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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $773 per month in Bucaramanga vs $773 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,158 per month in Bucaramanga vs $1,085 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,543 per month in Bucaramanga vs $1,398 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Bucaramanga and San Juan de Pasto have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Bucaramanga and San Juan de Pasto are more affordable than the global median – Bucaramanga 42% lower, San Juan de Pasto 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 COP 9,656

$2.82 COP 8,868

8.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.46 COP 61.3K

$11.90 COP 37.5K

63.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 COP 21.6K

$6.55 COP 20.6K

5.04%

Cappuccino

$1.29 COP 4,063

$1.66 COP 5,234

-22.29%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 COP 2,374

$0.68 COP 2,142

10.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 1,832

$0.45 COP 1,419

28.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 COP 4,427

$1.18 COP 3,727

19.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 COP 6,321

$2.35 COP 7,412

-14.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 COP 3,725

$1.06 COP 3,352

11.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 COP 3,498

$1.29 COP 4,077

-13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 COP 3,896

$1.13 COP 3,571

9.73%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,002

$1.90 COP 5,989

16.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.8K

$5.84 COP 18.4K

-30.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 18.5K

$4.26 COP 13.4K

38.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 COP 23.7K

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 COP 7,775

$1.55 COP 4,896

59.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 COP 3,871

$1.07 COP 3,377

14.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 COP 2,625

$1.37 COP 4,310

-39.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,901

$0.90 COP 2,846

2.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,939

$1.16 COP 3,643

7.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 COP 3,194

$1.14 COP 3,581

-11.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 COP 2,852

$0.80 COP 2,518

13.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 COP 2,474

$0.69 COP 2,167

14.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 COP 5,301

$2.32 COP 7,316

-27.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 COP 28.6K

$15.73 COP 49.5K

-42.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 2,670

$1.08 COP 3,414

-21.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 COP 4,908

$1.74 COP 5,464

-10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 COP 2,317

$0.57 COP 1,798

29.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.29 COP 120.6K

$30.63 COP 96.4K

25.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 COP 5,512

$1.50 COP 4,737

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 COP 4,975

$1.51 COP 4,766

4.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 COP 18.7K

$6.02 COP 19.0K

-1.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,056

$0.91 COP 2,865

6.59%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.7K COP 62.0M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

11.91%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.3K COP 89.2M

$25.9K COP 81.6M

9.33%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$74.6 COP 234.7K

$62.6 COP 197.2K

19.07%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.84 COP 27.8K

$7.08 COP 22.3K

24.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.44 COP 64.4K

$23.03 COP 72.5K

-11.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.24 COP 73.2K

$22.08 COP 69.5K

5.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.79 COP 49.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.98 COP 12.5K

-0.75%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$242 COP 760.6K

$238 COP 749.3K

1.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,485 COP 7.8M

$5,867 COP 18.5M

-57.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 COP 202.7K

$59.9 COP 188.6K

7.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 101.8K

$32.18 COP 101.3K

0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 COP 259.3K

$83.7 COP 263.5K

-1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.82 COP 119.1K

$52.4 COP 164.9K

-27.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 COP 901.6K

$301 COP 948.2K

-4.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 749.3K

$237 COP 744.7K

0.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 COP 1.5M

$380 COP 1.2M

25.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 COP 1.2M

$329 COP 1.0M

14.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,193 COP 3.8M

$1,913 COP 6.0M

-37.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,621 COP 5.1M

$1,277 COP 4.0M

27.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$576 COP 1.8M

$504 COP 1.6M

14.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.25

13.18

15.71%

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

Last update for Bucaramanga: July 26, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Bucaramanga versus $301 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 14% higher in Bucaramanga. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Bucaramanga versus $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto. Groceries tell a different story – $173 in Bucaramanga vs $179 in San Juan de Pasto – so Bucaramanga wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bucaramanga vs San Juan de Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,160 per month in Bucaramanga and $1,159 in San Juan de Pasto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Bucaramanga – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $242 per month in Bucaramanga and $238 in San Juan de Pasto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $773 in Bucaramanga and $773 in San Juan de Pasto, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Juan de Pasto costs $773 versus $773 in Bucaramanga. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with San Juan de Pasto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bucaramanga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.