around $2,023 per month in Popayan vs $2,259 in Cordoba, rent included.

  • Popayan $2,023
  • Cordoba $2,259

A family of three spends $2,706 per month in Popayan vs $3,150 in Cordoba, rent included.

  • Popayan $2,706
  • Cordoba $3,150

Popayan is about 2% cheaper than Cordoba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Popayan sits 1% below the global median, while Cordoba is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Popayan
Cordoba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.55 COP 20.8K
$13.43 ARS 20.4K
-51.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.13 COP 143.1K
$54.9 ARS 83.3K
-17.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.71 COP 27.6K
$13.03 ARS 19.8K
-33.15%
Cappuccino
$2.80 COP 8,877
$3.59 ARS 5,447
-22.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.20 COP 3,793
$2.55 ARS 3,871
-52.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 COP 3,234
$2.11 ARS 3,198
-51.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.45 COP 10.9K
$3.38 ARS 5,132
2.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 COP 12.8K
$3.78 ARS 5,729
6.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Popayan
Cordoba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 COP 5,224
$1.68 ARS 2,553
-1.79%
White Bread (500g)
$2.49 COP 7,898
$2.76 ARS 4,194
-9.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,338
$2.06 ARS 3,122
-18.45%
Eggs
$3.13 COP 9,927
$2.38 ARS 3,609
31.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.94 COP 22.0K
$10.06 ARS 15.3K
-31.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.05 COP 35.0K
$8.02 ARS 12.2K
37.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.39 COP 32.9K
$11.62 ARS 17.6K
-10.59%
Apples (1kg)
$3.49 COP 11.1K
$2.44 ARS 3,704
43.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,209
$2.28 ARS 3,462
-28.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.83 COP 5,805
$1.61 ARS 2,436
13.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,031
$2.91 ARS 4,419
-45.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.33 COP 4,232
$1.18 ARS 1,794
12.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.49 COP 4,714
$1.34 ARS 2,041
11.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,572
$1.23 ARS 1,861
-8.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 COP 3,183
$1.76 ARS 2,668
-43.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.81 COP 12.1K
$5.10 ARS 7,734
-25.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.86 COP 37.6K
$4.86 ARS 7,372
144.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,485
$2.26 ARS 3,424
-37.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62 COP 8,304
$3.64 ARS 5,518
-28.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Popayan
Cordoba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.05 COP 3,332
$1.27 ARS 1,921
-17.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$55.5 ARS 84.2K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.71 COP 5,413
$1.28 ARS 1,950
33.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$1.95 ARS 2,958
16.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.26 COP 29.4K
$7.18 ARS 10.9K
28.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 COP 4,091
$1.16 ARS 1,757
11.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.7K COP 81.4M
$35.6K ARS 54.1M
-27.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5K COP 112.5M
$35.2K ARS 53.4M
0.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Popayan
Cordoba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$136 COP 431.3K
$162 ARS 245.7K
-15.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.34 COP 35.9K
$17.47 ARS 26.5K
-35.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.78 COP 84.9K
$31.87 ARS 48.4K
-15.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Popayan
Cordoba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.41 COP 109.1K
$28.21 ARS 42.8K
21.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.72 ARS 34.5K
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.91 COP 18.8K
$9.91 ARS 15.0K
-40.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Popayan
Cordoba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$539 COP 1.7M
$218 ARS 330.8K
147.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,384 COP 23.4M
$4,059 ARS 6.2M
81.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Popayan
Cordoba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.9 COP 250.1K
$125 ARS 190.0K
-37.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.9 COP 189.8K
$105 ARS 158.8K
-42.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$131 COP 414.9K
$139 ARS 211.4K
-6.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 COP 363.3K
$134 ARS 203.4K
-14.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Popayan
Cordoba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$554 COP 1.8M
$483 ARS 732.5K
14.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$513 COP 1.6M
$304 ARS 460.6K
68.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$903 COP 2.9M
$986 ARS 1.5M
-8.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$874 COP 2.8M
$784 ARS 1.2M
11.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,101 COP 6.7M
$2,807 ARS 4.3M
-25.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,896 COP 6.0M
$1,613 ARS 2.4M
17.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Popayan
Cordoba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$658 ARS 998.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.58
48.5
-76.12%

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

Last update for Popayan: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cordoba: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Popayan
$513
Cordoba
$304 40.8% $209
Groceries & Markets
Popayan
$270
Cordoba
$275 1.8% $4.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Popayan
$174
Cordoba
$211 21.3% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Popayan
$173
Cordoba
$226 31% $54
Eating Out
Popayan
$146
Cordoba
$233 59.1% $86
Sport & Entertainment
Popayan
$46
Cordoba
$48 3.9% $1.8
Getting Around
Popayan
$17 *
Cordoba
$72 315% $54

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $554 in Popayan versus $483 in Cordoba. 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 $45.00 in Popayan versus $55.0 in Cordoba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $270 vs $275 – making Popayan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Popayan
🇦🇷 Cordoba
🕒 Local time
23:01 11:01 PM
01:01 1:01 AM
2 h ahead of Popayan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
318,059
1,655,481
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Popayan Cordoba 3,990 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Popayan
  • Cordoba

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Cordoba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cordoba cheaper than Popayan?
Yes – Cordoba is pricier by about 2%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,009 per month in Popayan and $2,052 in Cordoba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Popayan or in Cordoba?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Popayan and $55.0 in Cordoba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Popayan and in Cordoba?
Groceries cost about 2% more in Cordoba, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Popayan or in Cordoba?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Popayan, where all-in costs run around $1,340, than in Cordoba at $1,368. In Popayan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cordoba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Popayan or Cordoba more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Popayan or Cordoba?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Popayan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cordoba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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