Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Pasto Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Pasto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $789 in Pasto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,197 in Pasto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,606 in Pasto.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 85% more expensive than in Pasto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Pasto is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$3.86 COP 12.6K

238.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$23.39 COP 76.2K

129.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$7.19 COP 23.4K

34.63%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.51 COP 4,923

147.68%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.92 COP 2,991

76.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.57 COP 1,841

103.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.15 COP 3,733

180.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$2.12 COP 6,899

123.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.06 COP 3,465

55.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.30 COP 4,239

111.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.18 COP 3,827

58.47%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.21 COP 7,206

13.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$4.63 COP 15.1K

120.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$5.18 COP 16.9K

59.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$7.46 COP 24.3K

58.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.42 COP 7,872

24.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.09 COP 3,554

66.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.29 COP 4,213

55.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.11 COP 3,611

80.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.13 COP 3,670

84.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.18 COP 3,825

92.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.86 COP 2,799

69.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.69 COP 2,262

56.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$2.44 COP 7,934

78.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$9.69 COP 31.6K

75.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.09 COP 3,541

58.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.80 COP 5,857

98.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.72 COP 2,339

-45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$30.17 COP 98.2K

-38.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.47 COP 4,799

-9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.71 COP 5,568

-83.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$5.95 COP 19.4K

-11.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.02 COP 3,304

31.37%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

7.86%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$25.8K COP 84.0M

-7.70%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$83.9 COP 273.1K

-51.49%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$9.33 COP 30.4K

188.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$22.71 COP 73.9K

34.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$23.64 COP 77.0K

123.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$4.05 COP 13.2K

60.74%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$236 COP 769.1K

81.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$5,941 COP 19.3M

76.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$59.0 COP 192.0K

-2.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$33.12 COP 107.8K

37.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$84.6 COP 275.3K

23.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$72.9 COP 237.3K

47.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$276 COP 899.6K

263.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$236 COP 767.6K

164.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$525 COP 1.7M

301.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$415 COP 1.4M

193.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$1,429 COP 4.7M

171.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$1,055 COP 3.4M

92.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.06

-13.17%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Pasto: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $276 in Pasto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $23.00 in Pasto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $175 per month, with Pasto cheaper across the board.

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

Mexico City vs Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Pasto differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $789 including rent). Pasto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,185 in Mexico City and $1,183 in Pasto to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $276 in Pasto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pasto runs roughly 61% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $236 in Pasto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $789 in Pasto versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pasto but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pasto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Pasto are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Pasto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.