Cost of Living Comparison Between Batangas and Santa Marta Cost of Living Comparison Between Batangas and Santa Marta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $650 in Batangas versus $1,083 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $952 in Batangas versus $1,429 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,255 in Batangas versus $1,776 in Santa Marta.

Living in Batangas costs roughly 40% less than in Santa Marta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Batangas 51% lower, Santa Marta 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.45 ₱148

$3.58 COP 12.3K

-31.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.50 ₱1,295

$28.72 COP 98.4K

-25.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.72 ₱164

$5.91 COP 20.3K

-53.98%

Cappuccino

$1.70 ₱102

$1.54 COP 5,291

10.39%

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

$0.81 ₱48.98

$0.72 COP 2,452

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₱22.75

$0.43 COP 1,486

-11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₱61.9

$0.87 COP 2,968

18.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₱83.1

$1.63 COP 5,599

-15.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₱129

$1.17 COP 4,010

83.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱73.1

$1.18 COP 4,059

2.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₱49.37

$0.95 COP 3,273

-13.68%

Eggs

$1.86 ₱112

$2.35 COP 8,057

-20.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.94 ₱297

$3.68 COP 12.6K

34.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.17 ₱251

$4.02 COP 13.8K

3.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.36 ₱443

$8.00 COP 27.4K

-8.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 ₱159

$1.79 COP 6,152

47.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₱96.1

$0.76 COP 2,598

110.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 ₱159

$1.01 COP 3,475

160.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₱98.8

$0.75 COP 2,567

118.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 ₱153

$0.52 COP 1,774

386.54%

Onion (1kg)

$4.15 ₱250

$1.01 COP 3,469

310.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 ₱84.7

$1.05 COP 3,609

34.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱61.3

$0.51 COP 1,760

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 ₱167

$2.46 COP 8,434

12.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 ₱457

$14.51 COP 49.7K

-47.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₱52.6

$1.40 COP 4,809

-37.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₱118

$1.48 COP 5,070

31.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱16.97

$0.71 COP 2,422

-60.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.36 COP 49.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱47.17

$1.73 COP 5,919

-54.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱14.93

$1.76 COP 6,035

-85.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₱129

$8.39 COP 28.8K

-74.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱69.1

$0.90 COP 3,083

27.78%

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

$26.0K ₱1.6M

$21.6K COP 73.9M

20.41%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$26.3K COP 90.2M

-23.10%

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

$162 ₱9,729

$191 COP 654.8K

-15.45%

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

$19.40 ₱1,168

$8.98 COP 30.8K

116.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.54 ₱1,779

$24.13 COP 82.7K

22.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.00 ₱1,686

$19.70 COP 67.5K

42.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.32 ₱260

$7.71 COP 26.4K

-43.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₱325

$4.95 COP 17.0K

9.09%

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

$80.3 ₱4,839

$166 COP 570.6K

-51.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,411 ₱85.0K

$4,844 COP 16.6M

-70.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.04 ₱1,087

$40.59 COP 139.1K

-55.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.97 ₱1,624

$34.95 COP 119.8K

-22.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 ₱3,667

$78.1 COP 267.7K

-22.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.46 ₱2,678

$60.2 COP 206.4K

-26.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 ₱16.1K

$281 COP 963.2K

-4.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$80.1 ₱4,826

$438 COP 1.5M

-81.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₱10.7K

$681 COP 2.3M

-74.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 ₱6,400

$567 COP 1.9M

-81.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,656 ₱160.0K

$1,948 COP 6.7M

36.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,703 ₱102.6K

$970 COP 3.3M

75.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 ₱10.3K

$496 COP 1.7M

-65.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.13

8.62

-5.68%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Batangas: June 15, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $268 in Batangas and $281 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 190% 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: $21.00 in Batangas vs $29.00 in Santa Marta. Groceries flip the comparison at $201 vs $166, with Santa Marta cheaper for home cooking.

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

Batangas vs Santa Marta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Batangas and Santa Marta differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($650 vs $1,083 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Santa Marta earns 190% 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: $268 in Batangas versus $281 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Santa Marta pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $650 per month in Batangas versus $1,083 in Santa Marta – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Batangas gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, Batangas and Santa Marta 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 Batangas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.