Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Pasto

For one person, living is cheaper in Pasto: $800 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $22,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX, United States
Pasto, Colombia
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,689
/mo nomad
Pasto
🇨🇴 Colombia
$800
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Pasto

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Pasto actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Austin, TX versus $800 in Pasto.

  • Austin, TX $2,689
  • Pasto $800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,216 in Pasto.

  • Austin, TX $4,112
  • Pasto $1,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,534 in Austin, TX versus $1,632 in Pasto.

  • Austin, TX $5,534
  • Pasto $1,632

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 236% more expensive than in Pasto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 99% above, Pasto is 41% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Pasto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.34 $21.34
$3.92 COP 12.7K
444.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.9 $87.9
$23.47 COP 75.8K
274.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.44 $12.44
$7.35 COP 23.7K
69.25%
Cappuccino
$5.60 $5.60
$1.51 COP 4,889
270.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.65 $3.65
$0.89 COP 2,864
310.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 $2.39
$0.61 COP 1,976
291.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.82 $7.82
$1.16 COP 3,733
574.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.75 $8.75
$2.17 COP 6,996
303.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Pasto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.05 COP 3,388
6.67%
White Bread (500g)
$3.62 $3.62
$1.30 COP 4,187
178.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.50 $3.50
$1.19 COP 3,855
194.12%
Eggs
$4.45 $4.45
$2.15 COP 6,930
106.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.18 $13.18
$4.59 COP 14.8K
187.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.94 $13.94
$5.44 COP 17.6K
156.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.46 $16.46
$7.44 COP 24.0K
121.24%
Apples (1kg)
$4.73 $4.73
$2.47 COP 7,992
91.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 $1.50
$1.09 COP 3,506
37.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.64 $4.64
$1.31 COP 4,218
254.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.52 $4.52
$1.11 COP 3,588
307.21%
Potato (1kg)
$2.55 $2.55
$1.17 COP 3,785
117.95%
Onion (1kg)
$2.39 $2.39
$1.16 COP 3,752
106.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.84 $1.84
$0.88 COP 2,847
109.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 $2.13
$0.70 COP 2,252
204.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.05 $10.05
$2.34 COP 7,546
329.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.88 $14.88
$9.77 COP 31.6K
52.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$1.08 COP 3,504
161.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 $3.29
$1.70 COP 5,489
93.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Pasto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.23 $1.23
$0.72 COP 2,320
70.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.43 $41.43
$29.47 COP 95.2K
40.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.68 $2.68
$1.43 COP 4,631
87.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 $1.63
$1.71 COP 5,526
-4.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.20 $35.20
$6.01 COP 19.4K
485.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.01 COP 3,262
-2.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K $34.4K
$18.2K COP 58.7M
89.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$25.8K COP 83.2M
4.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Pasto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$252 $252
$82.5 COP 266.3K
205.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.8 $59.8
$8.84 COP 28.6K
576.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.7 $69.7
$22.93 COP 74.1K
203.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Pasto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.4 $60.4
$23.51 COP 76.0K
156.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.14 $18.14
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.75 $13.75
$3.92 COP 12.7K
250.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Pasto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,458 $1,458
$239 COP 773.6K
508.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.6K $26.6K
$5,979 COP 19.3M
344.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Pasto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.6 $52.6
$60.1 COP 194.0K
-12.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 $45.76
$32.73 COP 105.7K
39.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.5 $85.5
$81.9 COP 264.4K
4.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 $106
$71.4 COP 230.6K
48.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Pasto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,195 $2,195
$272 COP 877.3K
707.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,269 $1,269
$238 COP 769.7K
432.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,000 $4,000
$535 COP 1.7M
648.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,406 $2,406
$424 COP 1.4M
467.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,381 $7,381
$1,447 COP 4.7M
410.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,964 $2,964
$1,087 COP 3.5M
172.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Pasto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,043 $5,043
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.82
13.06
-47.78%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Pasto: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Pasto
$238 81.2% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$407
Pasto
$176 56.8% $232
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$382
Pasto
$114 70.1% $267
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$356
Pasto
$88 75.4% $268
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$130
Pasto
$111 15% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$88
Pasto
$31 64.3% $57
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$57
Pasto
$42 26% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,195 in Austin, TX and $272 in Pasto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $88 in Austin, TX vs $23 in Pasto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $176 per month, with Pasto cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇨🇴 Pasto
🕒 Local time
20:10 8:10 PM
21:10 9:10 PM
1 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
392,930
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,230 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,626 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Pasto 3,890 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Pasto

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Austin, TX vs Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Pasto?
Pasto wins on cost – living expenses run 70% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Pasto the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin, TX and in Pasto?
You’d need roughly $4,034 in Austin, TX and $1,201 in Pasto 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Pasto?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,195 in Austin, TX versus $272 in Pasto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Austin, TX compared to Pasto?
All in, you’ll spend $2,689 per month in Austin, TX versus $800 in Pasto – Pasto is about 70% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Pasto?
A monthly transit pass in Pasto runs roughly 29% less than in Austin, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Austin, TX or in Pasto?
At $800 in Pasto versus $2,689 in Austin, TX, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Pasto but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Pasto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Pasto?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Pasto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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