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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $790 in Pasto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,218 in Pasto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,646 in Pasto.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 110% more expensive than in Pasto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Pasto is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.89 COP 12.3K

206.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$23.22 COP 73.7K

122.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.46 COP 23.7K

52.95%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$1.49 COP 4,724

167.79%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.92 COP 2,912

80.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.57 COP 1,823

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$1.15 COP 3,661

201.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.12 COP 6,721

178.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$1.11 COP 3,531

69.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$1.26 COP 3,991

157.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.19 COP 3,772

81.51%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$2.23 COP 7,092

30.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$4.60 COP 14.6K

179.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.31 COP 16.8K

89.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$7.28 COP 23.1K

117.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$2.52 COP 7,989

30.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.04 COP 3,287

93.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.36 COP 4,318

61.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$1.06 COP 3,353

122.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$1.11 COP 3,514

84.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$1.13 COP 3,602

68.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.86 COP 2,726

87.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.68 COP 2,167

105.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.45 COP 7,780

122.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$9.45 COP 30.0K

86.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$1.13 COP 3,583

82.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$1.72 COP 5,446

172.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.68 COP 2,169

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$30.32 COP 96.2K

-31.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$1.47 COP 4,652

42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$1.73 COP 5,490

-67.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$6.19 COP 19.6K

-6.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.94 COP 3,000

71.28%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$17.8K COP 56.6M

28.17%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$25.0K COP 79.4M

6.93%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$81.7 COP 259.5K

-20.25%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$8.87 COP 28.2K

239.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$22.64 COP 71.9K

64.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$23.10 COP 73.3K

158.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$3.99 COP 12.7K

76.44%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$239 COP 757.2K

94.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$5,866 COP 18.6M

126.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$59.5 COP 188.8K

27.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$33.27 COP 105.6K

68.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$83.9 COP 266.4K

33.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$72.2 COP 229.3K

66.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$271 COP 859.7K

307.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$243 COP 770.4K

197.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$533 COP 1.7M

374.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$414 COP 1.3M

212.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$1,425 COP 4.5M

180.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,070 COP 3.4M

95.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

13.06

-13.48%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pasto: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $271 in Pasto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $23.00 in Pasto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $174 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 110% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $790 including rent). Pasto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $1,185 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $271 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 46% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $239 in Pasto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $790 in Pasto versus $1,660 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 110% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.