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 $773 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $773 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,085 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $1,158 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,398 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $1,543 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

San Juan de Pasto and Bucaramanga have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both San Juan de Pasto and Bucaramanga are more affordable than the global median – San Juan de Pasto 42% lower, Bucaramanga 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 COP 8,868

$3.07 COP 9,656

-8.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.90 COP 37.5K

$19.46 COP 61.3K

-38.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 COP 20.6K

$6.88 COP 21.6K

-4.80%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,234

$1.29 COP 4,063

28.68%

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

$0.68 COP 2,142

$0.75 COP 2,374

-9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 COP 1,419

$0.58 COP 1,832

-22.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 COP 3,727

$1.41 COP 4,427

-16.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 COP 7,412

$2.01 COP 6,321

16.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.18 COP 3,725

-10.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,077

$1.11 COP 3,498

16.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,571

$1.24 COP 3,896

-8.87%

Eggs

$1.90 COP 5,989

$2.22 COP 7,002

-14.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.84 COP 18.4K

$4.07 COP 12.8K

43.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 COP 13.4K

$5.88 COP 18.5K

-27.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 COP 23.7K

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 COP 4,896

$2.47 COP 7,775

-37.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,377

$1.23 COP 3,871

-13.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,310

$0.83 COP 2,625

65.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 2,846

$0.92 COP 2,901

-2.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 3,643

$1.25 COP 3,939

-7.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 COP 3,581

$1.01 COP 3,194

12.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,518

$0.91 COP 2,852

-12.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,167

$0.79 COP 2,474

-12.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 COP 7,316

$1.68 COP 5,301

38.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 COP 49.5K

$9.08 COP 28.6K

73.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,414

$0.85 COP 2,670

27.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,464

$1.56 COP 4,908

11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 COP 1,798

$0.74 COP 2,317

-22.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.63 COP 96.4K

$38.29 COP 120.6K

-20.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 COP 4,737

$1.75 COP 5,512

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 COP 4,766

$1.58 COP 4,975

-4.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 COP 19.0K

$5.93 COP 18.7K

1.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 COP 2,865

$0.97 COP 3,056

-6.19%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.7K COP 62.0M

-10.64%

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

$25.9K COP 81.6M

$28.3K COP 89.2M

-8.54%

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

$62.6 COP 197.2K

$74.6 COP 234.7K

-16.01%

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

$7.08 COP 22.3K

$8.84 COP 27.8K

-19.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.03 COP 72.5K

$20.44 COP 64.4K

12.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.08 COP 69.5K

$23.24 COP 73.2K

-4.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.79 COP 49.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 12.5K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

0.76%

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

$238 COP 749.3K

$242 COP 760.6K

-1.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,867 COP 18.5M

$2,485 COP 7.8M

136.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 COP 188.6K

$64.4 COP 202.7K

-6.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.18 COP 101.3K

$32.35 COP 101.8K

-0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 COP 263.5K

$82.4 COP 259.3K

1.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.4 COP 164.9K

$37.82 COP 119.1K

38.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 COP 948.2K

$286 COP 901.6K

5.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 744.7K

$238 COP 749.3K

-0.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 COP 1.2M

$478 COP 1.5M

-20.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 COP 1.0M

$377 COP 1.2M

-12.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,913 COP 6.0M

$1,193 COP 3.8M

60.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,277 COP 4.0M

$1,621 COP 5.1M

-21.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$504 COP 1.6M

$576 COP 1.8M

-12.45%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $301 in San Juan de Pasto versus $286 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. 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 – $179 in San Juan de Pasto vs $173 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,159 per month in San Juan de Pasto and $1,160 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Bucaramanga – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $238 per month in San Juan de Pasto and $242 in Bucaramanga. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $773 in San Juan de Pasto and $773 in Bucaramanga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Juan de Pasto costs $773 versus $773 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.