Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasto and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasto and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $811 in Pasto versus $752 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,215 in Pasto versus $1,212 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,619 in Pasto versus $1,672 in Cali.

Living in Pasto is roughly 8% more expensive than Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pasto 39% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.88 COP 14.1K

$3.57 COP 13.0K

8.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.04 COP 87.4K

$29.24 COP 106.3K

-17.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 COP 26.2K

$7.47 COP 27.2K

-3.75%

Cappuccino

$1.52 COP 5,516

$1.64 COP 5,964

-7.32%

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

$0.93 COP 3,379

$0.87 COP 3,169

6.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 2,045

$0.56 COP 2,051

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 COP 4,181

$1.04 COP 3,787

10.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 COP 7,977

$2.47 COP 8,985

-11.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 4,018

$1.27 COP 4,628

-13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,553

$1.48 COP 5,401

-15.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,106

$1.24 COP 4,526

-8.87%

Eggs

$2.13 COP 7,754

$2.53 COP 9,188

-15.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 COP 16.2K

$4.29 COP 15.6K

3.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 COP 18.7K

$5.53 COP 20.1K

-7.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 COP 26.0K

$7.78 COP 28.3K

-8.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 COP 9,277

$2.43 COP 8,825

4.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 COP 3,786

$0.90 COP 3,285

15.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,943

$1.19 COP 4,338

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,969

$1.32 COP 4,798

-17.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,028

$0.86 COP 3,142

29.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,085

$1.06 COP 3,864

5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 COP 3,199

$0.74 COP 2,701

18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,323

$0.66 COP 2,398

-3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 COP 8,571

$2.96 COP 10.8K

-20.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 COP 35.8K

$11.44 COP 41.6K

-13.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,927

$1.10 COP 4,010

-1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 COP 6,441

$1.88 COP 6,845

-5.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,474

$0.72 COP 2,632

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.45 COP 110.7K

$20.29 COP 73.8K

50.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 COP 5,205

$1.56 COP 5,666

-8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 COP 6,326

$1.89 COP 6,866

-7.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 COP 21.8K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-37.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,454

$0.94 COP 3,430

1.06%

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

$18.2K COP 66.1M

$21.9K COP 79.5M

-16.87%

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

$25.5K COP 92.8M

$30.2K COP 109.8M

-15.49%

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

$81.7 COP 297.2K

$82.4 COP 299.5K

-0.77%

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

$9.23 COP 33.6K

$8.75 COP 31.8K

5.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.30 COP 81.1K

$24.48 COP 89.0K

-8.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.59 COP 85.8K

$19.72 COP 71.7K

19.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.7K

$4.89 COP 17.8K

-17.18%

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

$242 COP 879.6K

$230 COP 838.2K

4.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 COP 21.3M

$5,948 COP 21.6M

-1.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 COP 215.3K

$63.5 COP 231.0K

-6.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.39 COP 117.8K

$44.13 COP 160.5K

-26.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 COP 308.8K

$77.7 COP 282.7K

9.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.5 COP 263.5K

$89.2 COP 324.2K

-18.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 COP 973.7K

$238 COP 864.0K

12.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 COP 873.7K

$189 COP 688.0K

26.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 COP 1.9M

$620 COP 2.3M

-14.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 COP 1.5M

$409 COP 1.5M

3.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,420 COP 5.2M

$1,146 COP 4.2M

23.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,066 COP 3.9M

$920 COP 3.3M

15.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.06

11.58

12.78%

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

Last update for Pasto: April 28, 2026

Last update for Cali: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $268 in Pasto and $238 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Pasto vs $29.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $183 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

Pasto vs Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,216 in Pasto and $1,128 in Cali 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: $268 in Pasto versus $238 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $242 in Pasto versus $230 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Pasto pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cali gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pasto, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Pasto and Cali 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 Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Pasto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.