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 $759 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $769 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,086 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $1,161 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,414 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $1,553 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

San Juan de Pasto is about 1% cheaper 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 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 COP 9,788

$3.06 COP 10.5K

-6.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.21 COP 41.8K

$19.30 COP 66.2K

-36.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 COP 21.8K

$6.67 COP 22.9K

-4.50%

Cappuccino

$1.68 COP 5,774

$1.29 COP 4,428

30.23%

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

$0.69 COP 2,380

$0.69 COP 2,379

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 COP 1,536

$0.58 COP 1,994

-22.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 COP 4,231

$1.35 COP 4,622

-8.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,157

$2.03 COP 6,955

17.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,808

$1.18 COP 4,028

-5.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 COP 4,258

$1.06 COP 3,648

16.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,930

$1.19 COP 4,086

-3.36%

Eggs

$1.94 COP 6,640

$2.18 COP 7,469

-11.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.74 COP 19.7K

$4.04 COP 13.8K

42.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.22 COP 14.5K

$5.96 COP 20.4K

-29.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.23 COP 24.8K

$7.17 COP 24.6K

0.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,532

$2.61 COP 8,938

-38.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.22 COP 4,166

-9.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,656

$0.85 COP 2,911

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 COP 2,904

$0.88 COP 3,004

-3.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,994

$1.23 COP 4,222

-4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,000

$1.03 COP 3,541

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,753

$0.98 COP 3,346

-18.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,369

$0.74 COP 2,523

-6.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 COP 7,962

$1.74 COP 5,957

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.37 COP 49.3K

$8.77 COP 30.1K

63.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,730

$0.79 COP 2,710

37.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 COP 6,117

$1.55 COP 5,327

14.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 COP 1,859

$0.70 COP 2,382

-22.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.65 COP 101.6K

$38.18 COP 130.9K

-22.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 COP 5,197

$1.68 COP 5,748

-9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 COP 5,105

$1.61 COP 5,518

-7.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 COP 21.0K

$6.00 COP 20.6K

2.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 COP 3,031

$0.94 COP 3,208

-6.38%

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

$17.6K COP 60.3M

$19.3K COP 66.1M

-8.75%

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

$25.7K COP 88.2M

$28.2K COP 96.6M

-8.64%

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

$62.2 COP 213.1K

$75.7 COP 259.3K

-17.83%

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

$7.14 COP 24.5K

$8.57 COP 29.4K

-16.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.32 COP 79.9K

$20.35 COP 69.7K

14.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.93 COP 75.2K

$23.01 COP 78.8K

-4.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.88 COP 13.3K

$3.97 COP 13.6K

-2.27%

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

$235 COP 804.9K

$237 COP 812.3K

-0.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,900 COP 20.2M

$2,494 COP 8.5M

136.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 COP 204.4K

$64.7 COP 221.6K

-7.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.39 COP 111.0K

$33.11 COP 113.5K

-2.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 COP 280.1K

$83.1 COP 284.8K

-1.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.6 COP 183.6K

$37.60 COP 128.9K

42.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 COP 1.0M

$289 COP 989.8K

3.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 802.4K

$238 COP 815.0K

-1.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$478 COP 1.6M

-20.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 COP 1.1M

$378 COP 1.3M

-15.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,666 COP 5.7M

$1,119 COP 3.8M

48.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,248 COP 4.3M

$1,466 COP 5.0M

-14.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$463 COP 1.6M

$529 COP 1.8M

-12.54%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $298 in San Juan de Pasto versus $289 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 14% higher in Bucaramanga, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto versus $19.00 in Bucaramanga. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in San Juan de Pasto vs $171 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

Bucaramanga costs about 1% more than San Juan de Pasto, 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 $1,138 per month in San Juan de Pasto and $1,153 in Bucaramanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan de 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 $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto and $19.00 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 $759 in San Juan de Pasto and $769 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 $759 in San Juan de Pasto and $769 in Bucaramanga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Juan de Pasto costs $759 versus $769 in Bucaramanga. 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 San Juan de Pasto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bucaramanga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.