Cost of Living Comparison Between Bogota and San Juan de Pasto Cost of Living Comparison Between Bogota and San Juan de Pasto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $934 per month in Bogota vs $759 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,472 per month in Bogota vs $1,086 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,010 per month in Bogota vs $1,414 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Bogota costs about 23% more than San Juan de Pasto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Bogota and San Juan de Pasto are more affordable than the global median – Bogota 30% lower, San Juan de Pasto 43% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bogota
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.83 COP 16.5K
$2.86 COP 9,788
68.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.68 COP 108.6K
$12.21 COP 41.8K
159.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.66 COP 26.3K
$6.37 COP 21.8K
20.25%
Cappuccino
$1.89 COP 6,463
$1.68 COP 5,774
12.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 COP 3,305
$0.69 COP 2,380
39.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 COP 2,190
$0.45 COP 1,536
42.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.13 COP 3,887
$1.23 COP 4,231
-8.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 COP 7,302
$2.38 COP 8,157
-10.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bogota
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 COP 4,210
$1.11 COP 3,808
10.81%
White Bread (500g)
$1.40 COP 4,800
$1.24 COP 4,258
12.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.13 COP 3,859
$1.15 COP 3,930
-1.74%
Eggs
$2.07 COP 7,086
$1.94 COP 6,640
6.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.61 COP 15.8K
$5.74 COP 19.7K
-19.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.23 COP 17.9K
$4.22 COP 14.5K
23.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.40 COP 25.4K
$7.23 COP 24.8K
2.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.99 COP 10.2K
$1.61 COP 5,532
85.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.10 COP 3,755
$1.11 COP 3,804
-0.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.36 COP 4,662
$1.36 COP 4,656
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.29 COP 4,420
$0.85 COP 2,904
51.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.16 COP 3,987
$1.17 COP 3,994
-0.85%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 COP 3,834
$1.17 COP 4,000
-4.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.73 COP 2,518
$0.80 COP 2,753
-8.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 COP 2,713
$0.69 COP 2,369
14.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.79 COP 9,556
$2.32 COP 7,962
20.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.56 COP 43.1K
$14.37 COP 49.3K
-12.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 COP 3,958
$1.09 COP 3,730
5.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 COP 6,321
$1.78 COP 6,117
3.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Bogota
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.71 COP 2,447
$0.54 COP 1,859
31.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.22 COP 141.3K
$29.65 COP 101.6K
39.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.44 COP 4,922
$1.52 COP 5,197
-5.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 COP 5,165
$1.49 COP 5,105
1.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.09 COP 20.9K
$6.12 COP 21.0K
-0.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 COP 3,368
$0.88 COP 3,031
11.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$15.5K COP 53.1M
$17.6K COP 60.3M
-11.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2K COP 86.2M
$25.7K COP 88.2M
-2.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bogota
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.3 COP 285.4K
$62.2 COP 213.1K
33.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.08 COP 38.0K
$7.14 COP 24.5K
55.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.16 COP 89.7K
$23.32 COP 79.9K
12.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bogota
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.06 COP 82.5K
$21.93 COP 75.2K
9.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.21 COP 38.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.82 COP 16.5K
$3.88 COP 13.3K
24.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bogota
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$292 COP 1.0M
$235 COP 804.9K
24.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,325 COP 28.5M
$5,900 COP 20.2M
41.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bogota
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0 COP 205.8K
$59.6 COP 204.4K
0.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.25 COP 144.8K
$32.39 COP 111.0K
30.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 COP 359.8K
$81.7 COP 280.1K
28.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.2 COP 291.9K
$53.6 COP 183.6K
59.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bogota
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$463 COP 1.6M
$298 COP 1.0M
55.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$332 COP 1.1M
$234 COP 802.4K
41.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$834 COP 2.9M
$379 COP 1.3M
119.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$644 COP 2.2M
$321 COP 1.1M
100.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,451 COP 8.4M
$1,666 COP 5.7M
47.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,971 COP 6.8M
$1,248 COP 4.3M
58.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bogota
San Juan de Pasto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$673 COP 2.3M
$463 COP 1.6M
45.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.93
13.18
-1.90%

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

Last update for Bogota: June 14, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $463 in Bogota versus $298 in San Juan de Pasto. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 45% higher in Bogota, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Bogota versus $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $175 – making San Juan de Pasto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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
Bogota vs San Juan de Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Juan de Pasto cheaper than Bogota?
Yes – Bogota is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,400 per month in Bogota and $1,138 in San Juan de Pasto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan de Pasto, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Bogota vs San Juan de Pasto?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $934 in Bogota and $759 in San Juan de Pasto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 39% less in San Juan de Pasto. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $800 enough for either Bogota or San Juan de Pasto?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $934 in Bogota and $759 in San Juan de Pasto, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Bogota or San Juan de Pasto more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward San Juan de Pasto – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Bogota or San Juan de Pasto?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with San Juan de Pasto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bogota makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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