Cost of Living Comparison Between Salento and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Salento and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $808 in Salento versus $756 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,204 in Salento versus $1,227 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,600 in Salento versus $1,698 in Cali.

Living in Salento is roughly 7% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salento 39% lower, Cali 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.86 COP 12.3K

$3.56 COP 11.4K

8.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.73 COP 75.7K

$28.88 COP 92.1K

-17.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.17 COP 22.9K

$7.42 COP 23.7K

-3.37%

Cappuccino

$1.49 COP 4,740

$1.64 COP 5,226

-9.15%

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

$0.87 COP 2,785

$0.88 COP 2,820

-1.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 1,835

$0.60 COP 1,909

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 3,810

$1.01 COP 3,237

17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 COP 7,145

$2.47 COP 7,883

-9.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 COP 3,405

$1.23 COP 3,915

-13.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 COP 3,966

$1.48 COP 4,731

-16.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,660

$1.25 COP 3,993

-8.00%

Eggs

$2.12 COP 6,762

$2.47 COP 7,890

-14.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 COP 14.8K

$4.21 COP 13.4K

9.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 COP 16.5K

$5.45 COP 17.4K

-5.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 COP 23.6K

$7.77 COP 24.8K

-4.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 COP 8,101

$2.46 COP 7,837

3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,423

$0.93 COP 2,953

15.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,351

$1.19 COP 3,799

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,387

$1.27 COP 4,052

-16.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,596

$0.82 COP 2,614

37.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,720

$1.09 COP 3,491

7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 COP 2,628

$0.74 COP 2,362

10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,058

$0.65 COP 2,077

-1.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 COP 7,847

$2.80 COP 8,946

-12.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.48 COP 30.2K

$13.13 COP 41.9K

-27.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,475

$1.08 COP 3,430

0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,541

$1.86 COP 5,926

-6.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 COP 2,191

$0.67 COP 2,125

2.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.74 COP 94.9K

$19.94 COP 63.6K

49.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 COP 4,739

$1.61 COP 5,130

-7.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 COP 5,730

$1.95 COP 6,219

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 COP 18.8K

$9.80 COP 31.3K

-39.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 COP 3,055

$0.95 COP 3,021

1.05%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$21.5K COP 68.6M

-18.08%

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

$25.1K COP 80.0M

$30.2K COP 96.4M

-16.98%

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

$81.0 COP 258.4K

$82.2 COP 262.2K

-1.42%

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

$9.23 COP 29.5K

$8.73 COP 27.9K

5.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.66 COP 72.3K

$24.65 COP 78.6K

-8.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.65 COP 75.5K

$20.05 COP 64.0K

17.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.40 COP 46.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.00 COP 12.8K

$4.82 COP 15.4K

-17.01%

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

$240 COP 764.3K

$225 COP 718.3K

6.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,011 COP 19.2M

$5,871 COP 18.7M

2.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 COP 191.7K

$64.3 COP 205.2K

-6.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.12 COP 105.7K

$43.60 COP 139.1K

-24.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 COP 267.0K

$76.5 COP 244.2K

9.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 COP 234.1K

$89.0 COP 284.0K

-17.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 COP 880.4K

$235 COP 750.8K

17.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 751.1K

$189 COP 603.3K

24.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 COP 1.7M

$614 COP 2.0M

-12.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 COP 1.3M

$408 COP 1.3M

1.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,453 COP 4.6M

$1,261 COP 4.0M

15.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,052 COP 3.4M

$1,020 COP 3.3M

3.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.06

11.58

12.78%

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

Last update for Salento: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cali: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Salento and $235 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Salento vs $29.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $185 per month, with Salento 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

Salento vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,212 in Salento and $1,135 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: $276 in Salento versus $235 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $240 in Salento versus $225 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Salento pay roughly 7% 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 Salento, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Salento and Cali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Salento. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.