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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $751 in Cali versus $761 in San Juan de Pasto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,205 in Cali versus $1,072 in San Juan de Pasto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,659 in Cali versus $1,383 in San Juan de Pasto.

Living in Cali costs roughly 1% less than in San Juan de Pasto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 44% lower, San Juan de Pasto 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 COP 13.0K

$2.84 COP 9,927

31.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.95 COP 101.0K

$12.25 COP 42.8K

136.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 COP 24.6K

$6.40 COP 22.3K

10.31%

Cappuccino

$1.56 COP 5,438

$1.69 COP 5,890

-7.69%

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

$0.88 COP 3,063

$0.64 COP 2,222

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,111

$0.48 COP 1,689

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 COP 3,672

$1.19 COP 4,155

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 COP 8,800

$2.39 COP 8,355

5.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,482

$1.06 COP 3,701

20.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 COP 5,090

$1.30 COP 4,525

12.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,221

$1.13 COP 3,929

7.08%

Eggs

$2.47 COP 8,621

$1.92 COP 6,717

28.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.20 COP 14.7K

$6.06 COP 21.2K

-30.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 19.3K

$4.17 COP 14.5K

32.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 COP 27.4K

$7.33 COP 25.6K

7.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 8,430

$1.59 COP 5,566

52.20%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,324

$1.08 COP 3,756

-12.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,163

$1.36 COP 4,737

-12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,542

$0.87 COP 3,039

49.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 COP 2,837

$1.16 COP 4,056

-30.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,684

$1.16 COP 4,061

-8.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 COP 2,650

$0.80 COP 2,792

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,431

$0.69 COP 2,423

1.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 COP 9,948

$2.33 COP 8,120

22.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 COP 40.4K

$14.17 COP 49.5K

-18.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,739

$1.12 COP 3,919

-4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 COP 6,812

$1.72 COP 6,002

13.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,521

$0.57 COP 1,996

26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.01 COP 69.8K

$30.32 COP 105.8K

-34.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 COP 5,521

$1.46 COP 5,094

8.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,674

$1.46 COP 5,079

30.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.72 COP 33.9K

$6.09 COP 21.2K

59.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,194

$0.89 COP 3,106

3.37%

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

$21.5K COP 75.2M

$18.0K COP 62.7M

19.91%

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

$30.4K COP 105.9M

$26.0K COP 90.6M

16.93%

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

$81.2 COP 283.4K

$62.9 COP 219.4K

29.17%

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

$8.63 COP 30.1K

$7.29 COP 25.5K

18.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.09 COP 84.1K

$23.41 COP 81.7K

2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.55 COP 68.2K

$21.75 COP 75.9K

-10.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 50.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 COP 17.3K

$3.84 COP 13.4K

28.65%

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

$227 COP 790.8K

$238 COP 832.3K

-4.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 20.5M

$5,971 COP 20.8M

-1.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 222.3K

$60.1 COP 209.7K

5.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.88 COP 156.6K

$32.04 COP 111.8K

40.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 COP 264.5K

$83.1 COP 290.2K

-8.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 COP 313.1K

$53.7 COP 187.5K

66.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 846.1K

$306 COP 1.1M

-20.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 649.9K

$236 COP 822.5K

-20.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 COP 2.1M

$382 COP 1.3M

59.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 COP 1.4M

$324 COP 1.1M

22.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,114 COP 3.9M

$1,701 COP 5.9M

-34.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 COP 3.2M

$1,116 COP 3.9M

-17.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$453 COP 1.6M

13.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

13.18

-12.14%

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

Last update for Cali: June 9, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Cali and $306 in San Juan de Pasto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cali vs $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $176 per month, with San Juan de 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 San Juan de Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cali pays 13% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $242 in Cali versus $306 in San Juan de Pasto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $227 in Cali versus $238 in San Juan de Pasto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in San Juan de 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 San Juan de Pasto, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cali and San Juan de 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 1% less than in San Juan de Pasto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.