Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasto and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasto and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in Pasto versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,197 in Pasto versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,606 in Pasto versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Pasto costs roughly 46% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pasto is 41% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.86 COP 12.6K

$13.07 MX$229

-70.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.39 COP 76.2K

$53.8 MX$943

-56.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 COP 23.4K

$9.68 MX$170

-25.72%

Cappuccino

$1.51 COP 4,924

$3.74 MX$65.6

-59.63%

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

$0.92 COP 2,991

$1.62 MX$28.34

-43.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 1,842

$1.16 MX$20.37

-50.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 COP 3,733

$3.23 MX$56.6

-64.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 COP 6,900

$4.74 MX$83.1

-55.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,465

$1.65 MX$28.89

-35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,239

$2.75 MX$48.30

-52.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,827

$1.87 MX$32.87

-36.90%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,207

$2.50 MX$43.86

-11.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 COP 15.1K

$10.20 MX$179

-54.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 COP 16.9K

$8.25 MX$145

-37.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.46 COP 24.3K

$11.82 MX$207

-36.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 7,873

$3.01 MX$52.8

-19.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,554

$1.81 MX$31.77

-39.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 COP 4,213

$2.00 MX$35.07

-35.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,611

$2.00 MX$35.00

-44.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,670

$2.08 MX$36.56

-45.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,825

$2.27 MX$39.85

-48.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 COP 2,799

$1.46 MX$25.55

-41.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,262

$1.08 MX$18.88

-36.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 COP 7,934

$4.35 MX$76.3

-43.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.69 COP 31.6K

$16.99 MX$298

-42.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,542

$1.73 MX$30.40

-36.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 COP 5,857

$3.58 MX$62.7

-49.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,339

$0.39 MX$6.79

84.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.17 COP 98.2K

$18.69 MX$328

61.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 4,799

$1.33 MX$23.25

10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 COP 5,568

$0.28 MX$4.91

510.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 COP 19.4K

$5.25 MX$92.1

13.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,305

$1.34 MX$23.44

-23.88%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

-7.29%

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

$25.8K COP 84.1M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

8.34%

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

$83.9 COP 273.1K

$40.69 MX$714

106.14%

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

$9.33 COP 30.4K

$26.87 MX$471

-65.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.71 COP 73.9K

$30.51 MX$535

-25.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.64 COP 77.0K

$52.8 MX$926

-55.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 13.2K

$6.51 MX$114

-37.79%

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

$236 COP 769.1K

$428 MX$7,508

-44.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,941 COP 19.3M

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-43.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 COP 192.1K

$57.3 MX$1,004

3.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.12 COP 107.8K

$45.50 MX$798

-27.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 COP 275.3K

$104 MX$1,825

-18.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 COP 237.3K

$108 MX$1,891

-32.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 COP 899.6K

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-72.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 767.7K

$623 MX$10.9K

-62.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$525 COP 1.7M

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-75.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 COP 1.4M

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-65.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,429 COP 4.7M

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-63.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,055 COP 3.4M

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-48.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.06

11.34

15.17%

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

Last update for Pasto: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Pasto and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Pasto vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $292 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pasto and Mexico City differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($789 vs $1,456 including rent). Pasto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,183 in Pasto and $2,185 in Mexico City 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: $276 in Pasto versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pasto runs roughly 61% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $236 in Pasto versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $789 in Pasto versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pasto but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pasto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Pasto and Mexico City 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 85% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.