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: $767 in San Juan de Pasto versus $752 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,088 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,212 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,409 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,672 in Cali.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: San Juan de Pasto 43% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 COP 10.4K

$3.57 COP 13.0K

-20.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.07 COP 43.9K

$29.24 COP 106.3K

-58.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 COP 23.5K

$7.47 COP 27.2K

-13.65%

Cappuccino

$1.74 COP 6,313

$1.64 COP 5,964

6.10%

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

$0.70 COP 2,540

$0.87 COP 3,169

-19.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 COP 1,781

$0.56 COP 2,051

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 4,319

$1.04 COP 3,787

14.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 9,015

$2.47 COP 8,985

0.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,831

$1.27 COP 4,628

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,647

$1.48 COP 5,401

-13.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,128

$1.24 COP 4,526

-8.87%

Eggs

$1.91 COP 6,938

$2.53 COP 9,188

-24.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.86 COP 21.3K

$4.29 COP 15.6K

36.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 COP 15.4K

$5.53 COP 20.1K

-23.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 COP 26.3K

$7.78 COP 28.3K

-6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,803

$2.43 COP 8,825

-34.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,896

$0.90 COP 3,285

18.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,878

$1.19 COP 4,338

12.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,280

$1.32 COP 4,798

-31.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,033

$0.86 COP 3,142

29.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 COP 4,142

$1.06 COP 3,864

7.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,911

$0.74 COP 2,701

8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,502

$0.66 COP 2,398

4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 8,513

$2.96 COP 10.8K

-20.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 COP 51.1K

$11.44 COP 41.6K

22.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,978

$1.10 COP 4,010

-0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 COP 6,249

$1.88 COP 6,845

-8.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 COP 2,124

$0.72 COP 2,632

-19.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.52 COP 107.3K

$20.29 COP 73.8K

45.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 COP 5,369

$1.56 COP 5,666

-5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 COP 5,243

$1.89 COP 6,866

-23.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 COP 22.5K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-35.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,431

$0.94 COP 3,430

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

$18.2K COP 66.2M

$21.9K COP 79.5M

-16.75%

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

$25.9K COP 94.3M

$30.2K COP 109.8M

-14.09%

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

$61.5 COP 223.5K

$82.4 COP 299.5K

-25.37%

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

$7.08 COP 25.8K

$8.75 COP 31.8K

-19.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.99 COP 83.6K

$24.48 COP 89.0K

-6.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.56 COP 78.4K

$19.72 COP 71.7K

9.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.3K

$4.89 COP 17.8K

-19.84%

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

$242 COP 880.4K

$230 COP 838.2K

5.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,014 COP 21.9M

$5,948 COP 21.6M

1.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 COP 217.7K

$63.5 COP 231.0K

-5.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.28 COP 121.0K

$44.13 COP 160.5K

-24.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 COP 302.4K

$77.7 COP 282.7K

6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.2 COP 193.6K

$89.2 COP 324.2K

-40.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 COP 1.1M

$238 COP 864.0K

29.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 878.7K

$189 COP 688.0K

27.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$375 COP 1.4M

$620 COP 2.3M

-39.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 COP 1.2M

$409 COP 1.5M

-20.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,723 COP 6.3M

$1,146 COP 4.2M

50.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,301 COP 4.7M

$920 COP 3.3M

41.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$450 COP 1.6M

$514 COP 1.9M

-12.39%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Cali: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $307 in San Juan de Pasto and $238 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 14% 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 $174 vs $183 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. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cali earns 14% less. 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: $307 in San Juan de Pasto versus $238 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $242 in San Juan de Pasto versus $230 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 5% 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.