Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pasto Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pasto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $811 in Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,215 in Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,619 in Pasto, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% more than Pasto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Pasto are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Pasto 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.88 COP 14.0K

52.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$24.04 COP 86.8K

36.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.19 COP 26.0K

0.14%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.52 COP 5,475

11.84%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.93 COP 3,354

18.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.56 COP 2,030

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.15 COP 4,150

45.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.19 COP 7,918

41.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.10 COP 3,988

-3.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.25 COP 4,520

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.13 COP 4,076

23.01%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.13 COP 7,697

6.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.45 COP 16.1K

-2.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.14 COP 18.6K

13.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.15 COP 25.8K

23.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.55 COP 9,208

-12.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.04 COP 3,758

3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.36 COP 4,907

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.09 COP 3,940

25.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.11 COP 3,998

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.12 COP 4,055

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.88 COP 3,175

-3.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.64 COP 2,306

42.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.36 COP 8,507

-1.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.85 COP 35.6K

12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.08 COP 3,898

10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.77 COP 6,393

33.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.68 COP 2,456

16.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$30.45 COP 109.9K

35.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.43 COP 5,167

0.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.74 COP 6,279

9.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.99 COP 21.6K

33.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.95 COP 3,428

-1.05%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$18.2K COP 65.6M

-1.38%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.5K COP 92.1M

5.00%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$81.7 COP 295.0K

2.74%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.23 COP 33.3K

4.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$22.30 COP 80.5K

8.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$23.59 COP 85.1K

9.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.05 COP 14.6K

-3.21%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$242 COP 873.1K

26.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$5,856 COP 21.1M

1.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$59.2 COP 213.7K

-2.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$32.39 COP 116.9K

-1.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$84.9 COP 306.5K

17.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$72.5 COP 261.6K

47.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$268 COP 966.5K

81.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$240 COP 867.2K

53.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$532 COP 1.9M

55.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$424 COP 1.5M

68.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,420 COP 5.1M

105.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,066 COP 3.8M

31.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.06

2.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pasto: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $268 in Pasto. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Pasto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $172 – making Pasto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Medellin vs Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,216 in Pasto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pasto, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $24.00 in Pasto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $811 in Pasto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pasto, where all-in costs run around $811, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Pasto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pasto – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Pasto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.