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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $495 in Gampaha versus $1,052 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $868 in Gampaha versus $1,421 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,241 in Gampaha versus $1,789 in Santa Marta.

Living in Gampaha costs roughly 53% less than in Santa Marta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gampaha 63% lower, Santa Marta 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.63 LKR 539

$3.56 COP 12.7K

-54.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.26 LKR 8,374

$28.12 COP 100.4K

-10.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 LKR 1,683

$6.21 COP 22.2K

-18.20%

Cappuccino

$2.22 LKR 735

$1.57 COP 5,615

41.40%

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

$0.70 LKR 232

$0.68 COP 2,426

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 124

$0.47 COP 1,663

-21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 LKR 706

$0.88 COP 3,146

142.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 LKR 545

$1.64 COP 5,865

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 573

$1.12 COP 4,006

54.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$1.20 COP 4,294

-56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 244

$0.91 COP 3,244

-19.78%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 733

$2.46 COP 8,782

-10.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 LKR 4,724

$3.56 COP 12.7K

300.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 LKR 1,478

$3.86 COP 13.8K

15.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 LKR 2,631

$8.02 COP 28.6K

-1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$6.80 LKR 2,254

$1.81 COP 6,446

275.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 354

$0.77 COP 2,736

38.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 LKR 1,881

$0.99 COP 3,533

472.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 414

$0.74 COP 2,647

68.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 354

$0.55 COP 1,955

94.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 LKR 445

$0.98 COP 3,515

36.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 LKR 115

$1.04 COP 3,718

-66.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.51 COP 1,827

-25.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.00 LKR 3,314

$2.49 COP 8,896

301.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 LKR 4,332

$13.57 COP 48.5K

-3.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 LKR 508

$1.48 COP 5,281

3.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 LKR 883

$1.49 COP 5,325

78.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 LKR 104

$0.72 COP 2,573

-56.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 COP 51.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.66 COP 5,944

-80.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 107

$1.79 COP 6,381

-82.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 192

$8.51 COP 30.4K

-93.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 402

$0.92 COP 3,271

31.52%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

$21.7K COP 77.3M

24.97%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.4M

$26.3K COP 93.8M

30.40%

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

$29.59 LKR 9,812

$196 COP 699.7K

-84.90%

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

$3.41 LKR 1,131

$8.85 COP 31.6K

-61.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.33 LKR 4,087

$24.02 COP 85.8K

-48.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.60 LKR 2,850

$19.61 COP 70.0K

-56.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.63 COP 27.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.39 LKR 1,124

$4.78 COP 17.1K

-29.08%

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

$16.54 LKR 5,484

$161 COP 576.7K

-89.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$136 LKR 45.2K

$4,882 COP 17.4M

-97.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.10 LKR 9,317

$40.46 COP 144.5K

-30.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.08 LKR 3,343

$35.11 COP 125.4K

-71.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 LKR 22.5K

$80.2 COP 286.3K

-15.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.03 LKR 8,963

$58.3 COP 208.2K

-53.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.5 LKR 32.7K

$281 COP 1.0M

-64.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.5 LKR 20.4K

$437 COP 1.6M

-85.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 LKR 113.1K

$697 COP 2.5M

-51.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 LKR 61.8K

$563 COP 2.0M

-66.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,900 COP 6.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$952 COP 3.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 LKR 74.1K

$468 COP 1.7M

-52.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

16.01%

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

Last update for Gampaha: May 31, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $98.5 in Gampaha and $281 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 109% 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: $25.00 in Gampaha vs $28.00 in Santa Marta. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $163, 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

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

Gampaha and Santa Marta differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($495 vs $1,052 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Santa Marta earns 109% 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: $98.5 in Gampaha versus $281 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $16.54 in Gampaha versus $161 in Santa Marta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gampaha – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $28.00 in Santa Marta. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Gampaha 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.

Expats usually find Gampaha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.