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: $752 in Cali versus $767 in San Juan de Pasto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,212 in Cali versus $1,088 in San Juan de Pasto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,672 in Cali versus $1,409 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 44% lower, San Juan de Pasto 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 COP 13.0K

$2.85 COP 10.4K

25.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.24 COP 106.3K

$12.07 COP 43.9K

142.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 COP 27.2K

$6.45 COP 23.5K

15.81%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,964

$1.74 COP 6,313

-5.75%

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

$0.87 COP 3,169

$0.70 COP 2,540

24.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 2,051

$0.49 COP 1,781

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 COP 3,787

$1.19 COP 4,319

-12.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,985

$2.48 COP 9,015

-0.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,628

$1.05 COP 3,831

20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 5,401

$1.28 COP 4,647

15.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 COP 4,526

$1.13 COP 4,128

9.73%

Eggs

$2.53 COP 9,188

$1.91 COP 6,938

32.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 COP 15.6K

$5.86 COP 21.3K

-26.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 20.1K

$4.23 COP 15.4K

30.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 COP 28.3K

$7.24 COP 26.3K

7.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 COP 8,825

$1.60 COP 5,803

51.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,285

$1.07 COP 3,896

-15.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,338

$1.34 COP 4,878

-11.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,798

$0.90 COP 3,280

46.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 COP 3,142

$1.11 COP 4,033

-22.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,864

$1.14 COP 4,142

-7.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 COP 2,701

$0.80 COP 2,911

-7.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,398

$0.69 COP 2,502

-4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 COP 10.8K

$2.34 COP 8,513

26.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 COP 41.6K

$14.05 COP 51.1K

-18.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 4,010

$1.09 COP 3,978

0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 COP 6,845

$1.72 COP 6,249

9.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,632

$0.58 COP 2,124

24.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.29 COP 73.8K

$29.52 COP 107.3K

-31.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 COP 5,666

$1.48 COP 5,369

5.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 COP 6,866

$1.44 COP 5,243

31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$6.18 COP 22.5K

55.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,430

$0.94 COP 3,431

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

$21.9K COP 79.5M

$18.2K COP 66.2M

20.12%

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

$30.2K COP 109.8M

$25.9K COP 94.3M

16.40%

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

$82.4 COP 299.5K

$61.5 COP 223.5K

33.99%

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

$8.75 COP 31.8K

$7.08 COP 25.8K

23.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 COP 89.0K

$22.99 COP 83.6K

6.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.72 COP 71.7K

$21.56 COP 78.4K

-8.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 COP 17.8K

$3.92 COP 14.3K

24.74%

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

$230 COP 838.2K

$242 COP 880.4K

-4.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,948 COP 21.6M

$6,014 COP 21.9M

-1.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 COP 231.0K

$59.9 COP 217.7K

6.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.13 COP 160.5K

$33.28 COP 121.0K

32.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 COP 282.7K

$83.1 COP 302.4K

-6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 COP 324.2K

$53.2 COP 193.6K

67.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 864.0K

$307 COP 1.1M

-22.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 COP 688.0K

$242 COP 878.7K

-21.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.3M

$375 COP 1.4M

65.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 COP 1.5M

$327 COP 1.2M

25.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,146 COP 4.2M

$1,723 COP 6.3M

-33.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 COP 3.3M

$1,301 COP 4.7M

-29.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 COP 1.9M

$450 COP 1.6M

14.14%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $238 in Cali and $307 in San Juan de Pasto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 14% 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 $174 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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cali pays 14% 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: $238 in Cali versus $307 in San Juan de Pasto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $230 in Cali versus $242 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 5% 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.