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: $803 in Gjilan versus $1,477 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,180 in Gjilan versus $1,711 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,558 in Gjilan versus $1,946 in Santa Marta.

Living in Gjilan costs roughly 46% less than in Santa Marta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gjilan is 42% below, Santa Marta is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 €3.87

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.93 €19.78

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 €5.05

Cappuccino

$1.42 €1.23

$3.83 COP 12.1K

-62.92%

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

$1.15 €0.99

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 €1.52

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.17

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.61 COP 5,086

-15.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 €0.38

$2.28 COP 7,198

-80.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.18 COP 3,713

13.56%

Eggs

$1.92 €1.66

$2.48 COP 7,811

-22.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 €6.85

$8.40 COP 26.5K

-5.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 €5.91

$10.00 COP 31.6K

-31.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.91 €11.13

$11.34 COP 35.8K

13.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 €1.41

$4.15 COP 13.1K

-60.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.02 COP 3,222

68.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 €1.58

$1.08 COP 3,419

69.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$2.08 COP 6,569

-15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 €0.87

$0.92 COP 2,912

9.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.54 COP 4,859

-44.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 €0.75

$0.97 COP 3,075

-10.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 €0.42

$0.66 COP 2,070

-25.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 €3.13

$4.13 COP 13.0K

-12.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.92

$17.09 COP 53.9K

-66.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 €0.88

$1.42 COP 4,468

-27.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.40 COP 4,425

-7.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.90 COP 2,855

-37.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 €1.95

$3.26 COP 10.3K

-30.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 €0.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 €3.07

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.30 COP 4,103

13.08%

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

$23.0K €19.9K

$23.8K COP 75.3M

-3.37%

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

$27.2K €23.5K

$34.5K COP 109.0M

-21.20%

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

$110 €95.0

$159 COP 500.5K

-30.57%

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

$11.51 €9.93

$9.41 COP 29.7K

22.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.98 €20.68

$22.28 COP 70.3K

7.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.51 €17.69

$31.72 COP 100.1K

-35.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 €4.10

$5.36 COP 16.9K

-11.19%

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

$171 €148

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,526 €1,316

$11.0K COP 34.8M

-86.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.24 €37.30

$87.7 COP 276.8K

-50.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.13 €27.72

$62.3 COP 196.6K

-48.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 €57.9

$94.8 COP 299.1K

-29.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.0 €73.3

$89.2 COP 281.4K

-4.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 €251

$1,094 COP 3.5M

-73.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 €201

$755 COP 2.4M

-69.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 €429

$1,096 COP 3.5M

-54.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 €320

$645 COP 2.0M

-42.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$970 €837

$1,101 COP 3.5M

-11.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$734 €633

$1,194 COP 3.8M

-38.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$470 €406

$544 COP 1.7M

-13.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

19.54

-77.28%

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

Last update for Gjilan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $291 in Gjilan and $1,094 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 84% in total monthly costs ($803 vs $1,477 including rent). Gjilan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Santa Marta. 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: $291 in Gjilan versus $1,094 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Santa Marta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $803 per month in Gjilan versus $1,477 in Santa Marta – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $803 in Gjilan versus $1,477 in Santa Marta, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gjilan but tight or insufficient in Santa Marta. The gap between the two cities makes Gjilan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 84% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.