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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,047 in Santa Marta versus $651 in Batangas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Santa Marta versus $969 in Batangas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,781 in Santa Marta versus $1,288 in Batangas.

Living in Santa Marta is roughly 61% more expensive than Batangas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Marta 22% lower, Batangas 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 COP 13.4K

$2.43 ₱150

53.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.78 COP 103.9K

$20.88 ₱1,288

37.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.95 COP 21.5K

$2.59 ₱160

129.73%

Cappuccino

$1.54 COP 5,561

$1.72 ₱106

-10.47%

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

$0.73 COP 2,641

$0.83 ₱51.3

-12.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 COP 1,686

$0.37 ₱22.86

27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 COP 2,979

$1.02 ₱62.8

-18.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 6,154

$1.34 ₱82.4

26.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,019

$2.08 ₱128

-46.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 COP 4,320

$1.20 ₱73.9

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,439

$0.90 ₱55.6

5.56%

Eggs

$2.40 COP 8,670

$1.85 ₱114

29.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.69 COP 13.3K

$4.79 ₱296

-22.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 COP 13.9K

$4.16 ₱257

-7.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 COP 28.1K

$7.33 ₱452

6.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 COP 6,223

$2.61 ₱161

-34.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,713

$1.57 ₱97.1

-52.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,552

$2.60 ₱160

-62.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,691

$1.62 ₱100

-53.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 COP 1,975

$2.52 ₱155

-78.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 COP 3,613

$4.13 ₱255

-75.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,618

$1.40 ₱86.3

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,985

$1.02 ₱62.6

-46.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 8,695

$2.91 ₱179

-17.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 COP 49.9K

$7.43 ₱458

85.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 COP 5,294

$0.92 ₱56.5

59.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 COP 5,300

$1.96 ₱121

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,613

$0.26 ₱15.82

176.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.28 COP 51.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 COP 6,259

$0.77 ₱47.56

124.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 COP 6,627

$0.27 ₱16.68

581.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.54 COP 30.8K

$2.08 ₱128

310.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,521

$1.09 ₱67.0

-10.09%

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

$21.1K COP 76.2M

$25.4K ₱1.6M

-17.04%

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

$26.5K COP 95.7M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

28.36%

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

$191 COP 690.4K

$166 ₱10.2K

15.32%

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

$8.70 COP 31.4K

$19.22 ₱1,186

-54.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.27 COP 87.6K

$29.85 ₱1,841

-18.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.22 COP 69.4K

$27.00 ₱1,665

-28.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 COP 28.5K

$4.56 ₱281

73.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 COP 18.0K

$5.17 ₱319

-3.68%

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

$167 COP 603.4K

$82.9 ₱5,111

101.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,881 COP 17.6M

$1,392 ₱85.9K

250.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$17.53 ₱1,081

132.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 COP 125.8K

$26.41 ₱1,629

31.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 COP 282.1K

$63.3 ₱3,902

23.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.6 COP 215.1K

$44.55 ₱2,748

33.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 COP 1.0M

$267 ₱16.5K

4.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 COP 1.6M

$80.4 ₱4,961

451.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 COP 2.5M

$177 ₱10.9K

295.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 COP 2.0M

$108 ₱6,680

422.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,929 COP 7.0M

$2,586 ₱159.5K

-25.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$941 COP 3.4M

$1,646 ₱101.5K

-42.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 COP 1.8M

$169 ₱10.4K

188.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

8.13

6.03%

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

Last update for Santa Marta: April 28, 2026

Last update for Batangas: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Santa Marta and $267 in Batangas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 188% 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: $29.00 in Santa Marta vs $21.00 in Batangas. Groceries flip the comparison at $163 vs $199, 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

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

Santa Marta and Batangas differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($1,047 vs $651 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Santa Marta pays 188% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $280 in Santa Marta versus $267 in Batangas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Santa Marta pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,047 per month in Santa Marta versus $651 in Batangas – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Batangas 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, Santa Marta and Batangas 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 Batangas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.