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: $1,333 in Tunja versus $1,043 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,026 in Tunja versus $1,602 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,720 in Tunja versus $2,160 in Cali.

Living in Tunja is roughly 28% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tunja 2% lower, Cali 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 24.8K

$5.59 COP 17.5K

41.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.53 COP 126.8K

$37.94 COP 118.7K

6.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 COP 29.8K

$8.14 COP 25.5K

16.95%

Cappuccino

$2.51 COP 7,866

$1.38 COP 4,332

81.88%

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

$1.30 COP 4,082

$1.26 COP 3,936

3.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 COP 2,529

$0.82 COP 2,570

-1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 COP 5,972

$1.88 COP 5,879

1.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 COP 12.0K

$3.70 COP 11.6K

3.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 COP 5,049

$1.62 COP 5,054

-0.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 COP 7,324

$1.93 COP 6,026

21.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,098

$1.52 COP 4,750

7.24%

Eggs

$3.78 COP 11.8K

$2.95 COP 9,232

28.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 COP 22.0K

$6.60 COP 20.7K

6.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 COP 22.9K

$7.03 COP 22.0K

3.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 COP 33.8K

$10.06 COP 31.5K

7.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 COP 10.6K

$3.51 COP 11.0K

-3.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,354

$1.35 COP 4,214

26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 COP 5,988

$1.80 COP 5,632

6.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 COP 5,598

$1.66 COP 5,205

7.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 COP 4,417

$1.45 COP 4,546

-2.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,237

$1.56 COP 4,889

-13.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 COP 4,142

$1.10 COP 3,452

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 COP 3,319

$0.98 COP 3,066

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 COP 13.9K

$3.75 COP 11.7K

18.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 COP 40.3K

$13.11 COP 41.0K

-1.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 COP 4,242

$1.45 COP 4,543

-6.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 COP 9,305

$2.58 COP 8,072

15.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 COP 3,414

$1.08 COP 3,376

0.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.78 COP 96.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 COP 3,121

$0.80 COP 2,517

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 COP 7,394

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,016

$1.34 COP 4,206

-4.48%

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

$22.3K COP 69.9M

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

$36.1K COP 112.8M

0.03%

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

$128 COP 401.9K

$111 COP 347.6K

15.59%

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

$16.40 COP 51.3K

$13.32 COP 41.7K

23.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.28 COP 97.8K

$30.75 COP 96.2K

1.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.96 COP 103.1K

$28.83 COP 90.2K

14.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 COP 24.9K

$8.55 COP 26.7K

-6.90%

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

$472 COP 1.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,540 COP 20.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.3 COP 248.1K

$80.2 COP 250.8K

-1.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 COP 157.3K

$54.4 COP 170.1K

-7.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 433.1K

$126 COP 394.3K

9.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 COP 351.5K

$111 COP 347.8K

1.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 COP 2.1M

$648 COP 2.0M

1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 COP 1.5M

$295 COP 921.5K

66.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.1M

$1,561 COP 4.9M

-35.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$935 COP 2.9M

$505 COP 1.6M

84.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,032 COP 6.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,561 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$577 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.71

11.58

9.76%

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

Last update for Tunja: August 10, 2026

Last update for Cali: August 10, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Tunja and $648 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Tunja vs $38.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $242 per month, with Cali 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

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,999 in Tunja and $1,564 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: $657 in Tunja versus $648 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% 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 $41.00 in Tunja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,043 in Cali versus $1,333 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 28% less than in Tunja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.