Cost of Living Comparison Between Tunja and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Tunja and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,315 in Tunja versus $1,089 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,022 in Tunja versus $1,647 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,729 in Tunja versus $2,204 in Cali.

Living in Tunja is roughly 21% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tunja 2% lower, Cali 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.72 COP 18.8K

$7.67 COP 25.3K

-25.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.70 COP 107.7K

$37.87 COP 124.7K

-13.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.48 COP 31.2K

$8.37 COP 27.6K

13.26%

Cappuccino

$2.21 COP 7,278

$1.57 COP 5,160

40.76%

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

$1.41 COP 4,635

$1.28 COP 4,229

10.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,515

$0.88 COP 2,902

21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 5,638

$3.24 COP 10.7K

-47.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 COP 8,701

$3.86 COP 12.7K

-31.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 5,028

$1.63 COP 5,377

-6.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 COP 4,913

$1.90 COP 6,269

-21.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 COP 5,788

$1.55 COP 5,098

13.55%

Eggs

$3.30 COP 10.9K

$2.91 COP 9,574

13.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 COP 27.2K

$6.68 COP 22.0K

23.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.71 COP 48.5K

$6.95 COP 22.9K

111.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.90 COP 58.9K

$10.38 COP 34.2K

72.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 COP 11.7K

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,744

$1.34 COP 4,414

7.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 COP 7,219

$1.76 COP 5,787

24.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 COP 5,979

$1.70 COP 5,606

7.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,759

$1.45 COP 4,782

-0.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 COP 4,920

$1.54 COP 5,062

-3.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 COP 3,089

$1.10 COP 3,627

-14.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 COP 3,104

$0.98 COP 3,227

-4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 COP 14.7K

$3.76 COP 12.4K

18.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 COP 42.6K

$12.97 COP 42.7K

-0.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 COP 4,790

$1.50 COP 4,956

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 COP 5,517

$2.56 COP 8,431

-34.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 COP 3,709

$1.14 COP 3,749

-0.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.57 COP 100.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 COP 3,239

$0.85 COP 2,784

15.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,750

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 COP 25.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 COP 4,353

$1.28 COP 4,225

3.13%

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

$27.5K COP 90.4M

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

$33.7K COP 111.0M

$35.9K COP 118.1M

-5.96%

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

$180 COP 593.5K

$113 COP 371.8K

59.63%

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

$10.94 COP 36.0K

$13.20 COP 43.5K

-17.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.31 COP 86.6K

$30.95 COP 101.9K

-14.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.98 COP 121.8K

$29.18 COP 96.1K

26.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 COP 21.4K

$8.35 COP 27.5K

-22.04%

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

$641 COP 2.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,693 COP 22.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 COP 175.3K

$78.6 COP 258.9K

-32.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 COP 188.5K

$55.0 COP 181.2K

4.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 COP 410.9K

$126 COP 414.4K

-0.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 COP 322.9K

$113 COP 371.3K

-13.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 COP 2.3M

$650 COP 2.1M

7.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 COP 1.6M

$300 COP 986.4K

57.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,043 COP 3.4M

$1,556 COP 5.1M

-32.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$985 COP 3.2M

$491 COP 1.6M

100.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 COP 6.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,704 COP 5.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$582 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.4

11.58

7.08%

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

Last update for Tunja: September 21, 2026

Last update for Cali: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $698 in Tunja and $650 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Tunja vs $38.00 in Cali. Groceries flip the comparison at $306 vs $243, with Cali cheaper for home cooking.

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

Tunja vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,972 in Tunja and $1,634 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: $698 in Tunja versus $650 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Tunja. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cali – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $33.00 in Tunja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,089 in Cali versus $1,315 in Tunja, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Tunja. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tunja, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tunja 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 21% less than in Tunja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.