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: $790 in Pasto versus $1,087 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,218 in Pasto versus $1,694 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,646 in Pasto versus $2,301 in Cali.

Living in Pasto costs roughly 27% less than in Cali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pasto 42% lower, Cali 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 COP 12.3K

$7.59 COP 24.1K

-48.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 COP 73.7K

$38.62 COP 122.6K

-39.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 COP 23.7K

$8.46 COP 26.9K

-11.82%

Cappuccino

$1.49 COP 4,724

$1.65 COP 5,243

-9.70%

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

$0.92 COP 2,912

$1.27 COP 4,041

-27.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 1,823

$0.85 COP 2,684

-32.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 COP 3,661

$3.28 COP 10.4K

-64.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 COP 6,721

$3.85 COP 12.2K

-44.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,531

$1.66 COP 5,262

-33.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,991

$1.95 COP 6,183

-35.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 COP 3,772

$1.52 COP 4,827

-21.71%

Eggs

$2.23 COP 7,092

$3.00 COP 9,538

-25.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.60 COP 14.6K

$6.48 COP 20.6K

-29.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 COP 16.8K

$7.22 COP 22.9K

-26.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.28 COP 23.1K

$10.39 COP 33.0K

-29.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 COP 7,989

$3.67 COP 11.6K

-31.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 COP 3,287

$1.37 COP 4,359

-24.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,318

$1.83 COP 5,813

-25.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,353

$1.77 COP 5,634

-40.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,514

$1.46 COP 4,635

-23.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,602

$1.54 COP 4,885

-26.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 COP 2,726

$1.17 COP 3,722

-26.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,167

$1.05 COP 3,323

-35.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 COP 7,780

$3.79 COP 12.0K

-35.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.45 COP 30.0K

$13.24 COP 42.0K

-28.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 3,583

$1.47 COP 4,678

-23.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 COP 5,446

$2.51 COP 7,969

-31.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,169

$1.15 COP 3,666

-40.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.32 COP 96.2K

$30.69 COP 97.4K

-1.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 4,652

$0.88 COP 2,789

67.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 COP 5,490

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 COP 19.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,000

$1.31 COP 4,164

-28.24%

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

$17.8K COP 56.6M

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

$25.0K COP 79.4M

$36.1K COP 114.7M

-30.75%

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

$81.7 COP 259.5K

$114 COP 363.3K

-28.58%

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

$8.87 COP 28.2K

$13.68 COP 43.4K

-35.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 COP 71.9K

$31.26 COP 99.2K

-27.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.10 COP 73.3K

$29.82 COP 94.7K

-22.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 COP 12.7K

$8.36 COP 26.5K

-52.27%

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

$239 COP 757.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,866 COP 18.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 COP 188.8K

$79.7 COP 252.9K

-25.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.27 COP 105.6K

$55.1 COP 174.9K

-39.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 COP 266.4K

$130 COP 412.4K

-35.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 COP 229.3K

$114 COP 363.3K

-36.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 COP 859.7K

$666 COP 2.1M

-59.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 COP 770.4K

$306 COP 972.0K

-20.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 COP 1.7M

$1,627 COP 5.2M

-67.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 COP 1.3M

$509 COP 1.6M

-18.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,425 COP 4.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,070 COP 3.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cali: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in Pasto and $666 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Pasto vs $39.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $247 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

Pasto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,185 in Pasto and $1,630 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: $271 in Pasto versus $666 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pasto – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $39.00 in Cali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Pasto runs roughly 1% less than in Cali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $790 in Pasto versus $1,087 in Cali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pasto but tight or insufficient in Cali. The gap between the two cities makes Pasto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pasto is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cali, 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 Pasto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Cali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.