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: $756 in Cali versus $1,069 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,227 in Cali versus $1,416 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,698 in Cali versus $1,762 in Santa Marta.

Living in Cali costs roughly 29% less than in Santa Marta, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 43% lower, Santa Marta 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 COP 11.2K

$3.59 COP 11.3K

-0.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.88 COP 91.0K

$28.43 COP 89.6K

1.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 23.4K

$5.90 COP 18.6K

25.76%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,162

$1.55 COP 4,898

5.81%

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

$0.88 COP 2,785

$0.69 COP 2,164

27.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,885

$0.44 COP 1,374

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,197

$0.82 COP 2,593

23.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 7,786

$1.66 COP 5,230

48.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 COP 3,867

$1.17 COP 3,699

5.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 4,672

$1.26 COP 3,959

17.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,944

$0.95 COP 2,985

31.58%

Eggs

$2.47 COP 7,793

$2.33 COP 7,348

6.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.21 COP 13.3K

$3.56 COP 11.2K

18.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.45 COP 17.2K

$3.92 COP 12.3K

39.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 COP 24.5K

$7.94 COP 25.0K

-2.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 COP 7,740

$1.73 COP 5,459

42.20%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,917

$0.76 COP 2,390

22.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 3,752

$0.99 COP 3,118

20.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 4,002

$0.76 COP 2,402

67.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,581

$0.55 COP 1,730

49.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,448

$1.01 COP 3,198

7.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 COP 2,333

$1.05 COP 3,321

-29.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,051

$0.51 COP 1,601

27.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 COP 8,835

$2.44 COP 7,681

14.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.13 COP 41.4K

$15.42 COP 48.6K

-14.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,388

$1.47 COP 4,634

-26.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 5,852

$1.42 COP 4,479

30.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,099

$0.72 COP 2,271

-6.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.94 COP 62.8K

$14.34 COP 45.2K

39.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 5,066

$1.73 COP 5,444

-6.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,142

$1.83 COP 5,753

6.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 COP 30.9K

$8.68 COP 27.4K

12.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 2,984

$0.90 COP 2,838

5.56%

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

$21.5K COP 67.7M

$21.7K COP 68.4M

-1.04%

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

$30.2K COP 95.2M

$26.3K COP 82.9M

14.80%

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

$82.2 COP 258.9K

$192 COP 604.2K

-57.15%

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

$8.73 COP 27.5K

$8.62 COP 27.2K

1.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.65 COP 77.7K

$24.37 COP 76.8K

1.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.05 COP 63.2K

$18.99 COP 59.8K

5.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.40 COP 45.4K

$7.88 COP 24.8K

82.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 COP 15.2K

$4.79 COP 15.1K

0.63%

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

$225 COP 709.4K

$164 COP 517.1K

37.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 18.5M

$4,844 COP 15.3M

21.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 COP 202.7K

$41.10 COP 129.5K

56.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.60 COP 137.4K

$35.71 COP 112.5K

22.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 COP 241.1K

$79.1 COP 249.2K

-3.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 COP 280.5K

$58.6 COP 184.8K

51.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 741.5K

$278 COP 876.0K

-15.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 COP 595.9K

$452 COP 1.4M

-58.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 COP 1.9M

$680 COP 2.1M

-9.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 COP 1.3M

$562 COP 1.8M

-27.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,261 COP 4.0M

$2,100 COP 6.6M

-39.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,020 COP 3.2M

$983 COP 3.1M

3.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 COP 1.8M

$540 COP 1.7M

4.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

8.62

34.34%

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

Last update for Cali: July 26, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Cali and $278 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cali vs $28.00 in Santa Marta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $168 per month, with Santa Marta 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

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

Cali and Santa Marta differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($756 vs $1,069 including rent). Cali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 5% 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: $235 in Cali versus $278 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $225 in Cali versus $164 in Santa Marta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Santa Marta pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cali gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 41% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.