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: $756 in Cali versus $773 in San Juan de Pasto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,227 in Cali versus $1,085 in San Juan de Pasto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,698 in Cali versus $1,398 in San Juan de Pasto.

Living in Cali costs roughly 2% less than in San Juan de Pasto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 43% lower, San Juan de Pasto 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 COP 11.2K

$2.82 COP 8,868

26.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.88 COP 90.9K

$11.90 COP 37.5K

142.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 23.4K

$6.55 COP 20.6K

13.28%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,158

$1.66 COP 5,234

-1.20%

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

$0.88 COP 2,783

$0.68 COP 2,142

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,884

$0.45 COP 1,419

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,194

$1.18 COP 3,727

-14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 7,779

$2.35 COP 7,412

5.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 COP 3,863

$1.06 COP 3,352

16.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 4,668

$1.29 COP 4,077

14.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,940

$1.13 COP 3,571

10.62%

Eggs

$2.47 COP 7,786

$1.90 COP 5,989

30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.21 COP 13.3K

$5.84 COP 18.4K

-27.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.45 COP 17.2K

$4.26 COP 13.4K

27.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 COP 24.5K

$7.53 COP 23.7K

3.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 COP 7,733

$1.55 COP 4,896

58.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,914

$1.07 COP 3,377

-13.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 3,749

$1.37 COP 4,310

-13.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 3,998

$0.90 COP 2,846

41.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,579

$1.16 COP 3,643

-29.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,445

$1.14 COP 3,581

-4.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 COP 2,331

$0.80 COP 2,518

-7.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,049

$0.69 COP 2,167

-5.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 COP 8,828

$2.32 COP 7,316

20.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.13 COP 41.4K

$15.73 COP 49.5K

-16.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,385

$1.08 COP 3,414

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 5,848

$1.74 COP 5,464

6.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,097

$0.57 COP 1,798

17.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.94 COP 62.8K

$30.63 COP 96.4K

-34.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 5,062

$1.50 COP 4,737

7.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,137

$1.51 COP 4,766

29.14%

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

$0.91 COP 2,865

4.40%

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

$21.5K COP 67.7M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

22.11%

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

$30.2K COP 95.1M

$25.9K COP 81.6M

16.56%

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

$82.2 COP 258.7K

$62.6 COP 197.2K

31.22%

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

$8.73 COP 27.5K

$7.08 COP 22.3K

23.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.65 COP 77.6K

$23.03 COP 72.5K

7.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.05 COP 63.1K

$22.08 COP 69.5K

-9.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.40 COP 45.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 COP 15.2K

$3.98 COP 12.5K

21.11%

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

$225 COP 708.9K

$238 COP 749.3K

-5.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 18.5M

$5,867 COP 18.5M

0.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 COP 202.5K

$59.9 COP 188.6K

7.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.60 COP 137.3K

$32.18 COP 101.3K

35.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 COP 240.9K

$83.7 COP 263.5K

-8.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 COP 280.3K

$52.4 COP 164.9K

70.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 740.9K

$301 COP 948.2K

-21.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 COP 595.4K

$237 COP 744.7K

-20.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 COP 1.9M

$380 COP 1.2M

61.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 COP 1.3M

$329 COP 1.0M

24.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,261 COP 4.0M

$1,913 COP 6.0M

-34.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,020 COP 3.2M

$1,277 COP 4.0M

-20.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 COP 1.8M

$504 COP 1.6M

12.36%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Cali and $301 in San Juan de Pasto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 12% 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 $185 vs $179 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Cali, 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: $235 in Cali versus $301 in San Juan de Pasto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $225 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 3% 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 2% less than in San Juan de Pasto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.