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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $793 in Pasto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,219 in Pasto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,645 in Pasto.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Pasto is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.86 COP 13.8K

241.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$23.70 COP 84.6K

127.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$7.44 COP 26.6K

26.61%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.55 COP 5,520

129.03%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.86 COP 3,055

88.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.57 COP 2,029

94.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.19 COP 4,233

162.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.15 COP 7,683

115.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.10 COP 3,936

54.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.31 COP 4,661

107.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.14 COP 4,075

67.54%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.19 COP 7,810

15.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$4.40 COP 15.7K

127.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.34 COP 19.1K

51.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.39 COP 26.4K

57.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.43 COP 8,685

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.05 COP 3,732

72.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.35 COP 4,805

48.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.11 COP 3,962

82.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.12 COP 4,015

89.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.18 COP 4,221

92.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.87 COP 3,113

60.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.68 COP 2,443

66.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$2.41 COP 8,589

77.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$9.39 COP 33.5K

65.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.09 COP 3,894

61.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.73 COP 6,180

108.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.68 COP 2,429

-44.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$29.81 COP 106.5K

-35.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.48 COP 5,281

-6.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.77 COP 6,325

-84.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$6.04 COP 21.6K

-9.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.92 COP 3,303

41.30%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$18.0K COP 64.3M

3.81%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$25.3K COP 90.3M

-8.57%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$84.1 COP 300.2K

-51.40%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$8.99 COP 32.1K

198.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$22.92 COP 81.8K

30.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$23.56 COP 84.1K

120.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$3.85 COP 13.7K

63.64%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$240 COP 856.6K

81.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$6,010 COP 21.5M

73.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$59.5 COP 212.4K

-4.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$33.25 COP 118.7K

33.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$82.6 COP 295.0K

24.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$73.7 COP 263.2K

43.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$268 COP 955.8K

281.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$242 COP 863.9K

160.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$534 COP 1.9M

299.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$415 COP 1.5M

199.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,453 COP 5.2M

168.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,053 COP 3.8M

95.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pasto: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $268 in Pasto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $24.00 in Pasto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 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 85% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $793 including rent). Pasto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,201 in Mexico City and $1,189 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $268 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 55% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $240 in Pasto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $793 in Pasto versus $1,467 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.