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: $694 in Olongapo versus $1,065 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,029 in Olongapo versus $1,444 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,364 in Olongapo versus $1,822 in Santa Marta.

Living in Olongapo costs roughly 35% less than in Santa Marta, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Olongapo 48% lower, Santa Marta 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ₱210

$3.69 COP 12.9K

-5.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.47 ₱818

$28.20 COP 98.4K

-52.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.60 ₱158

$6.23 COP 21.7K

-58.27%

Cappuccino

$2.43 ₱148

$1.51 COP 5,259

60.93%

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

$0.65 ₱39.66

$0.67 COP 2,324

-2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₱24.60

$0.43 COP 1,496

-4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₱87.3

$0.88 COP 3,059

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₱98.2

$1.64 COP 5,738

-1.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ₱112

$1.13 COP 3,937

63.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 ₱25.56

$1.24 COP 4,321

-66.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱55.2

$0.89 COP 3,098

2.25%

Eggs

$2.15 ₱131

$2.44 COP 8,533

-11.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 ₱544

$3.57 COP 12.5K

150.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.86 ₱174

$3.88 COP 13.5K

-26.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.66 ₱526

$7.90 COP 27.6K

9.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 ₱160

$1.71 COP 5,965

54.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 ₱63.6

$0.75 COP 2,633

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 ₱137

$0.97 COP 3,399

132.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₱74.0

$0.71 COP 2,465

71.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 ₱111

$0.50 COP 1,761

266.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 ₱133

$0.94 COP 3,282

132.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₱40.91

$1.04 COP 3,645

-35.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.65

$0.55 COP 1,936

-23.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₱204

$2.52 COP 8,802

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 ₱557

$13.84 COP 48.3K

-33.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱62.2

$1.47 COP 5,143

-30.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱137

$1.47 COP 5,129

53.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.38

$0.67 COP 2,355

-67.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.05 ₱1,096

$14.33 COP 50.0K

25.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱52.7

$1.68 COP 5,873

-48.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.30

$1.77 COP 6,186

-87.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 ₱147

$8.43 COP 29.4K

-71.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱66.7

$0.96 COP 3,336

14.58%

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

$32.5K ₱2.0M

$21.0K COP 73.3M

54.90%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$26.0K COP 90.8M

-22.27%

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

$146 ₱8,892

$197 COP 686.0K

-25.49%

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

$34.60 ₱2,101

$8.96 COP 31.3K

286.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.33 ₱1,599

$23.83 COP 83.2K

10.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.36 ₱932

$19.34 COP 67.5K

-20.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.39 ₱266

$7.78 COP 27.1K

-43.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.36 ₱264

$4.81 COP 16.8K

-9.36%

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

$89.0 ₱5,404

$166 COP 579.5K

-46.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,793 ₱291.0K

$4,887 COP 17.1M

-1.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.25 ₱2,930

$40.51 COP 141.4K

19.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.97 ₱1,698

$35.31 COP 123.3K

-20.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ₱4,662

$78.4 COP 273.5K

-2.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.47 ₱2,822

$58.5 COP 204.1K

-20.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ₱7,670

$282 COP 985.1K

-55.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.7 ₱5,449

$437 COP 1.5M

-79.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₱16.0K

$686 COP 2.4M

-61.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 ₱10.7K

$548 COP 1.9M

-67.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,588 ₱157.1K

$1,955 COP 6.8M

32.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,005 ₱61.1K

$938 COP 3.3M

7.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$137 ₱8,316

$482 COP 1.7M

-71.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

8.62

-47.80%

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

Last update for Olongapo: June 6, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Olongapo and $282 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 252% 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: $13.00 in Olongapo vs $28.00 in Santa Marta. Groceries flip the comparison at $182 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

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

Olongapo wins on cost – living expenses run 53% 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, Santa Marta earns 252% 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: $126 in Olongapo versus $282 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $89.0 in Olongapo versus $166 in Santa Marta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Santa Marta pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Olongapo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Olongapo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $694 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 53% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.