Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasto and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in Pasto: $799 a month against $1,938 in San Jose, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

39

Cost of Living Index in Pasto
Learn more

Pasto Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
Learn more

San Jose Living Index

Jump to prices

Pasto

🇨🇴 Colombia

$799

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pasto and in San Jose

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pasto and in San Jose actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $799 in Pasto versus $1,938 in San Jose.

Pasto $799
San Jose $1,938

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,210 in Pasto versus $2,936 in San Jose.

Pasto $1,210
San Jose $2,936

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,622 in Pasto versus $3,934 in San Jose.

Pasto $1,622
San Jose $3,934

Living in Pasto costs roughly 59% less than in San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pasto is 41% below, San Jose is 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 COP 12.6K

$12.38 ₡5,551

-67.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.79 COP 75.4K

$60.9 ₡27.3K

-60.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 COP 23.7K

$11.45 ₡5,135

-34.85%

Cappuccino

$1.56 COP 4,934

$4.39 ₡1,967

-64.46%

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

$0.86 COP 2,724

$2.70 ₡1,211

-68.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 COP 1,943

$1.93 ₡864

-68.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 COP 3,666

$3.20 ₡1,433

-63.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 COP 6,968

$4.41 ₡1,979

-50.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,464

$2.44 ₡1,093

-55.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,088

$3.05 ₡1,369

-57.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,744

$2.41 ₡1,081

-51.04%

Eggs

$2.14 COP 6,771

$3.40 ₡1,523

-37.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.61 COP 14.6K

$10.75 ₡4,823

-57.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 COP 16.7K

$10.43 ₡4,679

-49.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.29 COP 23.1K

$13.99 ₡6,273

-47.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 COP 7,748

$5.25 ₡2,353

-53.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 COP 3,302

$1.59 ₡712

-34.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,108

$4.69 ₡2,103

-72.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,379

$3.95 ₡1,770

-72.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,648

$3.92 ₡1,760

-70.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,586

$3.68 ₡1,651

-69.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,537

$1.12 ₡503

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,041

$3.19 ₡1,429

-79.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 COP 7,509

$6.00 ₡2,692

-60.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.81 COP 31.1K

$19.56 ₡8,771

-49.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,443

$2.82 ₡1,263

-61.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 COP 5,599

$3.59 ₡1,611

-50.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,271

$1.12 ₡503

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.39 COP 96.4K

$66.8 ₡30.0K

-54.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 COP 4,532

$2.50 ₡1,119

-42.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 5,688

$1.63 ₡733

9.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 COP 18.9K

$8.50 ₡3,812

-29.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 2,958

$1.56 ₡701

-40.38%

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

$18.1K COP 57.2M

$22.4K ₡10.0M

-19.43%

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

$25.7K COP 81.6M

$35.6K ₡16.0M

-27.64%

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

$83.4 COP 264.4K

$95.2 ₡42.7K

-12.42%

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

$8.89 COP 28.2K

$35.58 ₡16.0K

-75.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.38 COP 71.0K

$58.6 ₡26.3K

-61.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.02 COP 73.0K

$72.7 ₡32.6K

-68.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 12.3K

$7.58 ₡3,401

-48.68%

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

$235 COP 744.6K

$1,001 ₡449.0K

-76.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,071 COP 19.2M

$17.1K ₡7.7M

-64.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 COP 185.6K

$70.5 ₡31.6K

-16.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.60 COP 103.4K

$55.8 ₡25.0K

-41.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 COP 261.4K

$130 ₡58.2K

-36.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 COP 227.6K

$131 ₡58.7K

-45.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 COP 851.9K

$927 ₡415.8K

-71.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 751.4K

$774 ₡347.2K

-69.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 COP 1.7M

$1,967 ₡882.0K

-73.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 COP 1.3M

$1,288 ₡577.6K

-67.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,429 COP 4.5M

$2,274 ₡1.0M

-37.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,069 COP 3.4M

$1,831 ₡821.0K

-41.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.06

8.62

51.51%

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

Last update for Pasto: October 11, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Pasto

$237 29.7%

San Jose

$774 40% 227% $537

Groceries & Markets

Pasto

$173 21.7%

San Jose

$401 20.7% 131% $228

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pasto

$115 14.4%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 65.2% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Pasto

$110 13.8%

San Jose

$174 9% 57.7% $64

Eating Out

Pasto

$89 11.1%

San Jose

$229 11.8% 158% $140

Getting Around

Pasto

$44 5.5%

San Jose

$82 4.2% 87.7% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Pasto

$31 3.9%

San Jose

$88 4.5% 185% $57

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Pasto and $927 in San Jose. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Pasto vs $61.0 in San Jose for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $401 per month, with Pasto cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Pasto

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

23:04 11:04 PM

22:04 10:04 PM

1 h behind Pasto

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

392,930

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Pasto San Jose 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Pasto
San Jose

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pasto and San Jose differ by about 143% in total monthly costs ($799 vs $1,938 including rent). Pasto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,198 in Pasto and $2,907 in San Jose 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: $269 in Pasto versus $927 in San Jose. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 131% higher in San Jose. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Pasto – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $61.0 in San Jose. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $799 in Pasto versus $1,938 in San Jose, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pasto but tight or insufficient in San Jose. 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 San Jose 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 143% less than in San Jose. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.