Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan de Pasto and Bucaramanga Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan de Pasto and Bucaramanga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $767 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $762 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,088 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $1,156 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,409 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $1,549 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

San Juan de Pasto costs about 1% more than Bucaramanga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both San Juan de Pasto and Bucaramanga are more affordable than the global median – San Juan de Pasto 43% lower, Bucaramanga 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 COP 10.4K

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-8.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.07 COP 43.9K

$19.66 COP 71.5K

-38.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 COP 23.5K

$6.79 COP 24.7K

-5.01%

Cappuccino

$1.74 COP 6,313

$1.32 COP 4,795

31.82%

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

$0.70 COP 2,540

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 COP 1,781

$0.58 COP 2,118

-15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 4,319

$1.38 COP 5,002

-13.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 9,015

$2.10 COP 7,642

18.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,831

$1.17 COP 4,241

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,647

$1.12 COP 4,062

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,128

$1.20 COP 4,364

-5.83%

Eggs

$1.91 COP 6,938

$2.23 COP 8,115

-14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.86 COP 21.3K

$4.03 COP 14.7K

45.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 COP 15.4K

$5.70 COP 20.7K

-25.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 COP 26.3K

$7.46 COP 27.1K

-2.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,803

$2.59 COP 9,420

-38.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,896

$1.18 COP 4,307

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,878

$0.86 COP 3,113

55.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,280

$0.93 COP 3,389

-3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,033

$1.19 COP 4,322

-6.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 COP 4,142

$1.03 COP 3,760

10.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,911

$0.97 COP 3,518

-17.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,502

$0.74 COP 2,686

-6.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 8,513

$1.68 COP 6,104

39.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 COP 51.1K

$8.28 COP 30.1K

69.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,978

$0.80 COP 2,898

36.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 COP 6,249

$1.56 COP 5,687

10.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 COP 2,124

$0.68 COP 2,457

-14.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.52 COP 107.3K

$39.14 COP 142.3K

-24.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 COP 5,369

$1.69 COP 6,143

-12.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 COP 5,243

$1.53 COP 5,567

-5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 COP 22.5K

$5.90 COP 21.5K

4.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,431

$0.98 COP 3,564

-4.08%

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

$18.2K COP 66.2M

$19.4K COP 70.4M

-5.97%

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

$25.9K COP 94.3M

$27.8K COP 101.0M

-6.56%

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

$61.5 COP 223.5K

$75.1 COP 273.0K

-18.12%

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

$7.08 COP 25.8K

$8.52 COP 31.0K

-16.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.99 COP 83.6K

$20.88 COP 76.0K

10.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.56 COP 78.4K

$23.56 COP 85.7K

-8.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 COP 58.4K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.3K

$3.85 COP 14.0K

1.82%

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

$242 COP 880.4K

$242 COP 880.0K

0.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,014 COP 21.9M

$2,433 COP 8.8M

147.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 COP 217.7K

$64.7 COP 235.2K

-7.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.28 COP 121.0K

$32.30 COP 117.5K

3.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 COP 302.4K

$84.6 COP 307.8K

-1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.2 COP 193.6K

$38.49 COP 140.0K

38.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 COP 1.1M

$290 COP 1.1M

5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 878.7K

$235 COP 853.0K

3.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$375 COP 1.4M

$487 COP 1.8M

-23.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 COP 1.2M

$371 COP 1.3M

-11.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,723 COP 6.3M

$1,096 COP 4.0M

57.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,301 COP 4.7M

$1,421 COP 5.2M

-8.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$450 COP 1.6M

$523 COP 1.9M

-13.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

15.25

-13.57%

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

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: April 28, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $307 in San Juan de Pasto versus $290 in Bucaramanga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 16% higher in Bucaramanga, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto versus $20.00 in Bucaramanga. Groceries tell a different story – $174 in San Juan de Pasto vs $170 in Bucaramanga – so Bucaramanga wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

San Juan de Pasto vs Bucaramanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan de Pasto costs about 1% more than Bucaramanga, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,151 per month in San Juan de Pasto and $1,143 in Bucaramanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bucaramanga, 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 $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto and $20.00 in Bucaramanga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $767 in San Juan de Pasto and $762 in Bucaramanga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $767 in San Juan de Pasto and $762 in Bucaramanga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $762 versus $767 in San Juan de Pasto. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bucaramanga. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Juan de Pasto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.