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: $798 in Pasto versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,215 in Pasto versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,633 in Pasto versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Pasto costs roughly 52% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pasto is 42% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.01 COP 12.6K

$12.11 MX$206

-66.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.80 COP 74.9K

$52.2 MX$887

-54.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 COP 23.0K

$10.90 MX$185

-33.12%

Cappuccino

$1.48 COP 4,675

$4.05 MX$68.8

-63.46%

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

$0.89 COP 2,800

$1.72 MX$29.13

-48.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 1,823

$1.38 MX$23.40

-57.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 3,757

$3.47 MX$58.9

-65.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 COP 7,018

$5.81 MX$98.7

-61.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,311

$1.85 MX$31.48

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,062

$3.22 MX$54.7

-59.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,729

$2.09 MX$35.42

-43.54%

Eggs

$2.23 COP 7,011

$2.91 MX$49.41

-23.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.62 COP 14.5K

$12.49 MX$212

-63.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.42 COP 17.1K

$10.11 MX$172

-46.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.17 COP 22.6K

$15.89 MX$270

-54.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 7,627

$3.31 MX$56.3

-26.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 COP 3,290

$2.13 MX$36.12

-51.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,135

$2.19 MX$37.20

-40.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,369

$2.45 MX$41.57

-56.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,693

$2.19 MX$37.18

-46.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,710

$1.90 MX$32.35

-37.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 COP 2,584

$1.62 MX$27.44

-49.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,055

$1.35 MX$22.92

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 COP 7,736

$5.43 MX$92.1

-54.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 COP 30.1K

$17.59 MX$299

-45.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,454

$2.07 MX$35.12

-46.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 COP 5,584

$4.75 MX$80.6

-62.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,258

$0.34 MX$5.77

111.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.53 COP 93.0K

$21.58 MX$366

36.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 4,616

$2.04 MX$34.65

-27.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 COP 5,603

$0.58 MX$9.82

206.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 COP 19.2K

$5.97 MX$101

2.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,002

$1.62 MX$27.44

-41.36%

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

$18.2K COP 57.4M

$22.8K MX$387.4K

-20.07%

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

$25.8K COP 81.3M

$26.7K MX$452.8K

-3.12%

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

$81.9 COP 257.9K

$65.2 MX$1,108

25.51%

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

$9.30 COP 29.3K

$29.87 MX$507

-68.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.42 COP 70.6K

$36.55 MX$621

-38.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.72 COP 74.7K

$61.0 MX$1,036

-61.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$3.96 COP 12.5K

$6.85 MX$116

-42.19%

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

$235 COP 741.2K

$453 MX$7,700

-48.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,972 COP 18.8M

$13.4K MX$227.1K

-55.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$75.0 MX$1,273

-19.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.34 COP 105.0K

$55.3 MX$939

-39.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 COP 264.3K

$114 MX$1,929

-26.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 COP 229.8K

$123 MX$2,083

-40.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 COP 851.8K

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-76.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 742.8K

$712 MX$12.1K

-66.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 COP 1.7M

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-79.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 COP 1.3M

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-67.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,433 COP 4.5M

$3,993 MX$67.8K

-64.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,059 COP 3.3M

$2,095 MX$35.6K

-49.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.06

11.3

15.58%

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

Last update for Pasto: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $270 in Pasto and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Pasto vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $345 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 106% in total monthly costs ($798 vs $1,646 including rent). Pasto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,196 in Pasto and $2,469 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: $270 in Pasto versus $1,134 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 37% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $235 in Pasto versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $798 in Pasto versus $1,646 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 106% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.