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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,098 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,891 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

San Juan de Pasto is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

San Juan de Pasto sits 5% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.15 COP 22.7K

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-10.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.98 COP 120.6K

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-20.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.12 COP 35.3K

$9.89 COP 31.4K

12.44%

Cappuccino

$2.51 COP 7,953

$3.13 COP 9,937

-19.81%

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

$1.33 COP 4,212

$1.91 COP 6,058

-30.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 2,704

$1.51 COP 4,794

-43.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 COP 8,540

$3.12 COP 9,917

-13.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 COP 10.6K

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-42.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,858

$1.44 COP 4,587

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,744

$2.49 COP 7,894

-2.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 COP 5,256

$1.77 COP 5,631

-6.21%

Eggs

$3.32 COP 10.5K

$2.96 COP 9,396

12.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.33 COP 29.6K

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-7.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.2K

$10.12 COP 32.1K

3.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 COP 43.4K

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-4.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 COP 11.3K

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-14.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 COP 4,048

$1.61 COP 5,106

-20.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 COP 7,022

$2.25 COP 7,129

-1.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 COP 6,802

$2.25 COP 7,150

-4.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,390

$2.04 COP 6,486

-32.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,844

$1.54 COP 4,873

-0.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.17 COP 3,715

17.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,157

$1.31 COP 4,148

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.66 COP 11.6K

$3.90 COP 12.4K

-6.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.22 COP 42.0K

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-5.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 3,987

$1.74 COP 5,534

-27.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 COP 9,786

$2.87 COP 9,112

7.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 COP 3,504

$1.22 COP 3,858

-9.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 COP 5,532

$1.31 COP 4,155

32.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 COP 7,861

$2.19 COP 6,944

13.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.29 COP 29.5K

$8.71 COP 27.7K

6.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,033

$1.37 COP 4,334

-7.30%

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

$25.5K COP 81.1M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

-8.25%

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

$35.5K COP 112.6M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-0.84%

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

$129 COP 409.0K

$177 COP 562.9K

-27.35%

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

$14.14 COP 44.9K

$13.88 COP 44.1K

1.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.87 COP 94.8K

$29.72 COP 94.4K

0.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.86 COP 117.0K

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-17.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 COP 19.6K

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-7.07%

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

$569 COP 1.8M

$813 COP 2.6M

-30.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,789 COP 18.4M

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-36.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.1 COP 305.2K

$89.5 COP 284.1K

7.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 188.4K

$59.0 COP 187.2K

0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 COP 471.3K

$138 COP 438.8K

7.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 341.5K

$102 COP 324.2K

5.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 COP 2.1M

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-36.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 COP 1.5M

$663 COP 2.1M

-29.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 COP 3.4M

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-43.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 COP 3.3M

$1,027 COP 3.3M

0.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,958 COP 6.2M

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-53.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,854 COP 5.9M

$1,675 COP 5.3M

10.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

10.94

5.85%

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 Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $670 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,062 in Medellin. 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 $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $305 – making San Juan de Pasto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,957 per month in San Juan de Pasto and $2,521 in Medellin. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in San Juan de Pasto and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan de Pasto, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Medellin at $1,681. In San Juan de Pasto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Juan de Pasto – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.