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: $802 in Salento versus $751 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Salento versus $1,205 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,597 in Salento versus $1,659 in Cali.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.85 COP 13.3K

$3.73 COP 12.9K

3.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.55 COP 81.4K

$28.95 COP 100.0K

-18.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 COP 25.5K

$7.06 COP 24.4K

4.67%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 5,173

$1.56 COP 5,383

-3.85%

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

$0.89 COP 3,061

$0.88 COP 3,032

1.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 1,940

$0.60 COP 2,090

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 4,112

$1.05 COP 3,634

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 COP 7,397

$2.52 COP 8,710

-15.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,833

$1.28 COP 4,436

-13.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,430

$1.46 COP 5,038

-12.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,901

$1.21 COP 4,178

-6.61%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,561

$2.47 COP 8,533

-11.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 15.5K

$4.20 COP 14.5K

6.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 COP 17.8K

$5.53 COP 19.1K

-6.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 24.7K

$7.85 COP 27.1K

-8.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 COP 8,523

$2.42 COP 8,344

2.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,762

$0.95 COP 3,290

14.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,490

$1.19 COP 4,121

9.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,796

$1.30 COP 4,496

-15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,824

$0.81 COP 2,808

37.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,893

$1.06 COP 3,646

6.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 COP 2,820

$0.76 COP 2,623

7.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,381

$0.70 COP 2,406

-1.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 8,100

$2.85 COP 9,847

-17.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.62 COP 33.2K

$11.57 COP 40.0K

-16.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,726

$1.07 COP 3,701

0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 COP 6,155

$1.95 COP 6,742

-8.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,508

$0.72 COP 2,495

1.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.72 COP 102.7K

$20.01 COP 69.1K

48.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 4,965

$1.58 COP 5,465

-8.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 6,169

$1.91 COP 6,605

-6.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 COP 20.8K

$9.72 COP 33.6K

-37.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 3,202

$0.92 COP 3,162

1.09%

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

$17.7K COP 61.2M

$21.5K COP 74.4M

-17.67%

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

$25.2K COP 87.1M

$30.4K COP 104.8M

-16.94%

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

$83.2 COP 287.6K

$81.2 COP 280.5K

2.50%

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

$8.85 COP 30.6K

$8.63 COP 29.8K

2.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.58 COP 78.0K

$24.09 COP 83.2K

-6.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.94 COP 79.3K

$19.55 COP 67.5K

17.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 49.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.96 COP 13.7K

$4.94 COP 17.1K

-19.84%

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

$243 COP 838.1K

$227 COP 782.8K

7.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,075 COP 21.0M

$5,871 COP 20.3M

3.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 COP 204.2K

$63.7 COP 220.0K

-7.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 111.2K

$44.88 COP 155.0K

-28.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 COP 291.0K

$75.8 COP 261.8K

11.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 COP 246.7K

$89.7 COP 309.9K

-20.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 COP 926.9K

$242 COP 837.4K

10.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 823.7K

$186 COP 643.3K

28.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 COP 1.8M

$608 COP 2.1M

-12.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 COP 1.4M

$397 COP 1.4M

4.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,400 COP 4.8M

$1,114 COP 3.8M

25.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,046 COP 3.6M

$920 COP 3.2M

13.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $268 in Salento and $242 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 $183 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 $1,203 in Salento and $1,127 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: $268 in Salento versus $242 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $243 in Salento versus $227 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Salento 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 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.