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: $756 in Cali versus $786 in Pasto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,227 in Cali versus $1,214 in Pasto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,698 in Cali versus $1,641 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 43% lower, Pasto 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 COP 11.2K

$3.88 COP 12.2K

-8.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.88 COP 90.9K

$23.90 COP 75.2K

20.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 23.4K

$7.11 COP 22.4K

4.36%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,158

$1.51 COP 4,761

8.61%

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

$0.88 COP 2,783

$0.86 COP 2,697

2.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,884

$0.62 COP 1,949

-3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,194

$1.15 COP 3,631

-12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 7,779

$2.14 COP 6,748

15.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 COP 3,863

$1.11 COP 3,500

10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 4,668

$1.30 COP 4,106

13.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,940

$1.14 COP 3,591

9.65%

Eggs

$2.47 COP 7,786

$2.22 COP 6,981

11.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.21 COP 13.3K

$4.39 COP 13.8K

-4.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.45 COP 17.2K

$5.26 COP 16.5K

3.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 COP 24.5K

$7.24 COP 22.8K

7.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 COP 7,733

$2.55 COP 8,029

-3.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,914

$1.05 COP 3,299

-11.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 3,749

$1.36 COP 4,270

-12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 3,998

$1.06 COP 3,345

19.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,579

$1.11 COP 3,487

-26.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,445

$1.17 COP 3,690

-6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 COP 2,331

$0.81 COP 2,542

-8.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,049

$0.69 COP 2,176

-5.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 COP 8,828

$2.43 COP 7,646

15.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.13 COP 41.4K

$9.84 COP 31.0K

33.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,385

$1.13 COP 3,568

-4.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 5,848

$1.80 COP 5,654

3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,097

$0.72 COP 2,261

-6.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.94 COP 62.8K

$30.10 COP 94.8K

-33.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 5,062

$1.47 COP 4,614

9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,137

$1.70 COP 5,355

14.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 COP 30.9K

$6.02 COP 19.0K

62.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 2,982

$0.99 COP 3,128

-4.04%

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

$21.5K COP 67.7M

$18.0K COP 56.7M

19.37%

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

$30.2K COP 95.1M

$25.2K COP 79.2M

20.06%

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

$82.2 COP 258.7K

$83.3 COP 262.2K

-1.32%

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

$8.73 COP 27.5K

$9.12 COP 28.7K

-4.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.65 COP 77.6K

$23.04 COP 72.5K

6.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.05 COP 63.1K

$23.72 COP 74.7K

-15.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.40 COP 45.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 COP 15.2K

$3.89 COP 12.2K

23.91%

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

$225 COP 708.9K

$241 COP 757.4K

-6.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 18.5M

$6,010 COP 18.9M

-2.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 COP 202.5K

$57.8 COP 182.0K

11.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.60 COP 137.3K

$33.04 COP 104.0K

31.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 COP 240.9K

$84.9 COP 267.3K

-9.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 COP 280.3K

$71.5 COP 225.0K

24.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 740.9K

$270 COP 849.9K

-12.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 COP 595.4K

$236 COP 742.7K

-19.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 COP 1.9M

$530 COP 1.7M

15.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 COP 1.3M

$419 COP 1.3M

-2.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,261 COP 4.0M

$1,417 COP 4.5M

-10.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,020 COP 3.2M

$1,057 COP 3.3M

-3.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Pasto: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Cali and $270 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 $185 vs $175 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 $1,135 in Cali and $1,180 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: $235 in Cali versus $270 in Pasto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $225 in Cali versus $241 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 4% less than in Pasto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.