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City comparison

Bogotá vs Cali

In short

Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.

  • Rent

    in Cali cheaper — −12%

  • Family budget

    in Cali cheaper — −18%

  • Internet

    in Cali cheaper — −27%

In numbers

Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.

  • House or apartment rent

    per month
    Bogotá≈ $969–1,760COP 3.2–5.8M
    Cali≈ $434–1,980COP 1,425k – 6.5M
    cheaper by 12%
  • Family groceries

    per month
    Bogotá≈ $347COP 1,145,256
    Cali≈ $301COP 989,488
    cheaper by 13%
  • Family budget

    per month
    Bogotá≈ $762COP 2,514,416
    Cali≈ $623COP 2,046,552
    cheaper by 18%
  • Internet

    per month
    Bogotá≈ $26–31COP 84,900–102,990
    Cali≈ $19–23COP 60,900–75,900
    cheaper by 27%
  • Winter

    average
    Bogotá6–16 °C6–16 °C
    Cali19–29 °C19–29 °C
  • Precipitation

    per year
    Bogotá799 mm799 mm
    Cali1,485 mm1,485 mm
  • Ready-made house

    purchase
    Bogotá≈ $246–258kCOP 813–850M
    Cali≈ $131–243kCOP 430–800M
    cheaper by 26%

By topic

A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.

Daily life

Bogotá

Strata: everything depends on them

Every building in Bogotá is assigned a stratum from 1 to 6. A two-bedroom in stratum 3 costs about 2.2 million pesos, in stratum 6 about 6 million, and water in stratum 6 is twice as expensive as in 3.

SpecialistFincaraíz: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Chapinero · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about daily life in Bogotá →

Cali

Nothing yet

Housing

Bogotá

Two-bedroom rent by neighborhood

Two-bedroom apartment: Teusaquillo and Cedritos about 3.2 million pesos ($970), Usaquén 3.4 million, Chapinero 4.3 million, Chicó 5.8 million. The building maintenance fee is on top.

SpecialistFincaraíz: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Teusaquillo · checked 29 Sep 2026

Buying an apartment

Three-bedroom apartment in Teusaquillo or Usaquén, by listings: median 813–850 million pesos, about $250k. These are sellers’ prices, not transaction prices.

SpecialistFincaraíz: three-bedroom apartments for sale in Teusaquillo · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about housing in Bogotá →

Cali

Three-bedroom rent by stratum

A three-bedroom by listings: in stratum 4 in the south the median is 1.4 million pesos a month (about 430 dollars, 65 m²), in stratum 6 it is 6.5 million (about 1,940 dollars, 210 m²).

SpecialistFincaraíz: three-bedroom apartments for rent in Cali · checked 6 Oct 2026

Buying an apartment

A resale three-bedroom by listings: from 155 million to 1.5 billion pesos, half within 430-800 million. New three-bedroom units sell from 220 million to 1.6 billion.

SpecialistFincaraíz: three-bedroom apartments for sale in Cali · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about housing in Cali →

Money and prices

Bogotá

Groceries for a family

The DANE minimum food basket for Bogotá is 286k pesos per person per month, about 1.15 million for a family of four ($350). Prices from 2024.

SpecialistProBogotá: bulletin on monetary poverty, DANE data for 2024 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Family monthly budget

The DANE poverty line for a family of four in Bogotá is 2.5 million pesos a month (2024). The digital nomad visa requires an income of at least 5.25 million pesos a month.

SpecialistProBogotá: bulletin on monetary poverty, DANE data for 2024 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about money and prices in Bogotá →

Cali

Groceries for a family

The DANE minimum food basket for Cali is 247,372 pesos per person a month, about 989 thousand (296 dollars) for a family of four. Figures for 2025.

OfficialDANE: monetary poverty 2025, presentation of results with poverty lines by city · checked 6 Oct 2026

Family budget per month

A family of four in Cali counts as poor with income below 2.05 million pesos a month, about 610 dollars (2025). Average income is 1.58 million per person.

OfficialDANE: monetary poverty 2025, presentation of results with poverty lines by city · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about money and prices in Cali →

Family and kids

Bogotá

Schools and kindergartens

Enrollment in city schools is online and free; for 2027 it runs until 23 December 2026. Children aged 3–5 are admitted to preschool classes at any time of the year.

OfficialBogotá City Hall: how to enroll in a public school for 2027 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Private schools: prices

Expensive private schools in Bogotá charge about 3–4.1 million pesos a month ($900–1,240). We did not find prices for mid-level schools.

