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: $703 in Tunja versus $752 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,078 in Tunja versus $1,212 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,453 in Tunja versus $1,672 in Cali.

Living in Tunja costs roughly 7% 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

$2.60 COP 9,457

$3.57 COP 13.0K

-27.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.73 COP 53.6K

$29.24 COP 106.3K

-49.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 COP 25.1K

$7.47 COP 27.2K

-7.63%

Cappuccino

$1.07 COP 3,896

$1.64 COP 5,964

-34.76%

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

$0.76 COP 2,768

$0.87 COP 3,169

-12.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 COP 2,144

$0.56 COP 2,051

5.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 COP 4,443

$1.04 COP 3,787

17.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 COP 7,437

$2.47 COP 8,985

-17.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 COP 4,469

$1.27 COP 4,628

-3.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 COP 3,864

$1.48 COP 5,401

-28.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,330

$1.24 COP 4,526

-4.03%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,204

$2.53 COP 9,188

-10.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.04 COP 14.7K

$4.29 COP 15.6K

-5.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 COP 21.6K

$5.53 COP 20.1K

7.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 COP 27.2K

$7.78 COP 28.3K

-3.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 COP 9,400

$2.43 COP 8,825

6.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 COP 4,455

$0.90 COP 3,285

35.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,202

$1.19 COP 4,338

-26.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 COP 3,328

$1.32 COP 4,798

-31.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,363

$0.86 COP 3,142

39.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,521

$1.06 COP 3,864

-8.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 COP 3,546

$0.74 COP 2,701

31.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,854

$0.66 COP 2,398

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.74 COP 6,325

$2.96 COP 10.8K

-41.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 COP 30.3K

$11.44 COP 41.6K

-27.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 3,001

$1.10 COP 4,010

-24.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 5,481

$1.88 COP 6,845

-19.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 COP 1,890

$0.72 COP 2,632

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.29 COP 73.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 COP 2,536

$1.56 COP 5,666

-55.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 COP 5,658

$1.89 COP 6,866

-17.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 COP 21.4K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-38.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,338

$0.94 COP 3,430

-2.13%

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

$19.6K COP 71.4M

$21.9K COP 79.5M

-10.22%

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

$28.0K COP 101.8M

$30.2K COP 109.8M

-7.32%

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

$74.5 COP 270.8K

$82.4 COP 299.5K

-9.57%

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

$8.80 COP 32.0K

$8.75 COP 31.8K

0.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.58 COP 74.8K

$24.48 COP 89.0K

-15.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.27 COP 62.8K

$19.72 COP 71.7K

-12.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 COP 13.7K

$4.89 COP 17.8K

-23.11%

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

$240 COP 873.7K

$230 COP 838.2K

4.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,469 COP 9.0M

$5,948 COP 21.6M

-58.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 COP 238.4K

$63.5 COP 231.0K

3.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.11 COP 120.4K

$44.13 COP 160.5K

-24.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 COP 306.0K

$77.7 COP 282.7K

8.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.28 COP 139.2K

$89.2 COP 324.2K

-57.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 COP 1.1M

$238 COP 864.0K

23.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 COP 845.3K

$189 COP 688.0K

22.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 COP 1.9M

$620 COP 2.3M

-14.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 COP 1.5M

$409 COP 1.5M

4.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,146 COP 4.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 COP 3.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 COP 1.9M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cali: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $294 in Tunja and $238 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $15.00 in Tunja vs $29.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 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 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,055 in Tunja 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: $294 in Tunja versus $238 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $240 in Tunja versus $230 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 $15.00 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 7% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.