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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $767 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,088 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,409 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% 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 23% lower, San Juan de Pasto 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.85 COP 10.3K

107.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$12.07 COP 43.6K

171.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.45 COP 23.3K

11.63%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.74 COP 6,266

-2.30%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.70 COP 2,521

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.49 COP 1,768

46.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.19 COP 4,287

40.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.48 COP 8,948

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.05 COP 3,803

0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.28 COP 4,613

-2.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.13 COP 4,097

23.01%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.91 COP 6,887

18.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.86 COP 21.2K

-26.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.23 COP 15.3K

38.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.24 COP 26.1K

21.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.60 COP 5,760

40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.07 COP 3,868

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.34 COP 4,842

14.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.90 COP 3,256

52.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.11 COP 4,003

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.14 COP 4,111

-1.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.80 COP 2,889

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.69 COP 2,483

31.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.34 COP 8,450

-0.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$14.05 COP 50.7K

-20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.09 COP 3,948

9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.72 COP 6,202

37.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.58 COP 2,108

36.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$29.52 COP 106.6K

39.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.48 COP 5,329

-2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.44 COP 5,205

32.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.18 COP 22.3K

29.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.94 COP 3,406

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$18.2K COP 65.7M

-1.52%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.9K COP 93.6M

3.29%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$61.5 COP 221.9K

36.61%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$7.08 COP 25.6K

35.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$22.99 COP 83.0K

5.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$21.56 COP 77.8K

20.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.92 COP 14.2K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$242 COP 873.8K

26.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,014 COP 21.7M

-1.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$59.9 COP 216.1K

-3.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$33.28 COP 120.1K

-4.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$83.1 COP 300.2K

20.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$53.2 COP 192.1K

101.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$307 COP 1.1M

58.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$242 COP 872.2K

52.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$375 COP 1.4M

120.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$327 COP 1.2M

118.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,723 COP 6.2M

69.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,301 COP 4.7M

8.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$450 COP 1.6M

21.12%

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: April 27, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $307 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 21% 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 $174 – 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 35%, 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 $1,151 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $767 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 $767, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.