Patrick
Back in 2016, I shared my budget for living a very comfortable life for a family of 4 in Cali, Colombia, based on our experience in Barrio Bellavista, an estrato 5 neighborhood. We love the lifestyle—great weather, friendly folks, and a city that salsa-dances better than I ever will (two left feet, anyone?). Now, in 2025, I’m updating that budget, this time for an upper-class lifestyle by local standards in Cali. Think luxury housing, top-tier education, premium healthcare, and upscale fun. We own our house and don’t currently have a maid, but I’ve included rent and cleaning/cooking help to help others plan.
Below is my 2025 breakdown for a family of 4 (two adults, two kids school-aged) living a privileged life in Cali, with a nod to the broader context of this beautiful but economically divided city. You can always spend less—unless your salsa lessons are as hopeless as mine 🙂
Our Context
We’re a family of four—my wife, our two daughters, and me—living in an estrato 5 (out of 6) neighborhood, the upper echelon of Cali’s socio-economic strata system. These areas, like Ciudad Jardín, Santa Mónica, Pance, Santa Teresita, Normandía, Bellavista, feature modern homes, gated communities, and proximity to the best amenities. We own a car, send our kids to a great private school, and enjoy luxuries like fine dining, weekend trips, and premium services. This budget includes rent and a domestic help to reflect costs others might face for an upper-class life.
We’re grateful for our slice of paradise, but we’re mindful that many Caleños juggle life on far less, often near the minimum wage—heroes in my book!
Below are an estimate of our average monthly expenses, with comments. All figures are in Colombian Pesos (COP) and US Dollars (USD, at ~4,200 COP/USD in 2025).
Monthly Budget for an Upper-Class Lifestyle in Cali, Colombia (2025)
| Category | COP | USD | Comments |
| Rent | $5.000.000 | $1.190 | A 4-bedroom, 150-200 m² house or apartment in an estrato 5-6 gated community, with amenities like a pool, gym, and 24/7 security. You could spend 2-3 million COP for a simpler place. |
| Utilities | $700.000 | $166 | Electricity, water, gas, high-speed internet (100+ Mbps), and streaming subscriptions. Estrato 5-6 pays a premium to subsidize lower strata. (We live without A/C which increases electricity consumption big time). |
| Private Health Insurance | $1.650.000 | $392 | This is for a premium private plan (prepagada) with SURA and includes specialists, hospitals, and travel insurance for the family as well. |
| Private Bilingual School | $6.400.000 | $1.523 | Tuition for two kids at a top-tier bilingual international school (e.g., Colegio Jefferson, La Colina or Colombo Británico). Includes fees, books, and activities. Elite networking’s a perk. Cheaper schools start at 1,000,000 COP. |
| Groceries | $2.200.000 | $523 | High-quality local produce, meats, and imported goods (wine, cheeses, specialty items) from upscale stores like Carulla or Cañaveral. We cook at home but splurge on premium brands. Basic groceries could be 1,000,000 COP. |
| Dining Out | $1.000.000 | $238 | 3-4 meals at high-end restaurants (e.g., Platillos Voladores, Storia d’Amore, Tizones, Ringlete) at ~150,000-300,000 COP per outing for four. We love Cali’s gourmet scene, but you can easily spend less. |
| Transportation | $1.000.000 | $238 | Fuel, maintenance, and insurance for a mid-range SUV, plus occasional taxis or rideshares (e.g., Uber, ~15,000 COP/ride). |
| Maid / Cleaning | $2.332.000 | $555 | Full-time, live-out maid, 5-6 days/week, at a 2025 wage with benefits (social security, health care, etc.). A luxury, that many can live without or pay part-time. |
| Entertainment | $1.000.000 | $238 | Club membership, weekend trips to the Coffee Region or Pacific coast, salsa lessons, and theater or concerts. Cali’s salsa culture shines! Budget options (parks, free events) cost less. |
| Miscellaneous | $800.000 | $190 | Clothing, tech upgrades, unexpected costs. We indulge here, but you could trim to 300,000 COP for basics. |
| Total | $22.082.000 COP | $5.257 USD | An upper-class life in Cali, with rent and a maid for transparency. You could live well for 8-12 million COP by cutting back. |
Key Insights
- Upper-Class Lifestyle: This budget—22,082,000 COP (~$5,257 USD) per month—delivers luxury in Cali: estrato 5-6 housing, top schools, premium healthcare, a maid for cleaning and cooking, and upscale fun. It’s elite by local standards, with gated communities and exclusive perks. In the US or Europe, this could probably cost $12,000-$15,000 USD/month!
- Education as a Privilege: Our biggest expense, by far, is 6,400,000 COP for our kids’ top-tier bilingual school. We’re grateful for this quality, but it’s a sobering reminder that in Colombia, access to excellent education is not a right but a significant privilege, out of reach for many families.
- Economic Context: We’re humbled to note this total is roughly 16 times Colombia’s minimum monthly wage ($1,423,500 COP in 2025). It’s a stark reminder of the economic divide here, where many Caleños work hard to get by on far less. We’re grateful for our means and respect the resilience of this community.
- Flexibility: Spend less by renting in estrato 3-4 (1,000,000-2,000,000 COP), skipping the maid, using public transport, or sticking to local groceries and casual dining. A comfortable life might be 8,000,000-12,000,000 COP ($1,900-$2,850 USD) or even less.
- Inflation & Costs: Prices are up ~45% since 2016, based on estimates and data Gerencie though the reality is that many products, especially imported ones, are up a lot more than that. The 4,200 COP/USD rate helps expats, but local wages often lag behind.
- Why Cali?: The salsa capital delivers warm weather (mid-60s to mid-90s°F), friendly vibes, and rich culture. We love trips to Río Pance or the Coffee Region, and services (dining, labor) remain a value compared to back home.
Additional Costs We Face
While the budget above covers key expenses for an upper-class life, here are other costs we encounter, some unique to our situation:
Family Support: In Latino culture, it’s common and meaningful for kids to help their parents financially. We give my mother-in-law a monthly allowance of $1.400.000 ($333 USD) to support her, a tradition we’re proud to uphold, reflecting the close family ties in Colombia.
Cell Service: Our mobile plans are covered by our company, so no cost to us. For others, expect 100,000-200,000 COP ($24-$48 USD) per month for two premium lines with data, calls, and texts (e.g., Claro, Tigo or Movistar).
Homeownership Costs: Since we own our house, we skip rent but pay HOA fees (e.g., 500,000-1,000,000 COP, or $119-$238 USD) for community upkeep in an estrato 5-6 area, property tax (around 200,000-400,000 COP, or $48-$95 USD), house maintenance (repairs, paint, etc., ~300,000-600,000 COP, or $71-$143 USD), and gardening (100,000-200,000 or $24-$48 USD) for a well-kept yard. These vary by home size and community—ours total ~1,700,000 COP ($404 USD) monthly.
Final Thoughts
For 22,082,000 COP (~$5.257 USD) per month, a family of 4 can live an upper-class life in Cali, Colombia in 2025—luxury housing, top education, premium healthcare, a maid, and indulgent fun. We own our home and skip the maid, but I’ve included both to help others plan. You can cut back—smaller home, fewer outings, lower estrato—and spend less.
As two adults working full-time, we’re able to afford this life, and we deeply appreciate the opportunities it brings. I hope you value the transparency in sharing our journey and maybe it can help you plan yours!
