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: $773 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,085 in San Juan de Pasto versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,398 in San Juan de Pasto versus $3,245 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 42% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 COP 8,868

$13.14 MX$227

-78.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.90 COP 37.5K

$53.5 MX$926

-77.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 COP 20.6K

$9.33 MX$161

-29.80%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,234

$3.70 MX$64.0

-55.14%

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

$0.68 COP 2,142

$1.60 MX$27.76

-57.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 COP 1,419

$1.12 MX$19.34

-59.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 COP 3,727

$3.14 MX$54.3

-62.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 COP 7,412

$4.85 MX$83.9

-51.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.65 MX$28.61

-35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,077

$2.71 MX$46.96

-52.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,571

$1.91 MX$33.03

-40.84%

Eggs

$1.90 COP 5,989

$2.59 MX$44.81

-26.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.84 COP 18.4K

$9.81 MX$170

-40.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 COP 13.4K

$8.43 MX$146

-49.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 COP 23.7K

$11.93 MX$206

-36.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 COP 4,896

$2.95 MX$51.1

-47.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,377

$1.74 MX$30.10

-38.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,310

$2.04 MX$35.38

-32.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 2,846

$2.06 MX$35.64

-56.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 3,643

$2.15 MX$37.20

-46.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 COP 3,581

$2.26 MX$39.02

-49.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,518

$1.39 MX$23.97

-42.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,167

$1.12 MX$19.31

-38.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 COP 7,316

$4.22 MX$73.0

-45.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 COP 49.5K

$17.51 MX$303

-10.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,414

$1.71 MX$29.58

-36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,464

$3.63 MX$62.8

-52.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 COP 1,798

$0.35 MX$6.10

62.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.63 COP 96.4K

$19.32 MX$334

58.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 COP 4,737

$1.38 MX$23.80

8.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 COP 4,766

$0.28 MX$4.77

439.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 COP 19.0K

$5.28 MX$91.3

14.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 COP 2,865

$1.36 MX$23.50

-33.09%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.1K MX$330.5K

-7.86%

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

$25.9K COP 81.6M

$23.6K MX$408.4K

9.83%

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

$62.6 COP 197.2K

$40.53 MX$701

54.50%

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

$7.08 COP 22.3K

$27.38 MX$474

-74.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.03 COP 72.5K

$30.38 MX$526

-24.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.08 COP 69.5K

$52.2 MX$903

-57.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 12.5K

$6.19 MX$107

-35.70%

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

$238 COP 749.3K

$425 MX$7,355

-44.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,867 COP 18.5M

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-45.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 COP 188.6K

$58.3 MX$1,009

2.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.18 COP 101.3K

$44.57 MX$771

-27.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 COP 263.5K

$103 MX$1,791

-19.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.4 COP 164.9K

$109 MX$1,881

-51.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 COP 948.2K

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-70.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 744.7K

$623 MX$10.8K

-62.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 COP 1.2M

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-82.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 COP 1.0M

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-73.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,913 COP 6.0M

$3,792 MX$65.6K

-49.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,277 COP 4.0M

$2,110 MX$36.5K

-39.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$504 COP 1.6M

$1,052 MX$18.2K

-52.08%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $301 in San Juan de Pasto and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 109% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $293 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 90% in total monthly costs ($773 vs $1,472 including rent). San Juan de Pasto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 109% lower in Mexico City. 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 $1,014 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 59% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $238 in San Juan de Pasto versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $773 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,472 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 90% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.