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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,087 in Cali versus $1,494 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,694 in Cali versus $1,761 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,301 in Cali versus $2,028 in Santa Marta.

Living in Cali costs roughly 27% less than in Santa Marta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cali is 21% below, Santa Marta is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 23.7K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.62 COP 120.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 COP 26.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,153

$3.98 COP 12.4K

-58.54%

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

$1.27 COP 3,971

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 2,638

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 COP 10.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 COP 12.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 COP 5,172

$1.59 COP 4,957

4.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 COP 6,077

$2.28 COP 7,125

-14.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,744

$1.20 COP 3,730

26.67%

Eggs

$3.00 COP 9,375

$2.51 COP 7,819

19.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.48 COP 20.2K

$8.27 COP 25.8K

-21.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 COP 22.5K

$9.91 COP 30.9K

-27.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 COP 32.4K

$11.84 COP 36.9K

-12.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 COP 11.4K

$4.18 COP 13.0K

-12.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,284

$1.02 COP 3,168

34.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 COP 5,713

$1.10 COP 3,426

66.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,538

$2.16 COP 6,729

-18.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 COP 4,556

$1.02 COP 3,173

43.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,801

$1.63 COP 5,082

-5.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,658

$1.01 COP 3,138

15.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 COP 3,267

$0.63 COP 1,952

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 11.8K

$4.22 COP 13.2K

-10.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 COP 41.3K

$17.78 COP 55.5K

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 COP 4,598

$1.49 COP 4,657

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 COP 7,833

$1.46 COP 4,558

71.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 COP 3,603

$0.95 COP 2,958

21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.69 COP 95.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 COP 2,742

$3.24 COP 10.1K

-72.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 COP 4,093

$1.31 COP 4,092

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

$24.7K COP 76.9M

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

$36.1K COP 112.7M

$35.3K COP 110.3M

2.22%

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

$114 COP 357.1K

$159 COP 497.6K

-28.24%

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

$13.68 COP 42.7K

$9.78 COP 30.5K

39.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.26 COP 97.5K

$22.89 COP 71.4K

36.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.82 COP 93.1K

$32.48 COP 101.4K

-8.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.36 COP 26.1K

$5.37 COP 16.8K

55.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K COP 34.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 COP 248.6K

$89.9 COP 280.4K

-11.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 COP 171.9K

$63.9 COP 199.5K

-13.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 COP 405.4K

$97.4 COP 303.8K

33.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 COP 357.1K

$89.8 COP 280.3K

27.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 COP 2.1M

$1,133 COP 3.5M

-41.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 COP 955.3K

$751 COP 2.3M

-59.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 COP 5.1M

$1,127 COP 3.5M

44.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 COP 1.6M

$633 COP 2.0M

-19.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,108 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,188 COP 3.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 COP 1.9M

$542 COP 1.7M

10.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

19.54

-40.74%

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

Last update for Cali: September 13, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Cali and $1,133 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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

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

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Cali, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $666 in Cali versus $1,133 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Santa Marta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,087 per month in Cali versus $1,494 in Santa Marta – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,087 in Cali versus $1,494 in Santa Marta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Santa Marta. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Santa Marta, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.