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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $804 per month in Pasto vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,208 per month in Pasto vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,611 per month in Pasto vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Pasto is about 21% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pasto and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Pasto 40% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 COP 14.0K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-32.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.47 COP 81.9K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-29.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.45 COP 26.0K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

3.04%

Cappuccino

$1.56 COP 5,437

$1.63 COP 5,687

-4.29%

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

$0.92 COP 3,194

$1.09 COP 3,821

-15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 1,981

$0.73 COP 2,548

-21.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 COP 4,180

$1.74 COP 6,065

-31.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 COP 7,451

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-33.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,697

$1.05 COP 3,662

0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,347

$1.29 COP 4,515

-3.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 COP 3,968

$1.32 COP 4,617

-13.64%

Eggs

$2.20 COP 7,680

$2.27 COP 7,927

-3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.65 COP 16.2K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

6.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.41 COP 18.9K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-7.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.40 COP 25.8K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-14.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 COP 8,932

$2.25 COP 7,844

13.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,735

$1.07 COP 3,733

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,746

$1.52 COP 5,322

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,878

$1.42 COP 4,964

-21.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,074

$1.17 COP 4,084

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,909

$1.17 COP 4,077

-4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,880

$0.89 COP 3,096

-6.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,259

$0.90 COP 3,146

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 COP 8,432

$2.25 COP 7,837

7.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.70 COP 33.9K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-12.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,971

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 COP 6,227

$2.38 COP 8,301

-25.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,378

$0.84 COP 2,916

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.81 COP 104.1K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-28.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 COP 5,205

$1.41 COP 4,912

5.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 COP 6,169

$1.90 COP 6,634

-6.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 COP 20.8K

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-23.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,224

$1.01 COP 3,509

-8.91%

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

$18.0K COP 62.9M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

2.52%

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

$25.5K COP 89.0M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-3.75%

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

$82.5 COP 288.0K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-1.39%

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

$9.12 COP 31.8K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-3.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.51 COP 78.6K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-6.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.00 COP 80.3K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-9.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 13.6K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-5.12%

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

$238 COP 831.1K

$312 COP 1.1M

-23.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,065 COP 21.2M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

1.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 202.8K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

0.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.10 COP 115.5K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

1.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 COP 291.3K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-16.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 COP 253.4K

$109 COP 378.8K

-33.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 COP 941.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

-44.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 829.8K

$379 COP 1.3M

-37.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 COP 1.8M

$837 COP 2.9M

-36.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 COP 1.5M

$723 COP 2.5M

-41.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,423 COP 5.0M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-49.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,078 COP 3.8M

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-11.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Pasto versus $482 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $190 – 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 26%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,206 per month in Pasto and $1,525 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 $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 $804 in Pasto and $1,017 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 $804, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.