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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $790 per month in Pasto vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,218 per month in Pasto vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,646 per month in Pasto vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Pasto is about 53% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Pasto sits 42% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 COP 12.3K

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-51.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 COP 73.7K

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-51.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 COP 23.7K

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-24.57%

Cappuccino

$1.49 COP 4,724

$3.13 COP 9,937

-52.40%

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

$0.92 COP 2,912

$1.91 COP 6,058

-51.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 1,823

$1.51 COP 4,794

-62.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 COP 3,661

$3.12 COP 9,917

-63.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 COP 6,721

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-63.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,531

$1.44 COP 4,587

-22.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,991

$2.49 COP 7,894

-49.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 COP 3,772

$1.77 COP 5,631

-32.77%

Eggs

$2.23 COP 7,092

$2.96 COP 9,396

-24.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.60 COP 14.6K

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-54.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 COP 16.8K

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-47.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.28 COP 23.1K

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-49.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 COP 7,989

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-39.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 COP 3,287

$1.61 COP 5,106

-35.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,318

$2.25 COP 7,129

-39.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,353

$2.25 COP 7,150

-52.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,514

$2.04 COP 6,486

-45.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,602

$1.54 COP 4,873

-26.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 COP 2,726

$1.17 COP 3,715

-26.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,167

$1.31 COP 4,148

-48.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 COP 7,780

$3.90 COP 12.4K

-37.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.45 COP 30.0K

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-32.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 3,583

$1.74 COP 5,534

-35.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 COP 5,446

$2.87 COP 9,112

-40.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,169

$1.22 COP 3,858

-44.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.32 COP 96.2K

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-62.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 4,652

$1.31 COP 4,155

12.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 COP 5,490

$2.19 COP 6,944

-21.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 COP 19.6K

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-28.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,000

$1.37 COP 4,334

-31.39%

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

$17.8K COP 56.6M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

-35.98%

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

$25.0K COP 79.4M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-30.06%

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

$81.7 COP 259.5K

$177 COP 562.9K

-53.90%

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

$8.87 COP 28.2K

$13.88 COP 44.1K

-36.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 COP 71.9K

$29.72 COP 94.4K

-23.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.10 COP 73.3K

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-48.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 COP 12.7K

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-40.00%

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

$239 COP 757.2K

$813 COP 2.6M

-70.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,866 COP 18.6M

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-36.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 COP 188.8K

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-33.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.27 COP 105.6K

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-43.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 COP 266.4K

$138 COP 438.8K

-39.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 COP 229.3K

$102 COP 324.2K

-29.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 COP 859.7K

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-74.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 COP 770.4K

$663 COP 2.1M

-63.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 COP 1.7M

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-71.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 COP 1.3M

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-59.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,425 COP 4.5M

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-65.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,070 COP 3.4M

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-36.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.06

10.94

19.38%

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

Last update for Pasto: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $271 in Pasto versus $1,062 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 $23.00 in Pasto versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $305 – 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 113%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,185 per month in Pasto and $2,521 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 $23.00 in Pasto and $48.00 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 $790 in Pasto and $1,681 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 $790, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.