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: $813 in Salento versus $752 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,207 in Salento versus $1,212 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,601 in Salento versus $1,672 in Cali.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Salento 39% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 COP 14.5K

$3.57 COP 13.0K

11.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.54 COP 85.6K

$29.24 COP 106.3K

-19.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 COP 26.9K

$7.47 COP 27.2K

-0.94%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 5,639

$1.64 COP 5,964

-5.49%

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

$0.93 COP 3,373

$0.87 COP 3,169

6.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,196

$0.56 COP 2,051

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 COP 4,213

$1.04 COP 3,787

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 COP 7,992

$2.47 COP 8,985

-10.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,854

$1.27 COP 4,628

-16.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 COP 4,524

$1.48 COP 5,401

-16.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,267

$1.24 COP 4,526

-5.65%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 8,030

$2.53 COP 9,188

-12.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.56 COP 16.6K

$4.29 COP 15.6K

6.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.25 COP 19.1K

$5.53 COP 20.1K

-5.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 COP 26.3K

$7.78 COP 28.3K

-6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 COP 9,171

$2.43 COP 8,825

3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 COP 3,816

$0.90 COP 3,285

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,773

$1.19 COP 4,338

10.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 COP 4,006

$1.32 COP 4,798

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,070

$0.86 COP 3,142

30.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,110

$1.06 COP 3,864

6.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,917

$0.74 COP 2,701

8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,365

$0.66 COP 2,398

-1.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,469

$2.96 COP 10.8K

-21.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.45 COP 34.4K

$11.44 COP 41.6K

-17.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,997

$1.10 COP 4,010

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 6,402

$1.88 COP 6,845

-6.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,421

$0.72 COP 2,632

-6.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.19 COP 109.8K

$20.29 COP 73.8K

48.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,225

$1.56 COP 5,666

-7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 6,521

$1.89 COP 6,866

-5.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 COP 22.6K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-35.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,636

$0.94 COP 3,430

6.38%

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

$17.8K COP 64.7M

$21.9K COP 79.5M

-18.57%

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

$25.8K COP 94.0M

$30.2K COP 109.8M

-14.39%

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

$82.4 COP 299.7K

$82.4 COP 299.5K

0.06%

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

$9.12 COP 33.2K

$8.75 COP 31.8K

4.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.47 COP 81.7K

$24.48 COP 89.0K

-8.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.24 COP 84.5K

$19.72 COP 71.7K

17.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.00 COP 14.5K

$4.89 COP 17.8K

-18.20%

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

$240 COP 873.9K

$230 COP 838.2K

4.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,005 COP 21.8M

$5,948 COP 21.6M

0.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 217.2K

$63.5 COP 231.0K

-5.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.39 COP 117.8K

$44.13 COP 160.5K

-26.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 COP 299.5K

$77.7 COP 282.7K

5.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 COP 260.1K

$89.2 COP 324.2K

-19.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 COP 973.2K

$238 COP 864.0K

12.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 COP 870.8K

$189 COP 688.0K

26.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 COP 1.9M

$620 COP 2.3M

-15.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 COP 1.5M

$409 COP 1.5M

3.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,435 COP 5.2M

$1,146 COP 4.2M

25.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,064 COP 3.9M

$920 COP 3.3M

15.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 COP 1.9M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cali: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $268 in Salento and $238 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 $172 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 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,219 in Salento and $1,128 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 $238 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $240 in Salento versus $230 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 8% less than in Salento. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.