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: $815 in Salento versus $1,088 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,219 in Salento versus $1,643 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,622 in Salento versus $2,199 in Cali.

Living in Salento costs roughly 25% less than in Cali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salento 41% lower, Cali 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$7.69 COP 23.7K

-48.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.82 COP 73.3K

$37.56 COP 115.6K

-36.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 COP 23.0K

$8.23 COP 25.3K

-9.23%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 4,619

$1.60 COP 4,929

-6.25%

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

$0.92 COP 2,839

$1.32 COP 4,057

-30.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 1,781

$0.82 COP 2,515

-29.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 COP 3,525

$3.31 COP 10.2K

-65.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 COP 6,861

$3.72 COP 11.4K

-40.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,361

$1.59 COP 4,883

-31.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 3,969

$1.94 COP 5,982

-33.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,536

$1.57 COP 4,837

-26.75%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 6,788

$2.89 COP 8,892

-23.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.64 COP 14.3K

$6.67 COP 20.5K

-30.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 COP 16.2K

$7.07 COP 21.7K

-25.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 COP 23.1K

$10.31 COP 31.7K

-27.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 COP 7,529

$3.58 COP 11.0K

-31.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 COP 3,227

$1.38 COP 4,240

-23.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,124

$1.84 COP 5,653

-27.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,419

$1.75 COP 5,375

-36.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,594

$1.46 COP 4,483

-19.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,435

$1.55 COP 4,761

-27.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,630

$1.10 COP 3,390

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,139

$0.99 COP 3,045

-30.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,195

$3.92 COP 12.1K

-40.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.77 COP 30.1K

$13.12 COP 40.4K

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,497

$1.50 COP 4,623

-24.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 COP 5,543

$2.55 COP 7,848

-29.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 COP 2,191

$1.10 COP 3,376

-35.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.58 COP 94.1K

$30.41 COP 93.6K

0.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,352

$0.85 COP 2,623

65.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 COP 5,264

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 COP 18.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 2,937

$1.29 COP 3,983

-26.36%

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

$17.9K COP 55.1M

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

$25.8K COP 79.3M

$35.2K COP 108.2M

-26.74%

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

$80.9 COP 248.9K

$112 COP 345.6K

-27.96%

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

$9.06 COP 27.9K

$13.25 COP 40.8K

-31.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.12 COP 71.1K

$30.87 COP 95.0K

-25.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.67 COP 72.9K

$28.95 COP 89.1K

-18.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 12.2K

$8.57 COP 26.4K

-53.56%

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

$239 COP 734.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,012 COP 18.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 COP 180.8K

$80.0 COP 246.1K

-26.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 100.0K

$54.7 COP 168.3K

-40.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 COP 258.4K

$127 COP 390.0K

-33.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 COP 227.6K

$113 COP 346.8K

-34.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 COP 844.2K

$658 COP 2.0M

-58.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 730.3K

$295 COP 907.2K

-19.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 COP 1.6M

$1,597 COP 4.9M

-67.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 COP 1.3M

$503 COP 1.5M

-16.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,401 COP 4.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,075 COP 3.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cali: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $274 in Salento and $658 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Salento vs $38.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $244 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

Salento is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,223 in Salento and $1,632 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: $274 in Salento versus $658 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Salento – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $38.00 in Cali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Salento runs roughly 1% less than in Cali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $815 in Salento versus $1,088 in Cali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Salento but tight or insufficient in Cali. The gap between the two cities makes Salento the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Salento is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cali, 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 Salento gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.