Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan de Pasto and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan de Pasto and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $767 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,088 in San Juan de Pasto versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,409 in San Juan de Pasto versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in San Juan de Pasto costs roughly 48% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Juan de Pasto is 43% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 COP 10.4K

$12.98 MX$226

-78.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.07 COP 43.9K

$53.1 MX$923

-77.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 COP 23.5K

$9.72 MX$169

-33.64%

Cappuccino

$1.74 COP 6,313

$3.75 MX$65.2

-53.60%

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

$0.70 COP 2,540

$1.57 MX$27.30

-55.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 COP 1,781

$1.13 MX$19.64

-56.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 4,319

$3.18 MX$55.3

-62.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 9,015

$4.66 MX$81.1

-46.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,831

$1.62 MX$28.21

-35.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,647

$2.71 MX$47.09

-52.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,128

$1.88 MX$32.70

-39.89%

Eggs

$1.91 COP 6,938

$2.51 MX$43.65

-23.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.86 COP 21.3K

$10.08 MX$175

-41.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 COP 15.4K

$8.29 MX$144

-48.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 COP 26.3K

$11.94 MX$208

-39.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,803

$2.86 MX$49.77

-44.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,896

$1.75 MX$30.45

-38.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,878

$2.08 MX$36.27

-35.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,280

$1.97 MX$34.27

-54.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,033

$2.16 MX$37.58

-48.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 COP 4,142

$2.18 MX$37.94

-47.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,911

$1.39 MX$24.20

-42.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,502

$1.12 MX$19.57

-38.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 8,513

$4.20 MX$73.1

-44.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 COP 51.1K

$14.25 MX$248

-1.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,978

$1.76 MX$30.68

-38.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 COP 6,249

$3.68 MX$64.1

-53.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 COP 2,124

$0.39 MX$6.71

48.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.52 COP 107.3K

$18.66 MX$325

58.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 COP 5,369

$1.39 MX$24.12

6.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 COP 5,243

$0.30 MX$5.29

380.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 COP 22.5K

$5.42 MX$94.3

14.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,431

$1.35 MX$23.50

-30.37%

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

$18.2K COP 66.2M

$18.9K MX$328.6K

-3.63%

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

$25.9K COP 94.3M

$23.2K MX$402.8K

12.03%

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

$61.5 COP 223.5K

$40.82 MX$710

50.56%

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

$7.08 COP 25.8K

$27.50 MX$479

-74.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.99 COP 83.6K

$30.38 MX$529

-24.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.56 COP 78.4K

$53.4 MX$930

-59.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.3K

$6.27 MX$109

-37.48%

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

$242 COP 880.4K

$436 MX$7,588

-44.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,014 COP 21.9M

$10.5K MX$182.1K

-42.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 COP 217.7K

$56.8 MX$988

5.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.28 COP 121.0K

$44.79 MX$779

-25.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 COP 302.4K

$103 MX$1,789

-19.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.2 COP 193.6K

$108 MX$1,878

-50.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 COP 1.1M

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-69.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 878.7K

$620 MX$10.8K

-61.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$375 COP 1.4M

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-82.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 COP 1.2M

$1,235 MX$21.5K

-73.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,723 COP 6.3M

$3,865 MX$67.3K

-55.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,301 COP 4.7M

$2,332 MX$40.6K

-44.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$450 COP 1.6M

$1,067 MX$18.6K

-57.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

11.34

16.23%

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 Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $307 in San Juan de Pasto and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 137% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $286 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan de Pasto and Mexico City differ by about 93% in total monthly costs ($767 vs $1,484 including rent). San Juan de Pasto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 137% 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 $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in San Juan de Pasto runs roughly 58% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $242 in San Juan de Pasto versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $767 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Juan de Pasto but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan de Pasto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, San Juan de Pasto and Mexico City 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 San Juan de Pasto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.