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: $684 in Olongapo versus $1,069 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,019 in Olongapo versus $1,416 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,353 in Olongapo versus $1,762 in Santa Marta.

Living in Olongapo costs roughly 36% less than in Santa Marta, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Olongapo 49% lower, Santa Marta 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ₱213

$3.59 COP 11.5K

-3.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.49 ₱828

$28.43 COP 90.7K

-52.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.65 ₱163

$5.90 COP 18.8K

-55.08%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ₱145

$1.55 COP 4,959

52.26%

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

$0.64 ₱39.25

$0.69 COP 2,191

-7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.82

$0.44 COP 1,391

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ₱86.3

$0.82 COP 2,626

71.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₱100

$1.66 COP 5,296

-1.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ₱112

$1.17 COP 3,746

55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 ₱26.08

$1.26 COP 4,009

-66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₱52.6

$0.95 COP 3,023

-9.47%

Eggs

$2.11 ₱129

$2.33 COP 7,440

-9.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 ₱551

$3.56 COP 11.4K

152.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.81 ₱173

$3.92 COP 12.5K

-28.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 ₱534

$7.94 COP 25.3K

9.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ₱169

$1.73 COP 5,527

58.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ₱63.3

$0.76 COP 2,420

35.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ₱141

$0.99 COP 3,157

131.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₱74.7

$0.76 COP 2,432

60.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 ₱113

$0.55 COP 1,752

234.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 ₱142

$1.01 COP 3,238

128.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₱41.66

$1.05 COP 3,362

-35.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱26.06

$0.51 COP 1,621

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₱198

$2.44 COP 7,777

31.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 ₱536

$15.42 COP 49.2K

-43.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₱65.4

$1.47 COP 4,692

-27.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱138

$1.42 COP 4,535

59.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.54

$0.72 COP 2,300

-69.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.29 ₱1,123

$14.34 COP 45.8K

27.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₱55.6

$1.73 COP 5,512

-47.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.47

$1.83 COP 5,825

-87.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 ₱143

$8.68 COP 27.7K

-73.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.7

$0.90 COP 2,874

22.22%

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

$31.4K ₱1.9M

$21.7K COP 69.3M

44.76%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$26.3K COP 84.0M

-21.91%

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

$150 ₱9,189

$192 COP 611.8K

-21.96%

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

$34.06 ₱2,091

$8.62 COP 27.5K

295.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.98 ₱1,595

$24.37 COP 77.8K

6.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.94 ₱917

$18.99 COP 60.6K

-21.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.41 ₱271

$7.88 COP 25.1K

-44.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 ₱280

$4.79 COP 15.3K

-4.80%

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

$87.2 ₱5,357

$164 COP 523.6K

-46.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,794 ₱294.3K

$4,844 COP 15.5M

-1.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.98 ₱3,007

$41.10 COP 131.1K

19.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.40 ₱1,682

$35.71 COP 113.9K

-23.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 ₱4,551

$79.1 COP 252.3K

-6.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.01 ₱2,825

$58.6 COP 187.1K

-21.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 ₱7,509

$278 COP 886.9K

-56.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.4 ₱5,366

$452 COP 1.4M

-80.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₱16.2K

$680 COP 2.2M

-61.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$562 COP 1.8M

-68.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,480 ₱152.3K

$2,100 COP 6.7M

18.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$959 ₱58.9K

$983 COP 3.1M

-2.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$140 ₱8,615

$540 COP 1.7M

-74.03%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $122 in Olongapo and $278 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 285% 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 $168, 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 56% 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 285% 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: $122 in Olongapo versus $278 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $87.2 in Olongapo versus $164 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 8% 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 $684 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 56% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.