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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,618 per month in Medellin vs $791 in Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,460 per month in Medellin vs $1,218 in Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,302 per month in Medellin vs $1,645 in Pasto, rent included.

Medellin costs about 105% more than Pasto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Pasto is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 24.2K

$3.88 COP 12.2K

98.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.28 COP 136.5K

$23.74 COP 74.8K

82.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.0K

$7.48 COP 23.6K

27.01%

Cappuccino

$2.81 COP 8,857

$1.58 COP 4,967

77.85%

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

$1.84 COP 5,786

$0.87 COP 2,735

111.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,751

$0.61 COP 1,920

147.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 COP 9,723

$1.20 COP 3,787

156.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 COP 17.3K

$2.17 COP 6,841

153.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,238

$1.11 COP 3,495

20.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 COP 7,268

$1.25 COP 3,940

84.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,632

$1.13 COP 3,549

30.09%

Eggs

$2.69 COP 8,473

$2.14 COP 6,740

25.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 COP 28.0K

$4.49 COP 14.1K

97.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 COP 33.5K

$5.21 COP 16.4K

104.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 COP 45.6K

$7.47 COP 23.6K

93.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 11.8K

$2.47 COP 7,784

51.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,372

$1.09 COP 3,422

27.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,005

$1.29 COP 4,081

72.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 COP 6,243

$1.06 COP 3,356

86.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,478

$1.15 COP 3,635

78.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,044

$1.13 COP 3,554

41.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,284

$0.88 COP 2,779

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 COP 4,000

$0.68 COP 2,148

86.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 COP 11.8K

$2.42 COP 7,631

54.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 COP 41.3K

$9.56 COP 30.1K

37.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,970

$1.13 COP 3,548

39.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 COP 9,518

$1.77 COP 5,585

70.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,682

$0.69 COP 2,172

69.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 COP 239.5K

$29.79 COP 93.9K

154.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 COP 4,738

$1.47 COP 4,622

2.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$1.78 COP 5,602

17.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 COP 25.5K

$6.11 COP 19.3K

32.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 COP 3,980

$0.93 COP 2,938

35.48%

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

$26.9K COP 84.8M

$17.7K COP 55.7M

52.21%

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

$34.9K COP 110.0M

$25.5K COP 80.3M

36.89%

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

$148 COP 467.6K

$81.8 COP 258.0K

81.24%

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

$13.03 COP 41.1K

$9.23 COP 29.1K

41.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.48 COP 99.2K

$22.62 COP 71.3K

39.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.50 COP 143.4K

$23.38 COP 73.7K

94.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 COP 19.9K

$3.92 COP 12.4K

61.22%

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

$837 COP 2.6M

$235 COP 740.5K

256.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,663 COP 27.3M

$5,934 COP 18.7M

46.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 279.9K

$59.7 COP 188.2K

48.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 COP 173.2K

$33.11 COP 104.4K

65.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 COP 423.9K

$81.9 COP 258.2K

64.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 341.5K

$71.4 COP 225.2K

51.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 COP 3.0M

$272 COP 856.9K

245.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.0M

$242 COP 762.0K

167.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 COP 6.1M

$525 COP 1.7M

269.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 COP 3.5M

$417 COP 1.3M

170.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,638 COP 11.5M

$1,423 COP 4.5M

155.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 COP 4.9M

$1,072 COP 3.4M

44.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

13.06

-20.14%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Last update for Pasto: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $939 in Medellin versus $272 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 $43.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Pasto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $174 – 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 105%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,427 per month in Medellin and $1,186 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 $43.00 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 $1,618 in Medellin and $791 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 $791, than in Medellin at $1,618. 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.