SpecialistInfobae: tuition at Gimnasio Campestre and Colegio Marymount, February 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about family and kids in Bogotá →

Cali

Nothing yet

Healthcare

Bogotá

Hospitals

Half of the top ten hospitals in Colombia in the Newsweek 2026 ranking are in Bogotá, including Fundación Santa Fe (2nd place) and Cardioinfantil (4th).

SpecialistNewsweek and Statista: World’s Best Hospitals 2026, Colombia · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about healthcare in Bogotá →

Cali

The country's best hospital

Fundación Valle del Lili in Cali is Colombia's best hospital in the Newsweek ranking for the fifth year in a row; 126th in the world list of 2026 out of 2,530 assessed.

SpecialistConsultorSalud: which Colombian hospitals are in the World's Best Hospitals 2026 ranking · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about healthcare in Cali →

Transport

Bogotá

Getting around the city

A ride on TransMilenio, TransMiZonal and the TransMiCable cable car costs 3,550 pesos (about a dollar). With a personalized card, transfers within 125 minutes are free.

OfficialTransMilenio: questions and answers about the 2026 fare · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about transport in Bogotá →

Cali

Bonilla Aragón Airport

In 2025 about 6.4 million passengers passed through Cali airport, 1.2 million of them international. Since September 2025 it has been run by the state agency Aerocivil.

OfficialAerocivil, open data: commercial air traffic by origin-destination, 2020-2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about transport in Cali →

Climate

Bogotá

No winter, always cool

There are no seasons by temperature: 15–17 degrees in the daytime all year round, 6–9 at night. The coldest nights are in January, 5.6 degrees on average.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Bogotá · checked 29 Sep 2026

Rain: two seasons

About 800 mm a year and 185 rainy days. Two rainy seasons: April–May and October–November. Driest in December–February.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Bogotá · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about climate in Bogotá →

Cali

Warm all year round

There is no winter: in the coolest month, November, it averages 19 degrees at night and 28.8 during the day, in August 18.5 and 30.9. The difference between months is about 2 degrees.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cali 1971-2000 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Precipitation and seasonality

In the city about 1,485 mm a year and 166 rainy days. Two wet seasons, March-May and October-November; driest in July-August.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cali 1971-2000 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about climate in Cali →

Safety

Bogotá

Murders and thefts

14.8 murders per 100k residents in 2025, 25.8 for the country. But for burglaries from homes, the well-off Chapinero and Teusaquillo are at the top.

SpecialistProBogotá: annual report on security in Bogotá for 2025 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about safety in Bogotá →

Cali

Homicides

According to Ministry of Defense open data, Cali had 1,068 homicides in 2025 against 950 in 2024. In January-August 2026 there were 766, 17% more than in the same period of 2025.

OfficialColombian Ministry of Defense, open data: homicides by municipality (HOMICIDIO) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about safety in Cali →

Internet and phone

Bogotá

Home internet

Movistar fiber: 500 Mbit/s in both directions for 84,900 pesos a month ($26), 900 Mbit/s for 102,990 pesos; when ordered online, the first year is cheaper.

SpecialistMovistar: home fiber-optic internet plans in Bogotá · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about internet and phone service in Bogotá →

Cali

Home internet

Tigo sells home internet at 200-500 Mbit/s for 60,900-75,900 pesos a month (strata 1-3, VAT included). On cable the upload is only 12-15 Mbit/s, on fibre 100-250.

SpecialistTigo: terms of home plans, internet plan specifications · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about internet and phone service in Cali →

Services

Bogotá

Water and sewerage

At 11 m³ a month, water with sewerage costs about 107k pesos in stratum 4 ($32), 91k in stratum 3 and 197k in stratum 6. Electricity and gas are extra.

OfficialEAAB: water and sewerage tariffs in Bogotá by stratum, 2026 (Acuerdo JD 255) · checked 29 Sep 2026

Enel electricity by stratum

Enel electricity, September 2026: in stratum 4 - 875 pesos per kWh, in strata 5 and 6 - 1,050. For 300 kWh, stratum 4 comes to about 263k pesos ($79), stratum 6 about 315k.

OfficialEnel Colombia: electricity tariffs, September 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Everything about services in Bogotá →

Cali

Electricity from EMCALI

EMCALI has one of the cheapest electricity prices in the country: 868.6 pesos per kWh for stratum 4 as of June 2026. 300 kWh a month is about 261 thousand pesos (78 dollars).

SpecialistValora Analitik: the most expensive electricity tariffs for stratum 4 in Colombia · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about services in Cali →

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