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: $647 in Gjilan versus $1,078 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,007 in Gjilan versus $1,454 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,368 in Gjilan versus $1,830 in Santa Marta.

Living in Gjilan costs roughly 40% less than in Santa Marta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gjilan 52% lower, Santa Marta 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 €3.85

$3.66 COP 11.9K

20.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.06 €17.53

$28.29 COP 92.0K

-29.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 €4.77

$6.22 COP 20.2K

-12.22%

Cappuccino

$1.43 €1.25

$1.55 COP 5,030

-7.74%

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

$1.11 €0.97

$0.73 COP 2,369

52.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.81

$0.46 COP 1,500

102.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 €1.24

$0.82 COP 2,673

73.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.24

$1.68 COP 5,476

-15.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.11 COP 3,624

18.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 €0.41

$1.19 COP 3,864

-60.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 €1.18

$0.90 COP 2,915

51.11%

Eggs

$1.51 €1.32

$2.45 COP 7,949

-38.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 €5.27

$3.69 COP 12.0K

63.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 €4.32

$4.07 COP 13.2K

21.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.36 €9.05

$7.85 COP 25.5K

31.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 €1.05

$1.74 COP 5,673

-31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 €1.39

$0.76 COP 2,467

109.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 €1.27

$0.98 COP 3,193

47.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 €1.05

$0.71 COP 2,317

69.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.51 COP 1,668

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.99 COP 3,227

-16.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 €0.64

$1.04 COP 3,383

-29.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 €0.46

$0.55 COP 1,788

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 €2.95

$2.41 COP 7,824

40.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.56 €4.86

$15.04 COP 48.9K

-63.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.78

$1.46 COP 4,752

-39.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.41 COP 4,582

1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 €0.52

$0.68 COP 2,205

-11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.46 COP 47.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.68 COP 5,474

35.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 €0.44

$1.79 COP 5,813

-72.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 €5.09

$8.42 COP 27.4K

-30.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.35

$0.98 COP 3,190

57.14%

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

$22.8K €19.9K

$21.2K COP 68.9M

7.67%

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

$24.6K €21.5K

$26.2K COP 85.2M

-6.17%

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

$70.3 €61.4

$192 COP 624.2K

-63.40%

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

$10.66 €9.31

$8.78 COP 28.6K

21.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.50 €17.04

$24.15 COP 78.5K

-19.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.41 €15.21

$19.49 COP 63.4K

-10.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.94 COP 25.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.69 €4.10

$4.87 COP 15.8K

-3.70%

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

$168 €147

$167 COP 542.4K

0.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,874 €2,511

$4,906 COP 16.0M

-41.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.98 €34.06

$39.94 COP 129.8K

-2.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.52 €27.54

$35.37 COP 115.0K

-10.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 €49.43

$79.9 COP 259.6K

-29.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 €73.2

$59.9 COP 194.6K

39.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$230 €201

$281 COP 912.6K

-18.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 €151

$450 COP 1.5M

-61.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 €409

$685 COP 2.2M

-31.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 €300

$564 COP 1.8M

-39.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$954 €833

$2,078 COP 6.8M

-54.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 €625

$996 COP 3.2M

-28.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$461 €403

$530 COP 1.7M

-12.94%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $230 in Gjilan and $281 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 15% 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: $20.00 in Gjilan vs $28.00 in Santa Marta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $167 per month, with Gjilan 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

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

Gjilan and Santa Marta differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($647 vs $1,078 including rent). Gjilan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% 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: $230 in Gjilan versus $281 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Santa Marta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $647 per month in Gjilan versus $1,078 in Santa Marta – a 67% 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 67% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.