Popular cities
Colombia Cost of Living 2026
🇨🇴 5 cities in Colombia, sorted by daily travel budget. Not the exchange rate — how cheap it feels on your own income, and where a price becomes a rip-off. Updated October 2026
Cities in Colombia compared
| City | Per day | Per month | Local meal | Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇴 Santa MartaResort · mid-size | $79.4 | $1,375 | COL$17,000 | COL$6,000 |
| 🇨🇴 CaliBig city | $81.6 | $1,132 | COL$17,000 | COL$9,000 |
| 🇨🇴 MedellínBig city | $89.6 | $1,812 | COL$16,000 | COL$8,200 |
| 🇨🇴 BogotáBig city | $93.7 | $1,685 | COL$16,000 | COL$7,500 |
| 🇨🇴 CartagenaTourist big city | $136 | $2,150 | COL$20,000 | COL$9,000 |
Per day = one mid-range night + three meals, a coffee and two taxi rides. Open a city for item-by-item prices, rip-off thresholds and live traveler reports.
Everyday prices in Colombia
| City | Beer | 5 km taxi | Hotel night | Massage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇴 Santa Marta | COL$5,000 | COL$12,000 | COL$180,000 | COL$80,000 |
| 🇨🇴 Cali | COL$7,000 | COL$14,000 | COL$180,000 | COL$80,000 |
| 🇨🇴 Medellín | COL$6,500 | COL$14,000 | COL$200,000 | COL$80,000 |
| 🇨🇴 Bogotá | COL$8,000 | COL$14,000 | COL$220,000 | COL$80,000 |
| 🇨🇴 Cartagena | COL$8,000 | COL$15,000 | COL$350,000 | COL$100,000 |
Colombia vs nearby countries
| Country | Per day | Per month | vs Colombia |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇧🇴 Bolivia | $55.9 | $698 | -42% |
| 🇨🇴 Colombia | $96.1 | $1,631 | this country |
| 🇵🇪 Peru | $104 | $1,446 | +8% |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | $115 | $1,875 | +20% |
| 🇪🇨 Ecuador | $121 | $1,943 | +26% |
| 🇵🇾 Paraguay | $121 | $1,892 | +26% |
| 🇬🇹 Guatemala | $142 | $2,871 | +48% |
| 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | $150 | $3,437 | +56% |
Countries in the same region with a similar daily travel budget. Tap a country for its city-by-city prices.
Medellín vs New York: item by item
| Item | Medellín | New York | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local meal | COL$16,000≈ $3.9 | $20 | -80% |
| Coffee | COL$8,200≈ $2 | $6 | -67% |
| Beer | COL$6,500≈ $1.59 | $9 | -82% |
| 5 km taxi | COL$14,000≈ $3.41 | $23 | -85% |
| Hotel night | COL$200,000≈ $48.8 | $270 | -82% |
| 1-bed rent | COL$2,200,000≈ $537 | $3,300 | -84% |
Same purchase in both cities, converted to US dollars. Daily travel budget: Medellín $89.6 vs New York $467 — about 81% cheaper.
Compare Colombia with other cities
Money tips for Colombia
Paying
Cards are spreading, but small shops want cash.
Tipping
Bills suggest a voluntary 10% tip ("propina voluntaria"); you may ask to remove it.
Menu prices
Prices include tax.
Getting around
Ride apps such as Uber, DiDi and Cabify are common; Medellín has a handy metro.
Haggling
Haggle at markets and souvenir stalls.
Water
Tap water in Bogotá and Medellín is generally drinkable.
Common rip-offs
Street taxis inflating fares; use an app.
Colombia travel difficulty
| City | Overall | Rip-offs | Language | Transport | Payments | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medellín | Hard 3.0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Bogotá | Hard 3.2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Cartagena | Hard 3.2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Cali | Hard 3.4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Santa Marta | Hard 3.4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Rip-offs, language, getting around, payments and safety, 1–5 (closer to 1 is easier). Tap a city for reasons and tips. Full difficulty ranking ›
City guides
FAQ
How much is a daily travel budget in Colombia?
With a mid-range room, between $79.4 and $136 a day depending on the city — about $96.1 on average. Hostels and local eateries cut that by 30% or more.
How much does a month in Colombia cost?
Short-term rental plus living costs runs $1,375–$2,150 by city, about $1,631 on average.
Which city in Colombia is cheapest?
By daily budget, Santa Marta ($79.4/day) is the cheapest and Cartagena ($136/day) the most expensive.
Which nearby country is cheaper than Colombia?
Among countries in the same region with similar budgets, Bolivia runs about $55.9 a day — 42% less than Colombia (about $96.1).
Is Colombia cheaper than New York?
In Medellín, a traveler's day runs about $89.6 versus $467 in New York — roughly 81% cheaper. The gap differs by item, so meals, coffee, taxis and hotels are listed separately above.