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: $751 in Cali versus $1,065 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,205 in Cali versus $1,444 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,659 in Cali versus $1,822 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 44% lower, Santa Marta 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 COP 13.0K

$3.69 COP 12.9K

1.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.95 COP 101.0K

$28.20 COP 98.4K

2.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 COP 24.6K

$6.23 COP 21.7K

13.32%

Cappuccino

$1.56 COP 5,438

$1.51 COP 5,259

3.31%

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

$0.88 COP 3,063

$0.67 COP 2,324

31.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,111

$0.43 COP 1,496

39.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 COP 3,672

$0.88 COP 3,059

19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 COP 8,800

$1.64 COP 5,738

53.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,482

$1.13 COP 3,937

13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 COP 5,090

$1.24 COP 4,321

17.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,221

$0.89 COP 3,098

35.96%

Eggs

$2.47 COP 8,621

$2.44 COP 8,533

1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.20 COP 14.7K

$3.57 COP 12.5K

17.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 COP 19.3K

$3.88 COP 13.5K

42.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 COP 27.4K

$7.90 COP 27.6K

-0.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 8,430

$1.71 COP 5,965

41.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,324

$0.75 COP 2,633

26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,163

$0.97 COP 3,399

22.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,542

$0.71 COP 2,465

83.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 COP 2,837

$0.50 COP 1,761

62.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,684

$0.94 COP 3,282

12.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 COP 2,650

$1.04 COP 3,645

-26.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,431

$0.55 COP 1,936

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 COP 9,948

$2.52 COP 8,802

13.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 COP 40.4K

$13.84 COP 48.3K

-16.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,739

$1.47 COP 5,143

-27.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 COP 6,812

$1.47 COP 5,129

32.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,521

$0.67 COP 2,355

7.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.01 COP 69.8K

$14.33 COP 50.0K

39.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 COP 5,521

$1.68 COP 5,873

-5.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,674

$1.77 COP 6,186

7.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.72 COP 33.9K

$8.43 COP 29.4K

15.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,194

$0.96 COP 3,336

-4.17%

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

$21.5K COP 75.2M

$21.0K COP 73.3M

2.52%

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

$30.4K COP 105.9M

$26.0K COP 90.8M

16.71%

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

$81.2 COP 283.4K

$197 COP 686.0K

-58.68%

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

$8.63 COP 30.1K

$8.96 COP 31.3K

-3.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.09 COP 84.1K

$23.83 COP 83.2K

1.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.55 COP 68.2K

$19.34 COP 67.5K

1.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 50.1K

$7.78 COP 27.1K

84.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 COP 17.3K

$4.81 COP 16.8K

2.70%

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

$227 COP 790.8K

$166 COP 579.5K

36.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 20.5M

$4,887 COP 17.1M

20.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 222.3K

$40.51 COP 141.4K

57.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.88 COP 156.6K

$35.31 COP 123.3K

27.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 COP 264.5K

$78.4 COP 273.5K

-3.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 COP 313.1K

$58.5 COP 204.1K

53.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 846.1K

$282 COP 985.1K

-14.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 649.9K

$437 COP 1.5M

-57.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 COP 2.1M

$686 COP 2.4M

-11.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 COP 1.4M

$548 COP 1.9M

-27.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,114 COP 3.9M

$1,955 COP 6.8M

-43.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 COP 3.2M

$938 COP 3.3M

-1.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$482 COP 1.7M

6.21%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Cali and $282 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 6% 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 $183 vs $163 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 is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cali pays 6% more on average, 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: $242 in Cali versus $282 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $227 in Cali versus $166 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 12% 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 42% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.