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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $660 in Gjilan versus $1,052 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,014 in Gjilan versus $1,421 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,368 in Gjilan versus $1,789 in Santa Marta.

Living in Gjilan costs roughly 37% less than in Santa Marta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gjilan 51% lower, Santa Marta 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 €3.72

$3.56 COP 12.7K

21.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.90 €17.11

$28.12 COP 100.4K

-29.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 €4.76

$6.21 COP 22.2K

-10.95%

Cappuccino

$1.41 €1.21

$1.57 COP 5,615

-10.19%

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

$1.17 €1.01

$0.68 COP 2,426

72.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$0.47 COP 1,663

93.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 €1.26

$0.88 COP 3,146

65.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.64 COP 5,865

-17.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.12 COP 4,006

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 €0.39

$1.20 COP 4,294

-62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 €1.21

$0.91 COP 3,244

54.95%

Eggs

$1.54 €1.33

$2.46 COP 8,782

-37.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.17 €5.31

$3.56 COP 12.7K

73.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 €4.20

$3.86 COP 13.8K

26.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 €9.07

$8.02 COP 28.6K

31.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.81 COP 6,446

-30.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 €1.41

$0.77 COP 2,736

111.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 €1.20

$0.99 COP 3,533

41.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 €1.05

$0.74 COP 2,647

64.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 €0.67

$0.55 COP 1,955

41.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 €0.70

$0.98 COP 3,515

-17.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 €0.58

$1.04 COP 3,718

-35.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.51 COP 1,827

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 €3.06

$2.49 COP 8,896

42.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$13.57 COP 48.5K

-57.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.82

$1.48 COP 5,281

-35.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.49 COP 5,325

-4.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 €0.48

$0.72 COP 2,573

-23.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 COP 51.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.66 COP 5,944

39.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 €0.46

$1.79 COP 6,381

-70.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.87 €5.05

$8.51 COP 30.4K

-31.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.30

$0.92 COP 3,271

65.22%

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

$23.4K €20.1K

$21.7K COP 77.3M

8.01%

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

$25.0K €21.5K

$26.3K COP 93.8M

-4.96%

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

$68.3 €58.7

$196 COP 699.7K

-65.15%

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

$10.53 €9.06

$8.85 COP 31.6K

18.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.16 €16.48

$24.02 COP 85.8K

-20.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.45 €15.01

$19.61 COP 70.0K

-11.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.63 COP 27.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 €3.90

$4.78 COP 17.1K

-5.02%

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

$170 €146

$161 COP 576.7K

5.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,932 €2,522

$4,882 COP 17.4M

-39.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.27 €33.78

$40.46 COP 144.5K

-2.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.91 €26.59

$35.11 COP 125.4K

-11.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.3 €47.55

$80.2 COP 286.3K

-31.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 €73.0

$58.3 COP 208.2K

45.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 €199

$281 COP 1.0M

-17.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 €152

$437 COP 1.6M

-59.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 €392

$697 COP 2.5M

-34.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 €294

$563 COP 2.0M

-39.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$944 €812

$1,900 COP 6.8M

-50.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$726 €625

$952 COP 3.4M

-23.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$471 €405

$468 COP 1.7M

0.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

-53.60%

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

Last update for Gjilan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $232 in Gjilan and $281 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gjilan pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Gjilan vs $28.00 in Santa Marta. Groceries flip the comparison at $164 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

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

Gjilan and Santa Marta differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($660 vs $1,052 including rent). Gjilan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Gjilan pays 1% 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: $232 in Gjilan versus $281 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Santa Marta pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $660 per month in Gjilan versus $1,052 in Santa Marta – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

Safety-wise, Gjilan and Santa Marta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gjilan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.