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: $804 in Pasto versus $751 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,208 in Pasto versus $1,205 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,611 in Pasto versus $1,659 in Cali.

Living in Pasto is roughly 7% more expensive than Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pasto 40% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 COP 14.0K

$3.73 COP 13.0K

7.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.47 COP 81.9K

$28.95 COP 101.0K

-18.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.45 COP 26.0K

$7.06 COP 24.6K

5.52%

Cappuccino

$1.56 COP 5,437

$1.56 COP 5,438

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

$0.92 COP 3,194

$0.88 COP 3,063

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 1,981

$0.60 COP 2,111

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 COP 4,180

$1.05 COP 3,672

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 COP 7,451

$2.52 COP 8,800

-15.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,697

$1.28 COP 4,482

-17.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,347

$1.46 COP 5,090

-14.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 COP 3,968

$1.21 COP 4,221

-5.79%

Eggs

$2.20 COP 7,680

$2.47 COP 8,621

-10.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.65 COP 16.2K

$4.20 COP 14.7K

10.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.41 COP 18.9K

$5.53 COP 19.3K

-2.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.40 COP 25.8K

$7.85 COP 27.4K

-5.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 COP 8,932

$2.42 COP 8,430

5.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,735

$0.95 COP 3,324

12.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,746

$1.19 COP 4,163

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,878

$1.30 COP 4,542

-14.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,074

$0.81 COP 2,837

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,909

$1.06 COP 3,684

5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,880

$0.76 COP 2,650

9.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,259

$0.70 COP 2,431

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 COP 8,432

$2.85 COP 9,948

-15.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.70 COP 33.9K

$11.57 COP 40.4K

-16.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,971

$1.07 COP 3,739

6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 COP 6,227

$1.95 COP 6,812

-8.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,378

$0.72 COP 2,521

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.81 COP 104.1K

$20.01 COP 69.8K

48.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 COP 5,205

$1.58 COP 5,521

-5.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 COP 6,169

$1.91 COP 6,674

-7.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 COP 20.8K

$9.72 COP 33.9K

-38.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,224

$0.92 COP 3,194

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

$18.0K COP 62.9M

$21.5K COP 75.2M

-16.31%

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

$25.5K COP 89.0M

$30.4K COP 105.9M

-15.98%

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

$82.5 COP 288.0K

$81.2 COP 283.4K

1.61%

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

$9.12 COP 31.8K

$8.63 COP 30.1K

5.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.51 COP 78.6K

$24.09 COP 84.1K

-6.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.00 COP 80.3K

$19.55 COP 68.2K

17.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 50.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 13.6K

$4.94 COP 17.3K

-21.26%

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

$238 COP 831.1K

$227 COP 790.8K

5.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,065 COP 21.2M

$5,871 COP 20.5M

3.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 202.8K

$63.7 COP 222.3K

-8.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.10 COP 115.5K

$44.88 COP 156.6K

-26.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 COP 291.3K

$75.8 COP 264.5K

10.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 COP 253.4K

$89.7 COP 313.1K

-19.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 COP 941.3K

$242 COP 846.1K

11.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 829.8K

$186 COP 649.9K

27.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 COP 1.8M

$608 COP 2.1M

-12.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 COP 1.5M

$397 COP 1.4M

5.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,423 COP 5.0M

$1,114 COP 3.9M

27.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,078 COP 3.8M

$920 COP 3.2M

17.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $270 in Pasto and $242 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Pasto vs $29.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 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 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,206 in Pasto and $1,127 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: $270 in Pasto versus $242 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in Pasto versus $227 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Pasto pay roughly 5% 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 7% less than in Pasto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.