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: $1,087 in Cali versus $790 in Pasto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,694 in Cali versus $1,218 in Pasto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,301 in Cali versus $1,646 in Pasto.

Living in Cali is roughly 38% more expensive than in Pasto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 21% lower, Pasto 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 24.1K

$3.89 COP 12.3K

95.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.62 COP 122.6K

$23.22 COP 73.7K

66.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 COP 26.9K

$7.46 COP 23.7K

13.40%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,243

$1.49 COP 4,724

10.74%

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

$1.27 COP 4,041

$0.92 COP 2,912

38.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 2,684

$0.57 COP 1,823

49.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 COP 10.4K

$1.15 COP 3,661

185.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 COP 12.2K

$2.12 COP 6,721

81.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 COP 5,262

$1.11 COP 3,531

49.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 COP 6,183

$1.26 COP 3,991

54.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,827

$1.19 COP 3,772

27.73%

Eggs

$3.00 COP 9,538

$2.23 COP 7,092

34.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.48 COP 20.6K

$4.60 COP 14.6K

40.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 COP 22.9K

$5.31 COP 16.8K

35.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 COP 33.0K

$7.28 COP 23.1K

42.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 COP 11.6K

$2.52 COP 7,989

45.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,359

$1.04 COP 3,287

31.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 COP 5,813

$1.36 COP 4,318

34.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,634

$1.06 COP 3,353

66.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 COP 4,635

$1.11 COP 3,514

31.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,885

$1.13 COP 3,602

36.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,722

$0.86 COP 2,726

36.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 COP 3,323

$0.68 COP 2,167

54.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 12.0K

$2.45 COP 7,780

54.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 COP 42.0K

$9.45 COP 30.0K

40.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 COP 4,678

$1.13 COP 3,583

30.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 COP 7,969

$1.72 COP 5,446

45.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 COP 3,666

$0.68 COP 2,169

69.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.69 COP 97.4K

$30.32 COP 96.2K

1.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 COP 2,789

$1.47 COP 4,652

-40.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 COP 5,490

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 COP 19.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 COP 4,164

$0.94 COP 3,000

39.36%

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

$17.8K COP 56.6M

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

$36.1K COP 114.7M

$25.0K COP 79.4M

44.40%

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

$114 COP 363.3K

$81.7 COP 259.5K

40.01%

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

$13.68 COP 43.4K

$8.87 COP 28.2K

54.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.26 COP 99.2K

$22.64 COP 71.9K

38.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.82 COP 94.7K

$23.10 COP 73.3K

29.09%

Cinema Ticket

$8.36 COP 26.5K

$3.99 COP 12.7K

109.52%

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

$239 COP 757.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,866 COP 18.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 COP 252.9K

$59.5 COP 188.8K

33.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 COP 174.9K

$33.27 COP 105.6K

65.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 COP 412.4K

$83.9 COP 266.4K

54.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 COP 363.3K

$72.2 COP 229.3K

58.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 COP 2.1M

$271 COP 859.7K

145.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 COP 972.0K

$243 COP 770.4K

26.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 COP 5.2M

$533 COP 1.7M

205.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 COP 1.6M

$414 COP 1.3M

22.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,425 COP 4.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,070 COP 3.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Pasto: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Cali and $271 in Pasto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Cali vs $23.00 in Pasto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $174 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

Pasto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,630 in Cali and $1,185 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: $666 in Cali versus $271 in Pasto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pasto – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $39.00 in Cali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Pasto runs roughly 1% less than in Cali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $790 in Pasto versus $1,087 in Cali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pasto but tight or insufficient in Cali. The gap between the two cities makes Pasto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pasto is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cali, 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 Pasto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.