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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $761 in San Juan de Pasto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,072 in San Juan de Pasto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,383 in San Juan de Pasto.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, San Juan de Pasto is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$2.84 COP 9,927

357.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$12.25 COP 42.8K

329.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.40 COP 22.3K

47.34%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.69 COP 5,890

111.24%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.64 COP 2,222

151.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.48 COP 1,689

139.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.19 COP 4,155

164.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.39 COP 8,355

103.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.06 COP 3,701

60.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.30 COP 4,525

103.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.13 COP 3,929

68.14%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.92 COP 6,717

32.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$6.06 COP 21.2K

66.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.17 COP 14.5K

98.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.33 COP 25.6K

57.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.59 COP 5,566

90.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.08 COP 3,756

58.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.36 COP 4,737

50.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.87 COP 3,039

136.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.16 COP 4,056

77.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.16 COP 4,061

87.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.80 COP 2,792

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.69 COP 2,423

62.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.33 COP 8,120

84.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$14.17 COP 49.5K

8.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.12 COP 3,919

49.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.72 COP 6,002

114.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.57 COP 1,996

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$30.32 COP 105.8K

-37.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.46 COP 5,094

-5.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.46 COP 5,079

-80.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$6.09 COP 21.2K

-11.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.89 COP 3,106

43.82%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$18.0K COP 62.7M

5.69%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$26.0K COP 90.6M

-9.62%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$62.9 COP 219.4K

-34.75%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$7.29 COP 25.5K

269.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$23.41 COP 81.7K

26.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$21.75 COP 75.9K

140.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$3.84 COP 13.4K

60.94%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$238 COP 832.3K

79.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$5,971 COP 20.8M

79.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$60.1 COP 209.7K

-5.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$32.04 COP 111.8K

39.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$83.1 COP 290.2K

25.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$53.7 COP 187.5K

97.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$306 COP 1.1M

225.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$236 COP 822.5K

163.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$382 COP 1.3M

456.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$324 COP 1.1M

287.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,701 COP 5.9M

129.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,116 COP 3.9M

87.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$453 COP 1.6M

144.40%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $306 in San Juan de Pasto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 144% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $176 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 ($1,447 vs $761 including rent). San Juan de Pasto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 144% more on average, 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $306 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 $427 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 $761 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,447 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.