Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and San Juan de Pasto Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and San Juan de Pasto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $773 in San Juan de Pasto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,085 in San Juan de Pasto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,398 in San Juan de Pasto.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 90% more expensive than in San Juan de Pasto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, San Juan de Pasto is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$2.82 COP 8,868

365.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$11.90 COP 37.5K

349.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$6.55 COP 20.6K

42.44%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.66 COP 5,234

122.89%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.68 COP 2,142

135.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.45 COP 1,419

148.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.18 COP 3,727

166.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.35 COP 7,412

106.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.06 COP 3,352

55.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.29 COP 4,077

110.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.13 COP 3,571

69.03%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.90 COP 5,989

36.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$5.84 COP 18.4K

67.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$4.26 COP 13.4K

97.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$7.53 COP 23.7K

58.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.55 COP 4,896

90.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.07 COP 3,377

62.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.37 COP 4,310

48.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.90 COP 2,846

128.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.16 COP 3,643

85.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.14 COP 3,581

98.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.80 COP 2,518

73.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.69 COP 2,167

62.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.32 COP 7,316

81.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$15.73 COP 49.5K

11.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.08 COP 3,414

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.74 COP 5,464

108.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.57 COP 1,798

-38.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$30.63 COP 96.4K

-36.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.50 COP 4,737

-8.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.51 COP 4,766

-81.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$6.02 COP 19.0K

-12.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.91 COP 2,865

49.45%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

8.53%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$25.9K COP 81.6M

-8.95%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$62.6 COP 197.2K

-35.28%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$7.08 COP 22.3K

286.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$23.03 COP 72.5K

31.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$22.08 COP 69.5K

136.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$3.98 COP 12.5K

55.53%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$238 COP 749.3K

78.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$5,867 COP 18.5M

82.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$59.9 COP 188.6K

-2.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$32.18 COP 101.3K

38.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$83.7 COP 263.5K

23.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$52.4 COP 164.9K

107.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$301 COP 948.2K

236.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$237 COP 744.7K

163.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$380 COP 1.2M

457.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$329 COP 1.0M

271.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,913 COP 6.0M

98.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,277 COP 4.0M

65.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$504 COP 1.6M

108.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.18

-13.96%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $301 in San Juan de Pasto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 109% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $179 per month, with San Juan de 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 San Juan de Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and San Juan de Pasto differ by about 90% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $773 including rent). San Juan de Pasto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 109% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $301 in San Juan de Pasto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in San Juan de Pasto runs roughly 59% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $238 in San Juan de Pasto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $773 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Juan de Pasto but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan de 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 San Juan de 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 San Juan de Pasto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.