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: $761 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,072 in San Juan de Pasto versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,383 in San Juan de Pasto versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in San Juan de Pasto costs roughly 47% 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 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 COP 9,927

$12.98 MX$223

-78.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.25 COP 42.8K

$52.6 MX$903

-76.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 COP 22.3K

$9.43 MX$162

-32.13%

Cappuccino

$1.69 COP 5,890

$3.57 MX$61.3

-52.66%

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

$0.64 COP 2,222

$1.61 MX$27.55

-60.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 COP 1,689

$1.15 MX$19.81

-58.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 4,155

$3.15 MX$54.0

-62.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 COP 8,355

$4.86 MX$83.4

-50.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,701

$1.70 MX$29.17

-37.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,525

$2.64 MX$45.23

-50.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,929

$1.90 MX$32.67

-40.53%

Eggs

$1.92 COP 6,717

$2.54 MX$43.62

-24.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 COP 21.2K

$10.08 MX$173

-39.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.17 COP 14.5K

$8.29 MX$142

-49.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.33 COP 25.6K

$11.57 MX$199

-36.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,566

$3.03 MX$52.0

-47.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,756

$1.71 MX$29.35

-36.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,737

$2.05 MX$35.16

-33.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 COP 3,039

$2.06 MX$35.36

-57.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,056

$2.06 MX$35.43

-43.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,061

$2.17 MX$37.25

-46.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,792

$1.40 MX$24.08

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,423

$1.12 MX$19.26

-38.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,120

$4.29 MX$73.7

-45.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 COP 49.5K

$15.41 MX$265

-8.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 COP 3,919

$1.67 MX$28.74

-32.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 COP 6,002

$3.69 MX$63.3

-53.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 COP 1,996

$0.38 MX$6.55

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.32 COP 105.8K

$19.06 MX$327

59.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 COP 5,094

$1.38 MX$23.70

5.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 COP 5,079

$0.28 MX$4.74

421.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 COP 21.2K

$5.42 MX$92.9

12.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 COP 3,106

$1.28 MX$21.98

-30.47%

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

$18.0K COP 62.7M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

-5.38%

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

$26.0K COP 90.6M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

10.64%

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

$62.9 COP 219.4K

$41.02 MX$704

53.27%

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

$7.29 COP 25.5K

$26.92 MX$462

-72.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.41 COP 81.7K

$29.69 MX$510

-21.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.75 COP 75.9K

$52.3 MX$898

-58.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$3.84 COP 13.4K

$6.18 MX$106

-37.86%

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

$238 COP 832.3K

$427 MX$7,331

-44.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,971 COP 20.8M

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-44.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 COP 209.7K

$56.8 MX$975

5.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.04 COP 111.8K

$44.83 MX$769

-28.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 COP 290.2K

$105 MX$1,794

-20.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 COP 187.5K

$106 MX$1,819

-49.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 COP 1.1M

$995 MX$17.1K

-69.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 822.5K

$621 MX$10.7K

-62.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 COP 1.3M

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-82.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 COP 1.1M

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-74.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.9M

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-56.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,116 COP 3.9M

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-46.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$453 COP 1.6M

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-59.08%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in San Juan de Pasto and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 144% 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 $176 vs $288 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 ($761 vs $1,447 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 144% 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 $995 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 $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $761 in San Juan de Pasto versus $1,447 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.