Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Pasto Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Pasto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $752 in Cali versus $811 in Pasto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,212 in Cali versus $1,215 in Pasto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,672 in Cali versus $1,619 in Pasto.

Living in Cali costs roughly 7% less than in Pasto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 44% lower, Pasto 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 COP 12.9K

$3.88 COP 14.0K

-7.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.24 COP 105.5K

$24.04 COP 86.8K

21.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 COP 27.0K

$7.19 COP 26.0K

3.89%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,920

$1.52 COP 5,475

7.89%

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

$0.87 COP 3,146

$0.93 COP 3,354

-6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 2,036

$0.56 COP 2,030

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 COP 3,759

$1.15 COP 4,150

-9.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,919

$2.19 COP 7,918

12.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,593

$1.10 COP 3,988

15.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 5,361

$1.25 COP 4,520

18.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 COP 4,492

$1.13 COP 4,076

9.73%

Eggs

$2.53 COP 9,120

$2.13 COP 7,697

18.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 COP 15.5K

$4.45 COP 16.1K

-3.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 19.9K

$5.14 COP 18.6K

7.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 COP 28.1K

$7.15 COP 25.8K

8.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 COP 8,759

$2.55 COP 9,208

-4.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,260

$1.04 COP 3,758

-13.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,306

$1.36 COP 4,907

-12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,763

$1.09 COP 3,940

21.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 COP 3,119

$1.11 COP 3,998

-22.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,836

$1.12 COP 4,055

-5.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 COP 2,681

$0.88 COP 3,175

-15.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,380

$0.64 COP 2,306

3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 COP 10.7K

$2.36 COP 8,507

25.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 COP 41.3K

$9.85 COP 35.6K

16.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,980

$1.08 COP 3,898

1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 COP 6,795

$1.77 COP 6,393

6.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,612

$0.68 COP 2,456

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.29 COP 73.3K

$30.45 COP 109.9K

-33.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 COP 5,624

$1.43 COP 5,167

9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 COP 6,815

$1.74 COP 6,279

8.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.60 COP 34.6K

$5.99 COP 21.6K

60.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,405

$0.95 COP 3,428

-1.05%

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

$21.9K COP 78.9M

$18.2K COP 65.6M

20.29%

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

$30.2K COP 109.0M

$25.5K COP 92.1M

18.33%

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

$82.4 COP 297.3K

$81.7 COP 295.0K

0.77%

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

$8.75 COP 31.6K

$9.23 COP 33.3K

-5.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 COP 88.4K

$22.30 COP 80.5K

9.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.72 COP 71.2K

$23.59 COP 85.1K

-16.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 COP 17.6K

$4.05 COP 14.6K

20.74%

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

$230 COP 832.0K

$242 COP 873.1K

-4.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,948 COP 21.5M

$5,856 COP 21.1M

1.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 COP 229.2K

$59.2 COP 213.7K

7.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.13 COP 159.3K

$32.39 COP 116.9K

36.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 COP 280.6K

$84.9 COP 306.5K

-8.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 COP 321.8K

$72.5 COP 261.6K

23.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 857.6K

$268 COP 966.5K

-11.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 COP 682.9K

$240 COP 867.2K

-21.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.2M

$532 COP 1.9M

16.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 COP 1.5M

$424 COP 1.5M

-3.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,146 COP 4.1M

$1,420 COP 5.1M

-19.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 COP 3.3M

$1,066 COP 3.8M

-13.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

13.06

-11.33%

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

Last update for Cali: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pasto: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $238 in Cali and $268 in Pasto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cali vs $24.00 in Pasto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $172 per month, with Pasto cheaper across the board.

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

Cali vs Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,128 in Cali and $1,216 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $238 in Cali versus $268 in Pasto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $230 in Cali versus $242 in Pasto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Pasto pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cali gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pasto, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cali and Pasto are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Pasto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.