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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $706 in Olongapo versus $1,494 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,054 in Olongapo versus $1,761 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,402 in Olongapo versus $2,028 in Santa Marta.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Olongapo is 48% below, Santa Marta is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 ₱256

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.71 ₱1,049

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.72 ₱171

Cappuccino

$1.80 ₱113

$3.98 COP 12.6K

-54.77%

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

$0.56 ₱35.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.23

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₱62.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱88.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₱106

$1.59 COP 5,043

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 ₱23.94

$2.28 COP 7,249

-83.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₱48.37

$1.20 COP 3,795

-35.83%

Eggs

$1.95 ₱123

$2.51 COP 7,955

-22.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.15 ₱323

$8.27 COP 26.3K

-37.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.48 ₱156

$9.91 COP 31.5K

-74.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 ₱508

$11.84 COP 37.6K

-31.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 ₱146

$4.18 COP 13.3K

-44.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 ₱61.7

$1.02 COP 3,223

-3.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

$1.10 COP 3,486

112.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₱67.1

$2.16 COP 6,846

-50.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.02 COP 3,228

69.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 ₱112

$1.63 COP 5,171

9.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ₱39.38

$1.01 COP 3,192

-37.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱24.38

$0.63 COP 1,986

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 ₱182

$4.22 COP 13.4K

-31.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 ₱533

$17.78 COP 56.4K

-52.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₱58.2

$1.49 COP 4,738

-37.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱127

$1.46 COP 4,637

38.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.87

$0.95 COP 3,010

-70.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.14 ₱637

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.82

$3.24 COP 10.3K

-76.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 ₱121

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱70.6

$1.31 COP 4,163

-13.74%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$24.7K COP 78.3M

-14.44%

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

$19.2K ₱1.2M

$35.3K COP 112.2M

-45.59%

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

$127 ₱7,968

$159 COP 506.3K

-20.37%

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

$17.63 ₱1,106

$9.78 COP 31.0K

80.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.03 ₱1,445

$22.89 COP 72.7K

0.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.18 ₱2,019

$32.48 COP 103.1K

-0.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.42 ₱277

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 ₱270

$5.37 COP 17.1K

-19.93%

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

$80.4 ₱5,043

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₱680.6K

$11.1K COP 35.2M

-2.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.72 ₱1,802

$89.9 COP 285.3K

-68.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.82 ₱1,244

$63.9 COP 203.0K

-69.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 ₱4,421

$97.4 COP 309.1K

-27.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.3 ₱3,534

$89.8 COP 285.2K

-37.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 ₱16.8K

$1,133 COP 3.6M

-76.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 ₱10.8K

$751 COP 2.4M

-77.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 ₱16.3K

$1,127 COP 3.6M

-76.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₱22.1K

$633 COP 2.0M

-44.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,283 ₱143.3K

$1,108 COP 3.5M

106.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,019 ₱63.9K

$1,188 COP 3.8M

-14.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$137 ₱8,603

$542 COP 1.7M

-74.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

19.54

-65.46%

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

Last update for Olongapo: September 13, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $268 in Olongapo and $1,133 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 296% 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

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

Olongapo wins on cost – living expenses run 112% lower than in Santa Marta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Olongapo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 296% 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: $268 in Olongapo versus $1,133 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Santa Marta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $706 per month in Olongapo versus $1,494 in Santa Marta – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $706 in Olongapo versus $1,494 in Santa Marta, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Olongapo but tight or insufficient in Santa Marta. The gap between the two cities makes Olongapo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Olongapo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $706 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Olongapo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Olongapo 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 Olongapo 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.