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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $524 in Eldoret versus $1,052 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $920 in Eldoret versus $1,421 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,316 in Eldoret versus $1,789 in Santa Marta.

Living in Eldoret costs roughly 50% less than in Santa Marta, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Eldoret 61% lower, Santa Marta 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 KES 712

$3.56 COP 12.7K

54.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.82 KES 5,029

$28.12 COP 100.4K

38.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 KES 887

$6.21 COP 22.2K

10.14%

Cappuccino

$2.47 KES 321

$1.57 COP 5,615

57.32%

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

$0.70 KES 91.0

$0.68 COP 2,426

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 69.9

$0.47 COP 1,663

14.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 KES 295

$0.88 COP 3,146

159.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 KES 370

$1.64 COP 5,865

74.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 KES 96.0

$1.12 COP 4,006

-33.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 57.5

$1.20 COP 4,294

-63.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 KES 158

$0.91 COP 3,244

34.07%

Eggs

$1.59 KES 206

$2.46 COP 8,782

-35.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.79 KES 491

$3.56 COP 12.7K

6.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 KES 468

$3.86 COP 13.8K

-6.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.19 KES 543

$8.02 COP 28.6K

-47.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 KES 409

$1.81 COP 6,446

74.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 KES 124

$0.77 COP 2,736

23.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 KES 218

$0.99 COP 3,533

70.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 130

$0.74 COP 2,647

35.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 KES 67.9

$0.55 COP 1,955

-5.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 KES 113

$0.98 COP 3,515

-11.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 83.3

$1.04 COP 3,718

-38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 KES 83.2

$0.51 COP 1,827

25.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 KES 393

$2.49 COP 8,896

21.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 KES 740

$13.57 COP 48.5K

-57.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 KES 224

$1.48 COP 5,281

16.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 KES 203

$1.49 COP 5,325

4.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 KES 182

$0.72 COP 2,573

95.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 COP 51.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.66 COP 5,944

-8.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.79 COP 6,381

-11.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 382

$8.51 COP 30.4K

-65.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 KES 201

$0.92 COP 3,271

68.48%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$21.7K COP 77.3M

1.11%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$26.3K COP 93.8M

-25.21%

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

$33.82 KES 4,381

$196 COP 699.7K

-82.74%

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

$16.72 KES 2,166

$8.85 COP 31.6K

88.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.62 KES 5,004

$24.02 COP 85.8K

60.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.66 KES 5,008

$19.61 COP 70.0K

97.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.63 COP 27.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.15 KES 667

$4.78 COP 17.1K

7.74%

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

$65.2 KES 8,443

$161 COP 576.7K

-59.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,154 KES 1.1M

$4,882 COP 17.4M

67.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.84 KES 1,533

$40.46 COP 144.5K

-70.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.36 KES 3,156

$35.11 COP 125.4K

-30.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.10 KES 2,474

$80.2 COP 286.3K

-76.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.89 KES 4,520

$58.3 COP 208.2K

-40.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$94.3 KES 12.2K

$281 COP 1.0M

-66.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.6 KES 11.7K

$437 COP 1.6M

-79.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 COP 2.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 KES 35.0K

$563 COP 2.0M

-52.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$615 KES 79.6K

$1,900 COP 6.8M

-67.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$952 COP 3.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$468 COP 1.7M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

39.21%

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

Last update for Eldoret: May 31, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $94.3 in Eldoret and $281 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Eldoret vs $28.00 in Santa Marta. Groceries flip the comparison at $135 vs $163, with Eldoret 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

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

Eldoret wins on cost – living expenses run 101% lower than in Santa Marta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Eldoret the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $786 in Eldoret and $1,579 in Santa Marta to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $94.3 in Eldoret versus $281 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Santa Marta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $524 per month in Eldoret versus $1,052 in Santa Marta – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Eldoret gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Eldoret delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $524 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Eldoret hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Eldoret gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.