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: $775 in Cali versus $807 in Pasto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,229 in Cali versus $1,199 in Pasto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,683 in Cali versus $1,592 in Pasto.

Living in Cali costs roughly 4% less than in Pasto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 42% lower, Pasto 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 COP 12.4K

$3.87 COP 13.3K

-6.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.48 COP 97.9K

$23.72 COP 81.5K

20.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.37 COP 25.3K

$7.12 COP 24.5K

3.51%

Cappuccino

$1.59 COP 5,454

$1.50 COP 5,158

6.00%

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

$0.89 COP 3,072

$0.92 COP 3,179

-3.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,056

$0.57 COP 1,962

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 COP 3,577

$1.19 COP 4,105

-12.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 COP 8,951

$2.23 COP 7,654

16.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 COP 4,342

$1.10 COP 3,786

14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 COP 5,255

$1.25 COP 4,299

22.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 COP 4,189

$1.18 COP 4,046

3.39%

Eggs

$2.58 COP 8,880

$2.12 COP 7,271

21.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.25 COP 14.6K

$4.55 COP 15.6K

-6.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 COP 18.1K

$5.41 COP 18.6K

-2.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 COP 25.9K

$7.54 COP 25.9K

0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 8,306

$2.47 COP 8,482

-2.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,370

$1.03 COP 3,545

-4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,095

$1.35 COP 4,628

-11.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,553

$1.06 COP 3,649

24.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,814

$1.12 COP 3,866

-26.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,628

$1.18 COP 4,049

-10.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,575

$0.86 COP 2,941

-12.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,210

$0.70 COP 2,389

-8.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 COP 9,736

$2.34 COP 8,040

20.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 COP 40.2K

$9.84 COP 33.8K

18.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 COP 3,634

$1.14 COP 3,919

-7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 6,410

$1.70 COP 5,841

9.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,485

$0.67 COP 2,292

7.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.58 COP 70.7K

$29.62 COP 101.8K

-30.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 5,519

$1.41 COP 4,863

14.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,531

$1.73 COP 5,938

9.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.57 COP 32.9K

$5.93 COP 20.4K

61.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,248

$0.94 COP 3,238

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

$22.0K COP 75.6M

$17.6K COP 60.4M

25.13%

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

$29.6K COP 101.9M

$25.1K COP 86.2M

18.12%

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

$81.9 COP 281.4K

$81.2 COP 279.1K

0.81%

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

$8.97 COP 30.8K

$9.29 COP 31.9K

-3.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.94 COP 82.3K

$22.49 COP 77.3K

6.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.42 COP 66.8K

$23.28 COP 80.0K

-16.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.56 COP 50.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 COP 16.9K

$3.85 COP 13.2K

28.05%

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

$222 COP 763.6K

$242 COP 832.9K

-8.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,072 COP 20.9M

$5,949 COP 20.5M

2.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 COP 222.5K

$59.7 COP 205.3K

8.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.55 COP 153.1K

$32.41 COP 111.4K

37.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 COP 265.2K

$82.0 COP 281.9K

-5.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 COP 310.6K

$74.0 COP 254.4K

22.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 805.9K

$274 COP 942.8K

-14.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 COP 633.0K

$234 COP 804.6K

-21.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 COP 2.1M

$525 COP 1.8M

15.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 COP 1.4M

$411 COP 1.4M

-3.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,172 COP 4.0M

$1,422 COP 4.9M

-17.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$951 COP 3.3M

$1,047 COP 3.6M

-9.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$522 COP 1.8M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Pasto: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Cali and $274 in Pasto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Cali vs $24.00 in Pasto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $176 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,162 in Cali and $1,210 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: $234 in Cali versus $274 in Pasto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 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 4% 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 4% less than in Pasto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.