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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $773 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,085 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,398 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Medellin costs about 30% 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 25% lower, San Juan de Pasto 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.82 COP 8,868

109.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$11.90 COP 37.5K

176.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.55 COP 20.6K

13.44%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.66 COP 5,234

-0.60%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.68 COP 2,142

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.45 COP 1,419

73.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.18 COP 3,727

45.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.35 COP 7,412

35.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.06 COP 3,352

3.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.29 COP 4,077

-2.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.13 COP 3,571

22.12%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.90 COP 5,989

14.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$5.84 COP 18.4K

-23.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.26 COP 13.4K

35.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.53 COP 23.7K

19.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.55 COP 4,896

49.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.07 COP 3,377

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.37 COP 4,310

10.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.90 COP 2,846

51.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.16 COP 3,643

-2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.14 COP 3,581

2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.80 COP 2,518

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.69 COP 2,167

30.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.32 COP 7,316

-3.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$15.73 COP 49.5K

-22.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.08 COP 3,414

10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.74 COP 5,464

42.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.57 COP 1,798

49.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$30.63 COP 96.4K

35.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.50 COP 4,737

-5.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.51 COP 4,766

29.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.02 COP 19.0K

31.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.91 COP 2,865

8.79%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

-0.00%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$25.9K COP 81.6M

3.36%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$62.6 COP 197.2K

32.56%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$7.08 COP 22.3K

37.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$23.03 COP 72.5K

2.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$22.08 COP 69.5K

14.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.98 COP 12.5K

-0.75%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$238 COP 749.3K

32.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$5,867 COP 18.5M

1.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$59.9 COP 188.6K

0.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$32.18 COP 101.3K

-1.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$83.7 COP 263.5K

21.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$52.4 COP 164.9K

105.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$301 COP 948.2K

57.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$237 COP 744.7K

58.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$380 COP 1.2M

123.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$329 COP 1.0M

118.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,913 COP 6.0M

70.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,277 COP 4.0M

12.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$504 COP 1.6M

23.85%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $301 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 24% 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: $193 vs $179 – 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 30%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,159 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $773 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 $773, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.