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: $711 in Tunja versus $751 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,062 in Tunja versus $1,205 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,413 in Tunja versus $1,659 in Cali.

Living in Tunja costs roughly 5% less than in Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tunja 47% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.68 COP 9,353

$3.73 COP 13.0K

-28.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.38 COP 50.2K

$28.95 COP 101.0K

-50.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 COP 23.4K

$7.06 COP 24.6K

-4.96%

Cappuccino

$1.07 COP 3,731

$1.56 COP 5,438

-31.41%

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

$0.74 COP 2,588

$0.88 COP 3,063

-15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 1,937

$0.60 COP 2,111

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 4,151

$1.05 COP 3,672

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 COP 7,356

$2.52 COP 8,800

-16.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 COP 4,239

$1.28 COP 4,482

-5.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 COP 3,698

$1.46 COP 5,090

-27.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,185

$1.21 COP 4,221

-0.83%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 7,595

$2.47 COP 8,621

-11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.24 COP 14.8K

$4.20 COP 14.7K

0.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 COP 19.8K

$5.53 COP 19.3K

2.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 COP 25.3K

$7.85 COP 27.4K

-7.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 COP 8,667

$2.42 COP 8,430

2.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,124

$0.95 COP 3,324

24.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 COP 2,959

$1.19 COP 4,163

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 COP 3,219

$1.30 COP 4,542

-29.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,154

$0.81 COP 2,837

46.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 COP 3,292

$1.06 COP 3,684

-11.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 COP 3,312

$0.76 COP 2,650

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 COP 2,586

$0.70 COP 2,431

5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.66 COP 5,797

$2.85 COP 9,948

-41.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.41 COP 29.4K

$11.57 COP 40.4K

-27.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,889

$1.07 COP 3,739

-22.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 COP 5,447

$1.95 COP 6,812

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 COP 1,768

$0.72 COP 2,521

-29.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.01 COP 69.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 COP 2,312

$1.58 COP 5,521

-58.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 COP 5,421

$1.91 COP 6,674

-18.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$9.72 COP 33.9K

-38.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 3,230

$0.92 COP 3,194

1.09%

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

$19.2K COP 66.9M

$21.5K COP 75.2M

-11.03%

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

$28.0K COP 97.6M

$30.4K COP 105.9M

-7.89%

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

$76.1 COP 265.7K

$81.2 COP 283.4K

-6.27%

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

$8.86 COP 30.9K

$8.63 COP 30.1K

2.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.41 COP 71.2K

$24.09 COP 84.1K

-15.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.80 COP 58.6K

$19.55 COP 68.2K

-14.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 50.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.81 COP 13.3K

$4.94 COP 17.3K

-22.87%

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

$242 COP 844.3K

$227 COP 790.8K

6.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,419 COP 8.4M

$5,871 COP 20.5M

-58.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 222.2K

$63.7 COP 222.3K

-0.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.19 COP 115.8K

$44.88 COP 156.6K

-26.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 COP 292.3K

$75.8 COP 264.5K

10.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.53 COP 131.0K

$89.7 COP 313.1K

-58.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 COP 998.0K

$242 COP 846.1K

17.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 COP 801.8K

$186 COP 649.9K

23.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 COP 1.8M

$608 COP 2.1M

-14.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 COP 1.5M

$397 COP 1.4M

6.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,114 COP 3.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 COP 3.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.25

11.58

31.69%

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

Last update for Tunja: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $286 in Tunja and $242 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Tunja vs $29.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $183 per month, with Tunja 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

Tunja vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tunja is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,066 in Tunja 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: $286 in Tunja versus $242 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $242 in Tunja versus $227 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tunja – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $29.00 in Cali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Tunja gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Tunja 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, 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 Tunja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.