Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasto and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasto and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $786 per month in Pasto vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,214 per month in Pasto vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,641 per month in Pasto vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Pasto is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pasto and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Pasto 41% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.88 COP 12.2K

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-34.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.90 COP 75.2K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-27.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 COP 22.4K

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-4.31%

Cappuccino

$1.51 COP 4,761

$1.65 COP 5,207

-8.48%

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

$0.86 COP 2,697

$1.10 COP 3,468

-21.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 COP 1,949

$0.78 COP 2,458

-20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 COP 3,631

$1.72 COP 5,412

-33.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 COP 6,748

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-32.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,500

$1.10 COP 3,474

0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,106

$1.26 COP 3,962

3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 COP 3,591

$1.38 COP 4,349

-17.39%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 6,981

$2.18 COP 6,858

1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 13.8K

$4.49 COP 14.1K

-2.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 COP 16.5K

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-9.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 COP 22.8K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-19.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 COP 8,029

$2.32 COP 7,308

9.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 COP 3,299

$1.06 COP 3,352

-0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.52 COP 4,774

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,345

$1.36 COP 4,270

-22.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,487

$1.13 COP 3,552

-1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,690

$1.17 COP 3,689

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,542

$0.90 COP 2,838

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,176

$0.90 COP 2,823

-23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 COP 7,646

$2.23 COP 7,034

8.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.84 COP 31.0K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-18.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 3,568

$1.19 COP 3,743

-5.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 COP 5,654

$2.48 COP 7,815

-27.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,261

$0.85 COP 2,687

-15.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.10 COP 94.8K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-27.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 4,614

$1.42 COP 4,459

3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 COP 5,355

$1.95 COP 6,141

-12.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 COP 19.0K

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-23.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,128

$0.99 COP 3,118

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

$18.0K COP 56.7M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

2.30%

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

$25.2K COP 79.2M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-6.07%

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

$83.3 COP 262.2K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

0.31%

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

$9.12 COP 28.7K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-5.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.04 COP 72.5K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-2.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.72 COP 74.7K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-6.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 12.2K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-1.52%

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

$241 COP 757.4K

$316 COP 994.2K

-23.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,010 COP 18.9M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

0.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 COP 182.0K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-3.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.04 COP 104.0K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

3.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 COP 267.3K

$102 COP 320.1K

-16.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 COP 225.0K

$107 COP 338.3K

-33.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 COP 849.9K

$475 COP 1.5M

-43.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 742.7K

$374 COP 1.2M

-36.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 COP 1.7M

$849 COP 2.7M

-37.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 COP 1.3M

$719 COP 2.3M

-41.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,417 COP 4.5M

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-56.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,057 COP 3.3M

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-26.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.06

13.43

-2.76%

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

Last update for Pasto: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Pasto versus $475 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Pasto versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $193 – making Pasto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,180 per month in Pasto and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pasto, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Pasto and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $786 in Pasto and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pasto, where all-in costs run around $786, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Pasto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pasto – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Pasto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.