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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $773 in San Juan de Pasto versus $756 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,085 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,227 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,398 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,698 in Cali.

Living in San Juan de Pasto is roughly 2% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Juan de Pasto 42% lower, Cali 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 COP 8,868

$3.56 COP 11.2K

-20.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.90 COP 37.5K

$28.88 COP 90.9K

-58.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 COP 20.6K

$7.42 COP 23.4K

-11.73%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,234

$1.64 COP 5,158

1.22%

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

$0.68 COP 2,142

$0.88 COP 2,783

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 COP 1,419

$0.60 COP 1,884

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 COP 3,727

$1.01 COP 3,194

16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 COP 7,412

$2.47 COP 7,779

-4.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.23 COP 3,863

-13.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,077

$1.48 COP 4,668

-12.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,571

$1.25 COP 3,940

-9.60%

Eggs

$1.90 COP 5,989

$2.47 COP 7,786

-23.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.84 COP 18.4K

$4.21 COP 13.3K

38.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 COP 13.4K

$5.45 COP 17.2K

-21.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 COP 23.7K

$7.77 COP 24.5K

-3.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 COP 4,896

$2.46 COP 7,733

-36.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,377

$0.93 COP 2,914

15.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,310

$1.19 COP 3,749

15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 2,846

$1.27 COP 3,998

-29.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 3,643

$0.82 COP 2,579

41.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 COP 3,581

$1.09 COP 3,445

4.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,518

$0.74 COP 2,331

8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,167

$0.65 COP 2,049

6.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 COP 7,316

$2.80 COP 8,828

-17.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 COP 49.5K

$13.13 COP 41.4K

19.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,414

$1.08 COP 3,385

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,464

$1.86 COP 5,848

-6.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 COP 1,798

$0.67 COP 2,097

-14.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.63 COP 96.4K

$19.94 COP 62.8K

53.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 COP 4,737

$1.61 COP 5,062

-6.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 COP 4,766

$1.95 COP 6,137

-22.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 COP 19.0K

$9.80 COP 30.9K

-38.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 COP 2,865

$0.95 COP 2,982

-4.21%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.5K COP 67.7M

-18.11%

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

$25.9K COP 81.6M

$30.2K COP 95.1M

-14.20%

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

$62.6 COP 197.2K

$82.2 COP 258.7K

-23.79%

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

$7.08 COP 22.3K

$8.73 COP 27.5K

-18.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.03 COP 72.5K

$24.65 COP 77.6K

-6.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.08 COP 69.5K

$20.05 COP 63.1K

10.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.40 COP 45.4K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 12.5K

$4.82 COP 15.2K

-17.43%

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

$238 COP 749.3K

$225 COP 708.9K

5.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,867 COP 18.5M

$5,871 COP 18.5M

-0.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 COP 188.6K

$64.3 COP 202.5K

-6.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.18 COP 101.3K

$43.60 COP 137.3K

-26.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 COP 263.5K

$76.5 COP 240.9K

9.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.4 COP 164.9K

$89.0 COP 280.3K

-41.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 COP 948.2K

$235 COP 740.9K

27.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 744.7K

$189 COP 595.4K

25.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 COP 1.2M

$614 COP 1.9M

-38.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 COP 1.0M

$408 COP 1.3M

-19.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,913 COP 6.0M

$1,261 COP 4.0M

51.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,277 COP 4.0M

$1,020 COP 3.2M

25.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$504 COP 1.6M

$567 COP 1.8M

-11.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

11.58

13.82%

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 Cali: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $301 in San Juan de Pasto and $235 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto vs $29.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $185 per month, with San Juan de Pasto cheaper across the board.

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 Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Cali. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $301 in San Juan de Pasto versus $235 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in San Juan de Pasto versus $225 in Cali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in San Juan de Pasto pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cali gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Juan de Pasto, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, San Juan de Pasto and Cali 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 Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in San Juan de Pasto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.