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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $761 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,072 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,383 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Medellin costs about 34% more than San Juan de Pasto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and San Juan de Pasto are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, San Juan de Pasto 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.84 COP 9,927

109.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$12.25 COP 42.8K

172.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.40 COP 22.3K

12.97%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.69 COP 5,890

-3.55%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.64 COP 2,222

70.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.48 COP 1,689

52.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.19 COP 4,155

46.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.39 COP 8,355

35.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.06 COP 3,701

-0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.30 COP 4,525

-0.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.13 COP 3,929

16.81%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.92 COP 6,717

18.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.06 COP 21.2K

-28.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.17 COP 14.5K

41.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.33 COP 25.6K

17.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.59 COP 5,566

41.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.08 COP 3,756

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.36 COP 4,737

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.87 COP 3,039

63.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.16 COP 4,056

0.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.16 COP 4,061

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.80 COP 2,792

11.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.69 COP 2,423

30.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.33 COP 8,120

-3.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$14.17 COP 49.5K

-22.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.12 COP 3,919

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.72 COP 6,002

38.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.57 COP 1,996

47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$30.32 COP 105.8K

38.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.46 COP 5,094

-3.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.46 COP 5,079

30.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.09 COP 21.2K

27.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.89 COP 3,106

13.48%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$18.0K COP 62.7M

-2.11%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$26.0K COP 90.6M

2.07%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$62.9 COP 219.4K

33.10%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$7.29 COP 25.5K

29.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$23.41 COP 81.7K

2.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$21.75 COP 75.9K

16.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.84 COP 13.4K

6.77%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$238 COP 832.3K

30.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,971 COP 20.8M

0.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$60.1 COP 209.7K

-3.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$32.04 COP 111.8K

1.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$83.1 COP 290.2K

19.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$53.7 COP 187.5K

102.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$306 COP 1.1M

57.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$236 COP 822.5K

61.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$382 COP 1.3M

119.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$324 COP 1.1M

123.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,701 COP 5.9M

66.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,116 COP 3.9M

9.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$453 COP 1.6M

19.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.18

1.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $306 in San Juan de Pasto. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $176 – making San Juan de 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 San Juan de Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 34%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,142 in San Juan de Pasto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan de 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 $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $761 in San Juan de Pasto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan de Pasto, where all-in costs run around $761, than in Medellin at $1,017. In San Juan de Pasto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Juan de 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 San Juan de 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.