Cost of living in Colombia
Summary of cost of living in Colombia
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: COL$6,958,802
- Single person estimated monthly costs: COL$3,178,600
- Colombia is the cheapest country in Latin America (15 out of 15)
- Colombia is the 3rd cheapest country in the World (66 out of 68)
Change the currency:
| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | COL$26,870 | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | COL$19,478 | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | COL$8,088 | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | COL$2,886 | ||
| 12 eggs, large | COL$6,407 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | COL$2,864 | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | COL$9,180 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | COL$6,002 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | COL$2,565 | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | COL$3,021 | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | COL$41,529 | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | COL$4,519 | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | COL$2,277 | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | COL$2,604,780 | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | COL$1,278,850 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | COL$247,669 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | COL$1,377,810 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | COL$788,285 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | COL$161,338 | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | COL$64,742 | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | COL$1,270,050 | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | COL$351,451 | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | COL$18,387 | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | COL$12,275 | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | COL$192,249 | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | COL$110,478 | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | COL$273,100 | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | COL$219,050 | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | COL$62,557,100 | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | COL$2,990 | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | COL$134,397 | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | COL$14,595 | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | COL$13,944 | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | COL$84,738 | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | COL$15,360 | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | COL$12,487 | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | COL$15,729 | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | COL$6,159 | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | COL$4,890 | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | COL$23,691 | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | COL$34,490 | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | COL$24,661 | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | COL$84,166 | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | COL$94,624 | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | COL$24,712 | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | COL$8,073 | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | COL$3,666 | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | COL$2,001,630 | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | COL$221 | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | COL$123,758 | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | COL$7,802 | ||
Moving to Colombia with your children?
International Schools in Colombia
Map of Cost of Living in Colombia
This map shows only the top cities in Colombia. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Cost of Living Ranking in Colombia
(top cities by data quality)
| Ranking | City | Price Index * |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bogotá | 66 |
| 2nd | Medellín | 60 |
| 3rd | Barranquilla | 60 |
| 4th | Santiago de Cali | 56 |
| 5th | Santa Marta | 55 |
| 6th | Manizales | 55 |
| 7th | Bucaramanga | 55 |
| 8th | Villavicencio | 52 |
| 9th | Pereira | 49 |
| 10th | Cúcuta | 43 |
Price Index:
To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a central reference city (that happens to be Prague). Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to Colombia? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in Colombia of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get a salary calculation for:
List of all cities available in Colombia
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in Medellín is 8% cheaper than in Bogotá
- Cost of living in Medellín is 5% cheaper than in Córdoba
- Cost of living in Cartagena is 7% cheaper than in Córdoba
- Cost of living in Santiago de Cali is 35% cheaper than in Santiago
- Cost of living in Bogotá is 23% cheaper than in Santo Domingo
- Cost of living in Bogotá is about the same as in Córdoba
- Cost of living in Santiago de Cali is 12% cheaper than in Bogotá
- Cost of living in Bogotá is 9% cheaper than in Buenos Aires
- Cost of living in Medellín is 29% cheaper than in Mexico City
- Cost of living in Santiago de Cali is 41% cheaper than in San Jose, Costa Rica
- Cost of living in Bogotá is 65% cheaper than in Miami, Florida
- Cost of living in Medellín is 29% cheaper than in Quito
- Cost of living in Tunja is 20% cheaper than in Bogotá
- Cost of living in Cartagena is 57% cheaper than in Montreal
- Cost of living in Santa Marta is 16% cheaper than in Bogotá
- Cost of living in Medellín is 63% more expensive than in Buenos Aires
- Cost of living in Medellín is 62% cheaper than in Austin, Texas
- Cost of living in Pereira is 54% cheaper than in Zaragoza
- Cost of living in Santa Marta is 77% cheaper than in San Francisco, California
- Cost of living in Santiago de Cali is 18% cheaper than in Lima
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- 33 cl domestic beer in the supermarket in Bogotá costs COL$3,636 (about 17 hours ago)
- 1 kg of apples in Bogotá costs COL$10,000 (about 17 hours ago)
- 250 g of local cheese in Bogotá costs COL$11,400 (about 17 hours ago)
- 1 kg of tomatoes in Bogotá costs COL$8,290 (about 17 hours ago)
- 6 eggs, large in Bogotá costs COL$4,800 (about 17 hours ago)
- 1 liter of whole fat milk in Bogotá costs COL$2,666 (about 17 hours ago)
- 500 g of boneless chicken breast in Bogotá costs COL$9,040 (about 17 hours ago)
- 1 month of gym membership in business district in Santiago de Cali costs COL$200,000 (about 19 hours ago)
- One-way ticket in public transport in Santiago de Cali costs COL$2,400 (about 19 hours ago)
- Taxi fare per distance, weekday at noon, per 1 km. in Santiago de Cali costs COL$5,000 (about 19 hours ago)