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: $761 in San Juan de Pasto versus $751 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,072 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,205 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,383 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,659 in Cali.

Living in San Juan de Pasto is roughly 1% 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

$2.84 COP 9,927

$3.73 COP 13.0K

-23.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.25 COP 42.8K

$28.95 COP 101.0K

-57.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 COP 22.3K

$7.06 COP 24.6K

-9.35%

Cappuccino

$1.69 COP 5,890

$1.56 COP 5,438

8.33%

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

$0.64 COP 2,222

$0.88 COP 3,063

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 COP 1,689

$0.60 COP 2,111

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 4,155

$1.05 COP 3,672

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 COP 8,355

$2.52 COP 8,800

-5.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,701

$1.28 COP 4,482

-17.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,525

$1.46 COP 5,090

-10.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,929

$1.21 COP 4,221

-6.61%

Eggs

$1.92 COP 6,717

$2.47 COP 8,621

-22.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 COP 21.2K

$4.20 COP 14.7K

44.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.17 COP 14.5K

$5.53 COP 19.3K

-24.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.33 COP 25.6K

$7.85 COP 27.4K

-6.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,566

$2.42 COP 8,430

-34.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,756

$0.95 COP 3,324

13.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,737

$1.19 COP 4,163

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 COP 3,039

$1.30 COP 4,542

-33.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,056

$0.81 COP 2,837

43.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,061

$1.06 COP 3,684

9.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,792

$0.76 COP 2,650

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,423

$0.70 COP 2,431

-1.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,120

$2.85 COP 9,948

-18.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 COP 49.5K

$11.57 COP 40.4K

22.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 COP 3,919

$1.07 COP 3,739

4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 COP 6,002

$1.95 COP 6,812

-11.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 COP 1,996

$0.72 COP 2,521

-20.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.32 COP 105.8K

$20.01 COP 69.8K

51.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 COP 5,094

$1.58 COP 5,521

-7.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 COP 5,079

$1.91 COP 6,674

-23.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 COP 21.2K

$9.72 COP 33.9K

-37.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 COP 3,106

$0.92 COP 3,194

-3.26%

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

$18.0K COP 62.7M

$21.5K COP 75.2M

-16.61%

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

$26.0K COP 90.6M

$30.4K COP 105.9M

-14.48%

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

$62.9 COP 219.4K

$81.2 COP 283.4K

-22.58%

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

$7.29 COP 25.5K

$8.63 COP 30.1K

-15.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.41 COP 81.7K

$24.09 COP 84.1K

-2.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.75 COP 75.9K

$19.55 COP 68.2K

11.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 50.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.84 COP 13.4K

$4.94 COP 17.3K

-22.27%

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

$238 COP 832.3K

$227 COP 790.8K

5.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,971 COP 20.8M

$5,871 COP 20.5M

1.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 COP 209.7K

$63.7 COP 222.3K

-5.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.04 COP 111.8K

$44.88 COP 156.6K

-28.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 COP 290.2K

$75.8 COP 264.5K

9.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 COP 187.5K

$89.7 COP 313.1K

-40.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 COP 1.1M

$242 COP 846.1K

26.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 822.5K

$186 COP 649.9K

26.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 COP 1.3M

$608 COP 2.1M

-37.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 COP 1.1M

$397 COP 1.4M

-18.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.9M

$1,114 COP 3.9M

52.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,116 COP 3.9M

$920 COP 3.2M

21.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$453 COP 1.6M

$512 COP 1.8M

-11.52%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in San Juan de Pasto and $242 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 13% 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 $176 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 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cali earns 13% 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: $306 in San Juan de Pasto versus $242 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 $227 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 4% 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 1% less than in San Juan de Pasto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.