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 $1,305 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $1,270 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,098 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $1,928 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,891 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $2,586 in Bucaramanga, rent included.

San Juan de Pasto costs about 3% 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 5% lower, Bucaramanga 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.15 COP 22.7K

$5.58 COP 17.7K

28.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.98 COP 120.6K

$31.82 COP 101.0K

19.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.12 COP 35.3K

$9.55 COP 30.3K

16.44%

Cappuccino

$2.51 COP 7,953

$2.17 COP 6,894

15.67%

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

$1.33 COP 4,212

$1.43 COP 4,545

-6.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 2,704

$1.09 COP 3,466

-22.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 COP 8,540

$1.66 COP 5,277

62.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 COP 10.6K

$2.56 COP 8,113

30.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,858

$1.53 COP 4,868

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,744

$1.49 COP 4,735

63.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 COP 5,256

$3.26 COP 10.4K

-49.08%

Eggs

$3.32 COP 10.5K

$3.16 COP 10.0K

5.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.33 COP 29.6K

$8.25 COP 26.2K

13.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.2K

$14.72 COP 46.7K

-29.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 COP 43.4K

$17.71 COP 56.2K

-22.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 COP 11.3K

$3.65 COP 11.6K

-2.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 COP 4,048

$1.43 COP 4,546

-10.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 COP 7,022

$2.16 COP 6,846

2.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 COP 6,802

$2.90 COP 9,205

-26.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,390

$1.40 COP 4,446

-1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,844

$1.75 COP 5,549

-12.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.93 COP 2,947

47.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,157

$1.00 COP 3,161

31.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.66 COP 11.6K

$4.28 COP 13.6K

-14.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.22 COP 42.0K

$12.88 COP 40.9K

2.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 3,987

$1.39 COP 4,416

-9.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 COP 9,786

$1.65 COP 5,241

86.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 COP 3,504

$1.13 COP 3,589

-2.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 242.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 COP 5,532

$2.85 COP 9,050

-38.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 COP 7,861

$1.98 COP 6,284

25.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.29 COP 29.5K

$8.02 COP 25.5K

15.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,033

$1.38 COP 4,386

-7.97%

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

$25.5K COP 81.1M

$27.7K COP 88.0M

-7.83%

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

$35.5K COP 112.6M

$34.3K COP 109.0M

3.27%

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

$129 COP 409.0K

$180 COP 571.9K

-28.50%

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

$14.14 COP 44.9K

$10.63 COP 33.7K

33.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.87 COP 94.8K

$26.12 COP 82.9K

14.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.86 COP 117.0K

$39.27 COP 124.7K

-6.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.17 COP 102.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 COP 19.6K

$6.64 COP 21.1K

-6.93%

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

$569 COP 1.8M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,789 COP 18.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.1 COP 305.2K

$54.0 COP 171.3K

78.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 188.4K

$57.8 COP 183.6K

2.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 COP 471.3K

$122 COP 386.1K

22.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 341.5K

$98.5 COP 312.7K

9.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 COP 2.1M

$475 COP 1.5M

41.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 COP 1.5M

$345 COP 1.1M

34.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 COP 3.4M

$966 COP 3.1M

11.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 COP 3.3M

$560 COP 1.8M

84.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,958 COP 6.2M

$1,127 COP 3.6M

73.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,854 COP 5.9M

$1,636 COP 5.2M

13.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$588 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

12.4

-6.61%

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

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bucaramanga: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $670 in San Juan de Pasto versus $475 in Bucaramanga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in San Juan de Pasto versus $32.00 in Bucaramanga. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in San Juan de Pasto vs $317 in Bucaramanga – so San Juan de Pasto 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 3% 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 $1,957 per month in San Juan de Pasto and $1,905 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in San Juan de Pasto and $1,270 in Bucaramanga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in San Juan de Pasto – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bucaramanga, where all-in costs run around $1,270, than in San Juan de Pasto at $1,305. In Bucaramanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan de Pasto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bucaramanga costs $1,270 versus $1,305 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.