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: $1,069 in Santa Marta versus $665 in Batangas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,416 in Santa Marta versus $973 in Batangas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,762 in Santa Marta versus $1,282 in Batangas.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Marta 20% lower, Batangas 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 COP 11.3K

$2.34 ₱143

53.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.43 COP 89.6K

$21.67 ₱1,326

31.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 COP 18.6K

$2.61 ₱159

126.05%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 4,899

$1.70 ₱104

-8.82%

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

$0.69 COP 2,165

$0.82 ₱49.88

-15.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 COP 1,374

$0.37 ₱22.74

18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 COP 2,594

$0.98 ₱60.0

-16.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,231

$1.39 ₱85.4

19.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 COP 3,700

$2.11 ₱129

-44.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,960

$1.24 ₱76.2

1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 COP 2,986

$0.87 ₱53.5

9.20%

Eggs

$2.33 COP 7,350

$1.89 ₱116

23.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.56 COP 11.2K

$4.98 ₱305

-28.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 COP 12.4K

$4.23 ₱259

-7.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 COP 25.0K

$7.08 ₱433

12.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 COP 5,460

$2.65 ₱162

-34.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,390

$1.54 ₱94.1

-50.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 COP 3,119

$2.73 ₱167

-63.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,403

$1.70 ₱104

-55.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 COP 1,730

$2.50 ₱153

-78.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 COP 3,199

$4.05 ₱248

-75.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 COP 3,321

$1.45 ₱88.9

-27.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 COP 1,602

$1.05 ₱64.3

-51.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 COP 7,683

$2.89 ₱177

-15.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.42 COP 48.6K

$7.91 ₱484

94.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 COP 4,635

$0.86 ₱52.7

70.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,480

$2.05 ₱125

-30.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,272

$0.26 ₱15.88

176.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.34 COP 45.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 COP 5,445

$0.83 ₱50.9

108.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 COP 5,754

$0.25 ₱15.12

632.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.68 COP 27.4K

$2.19 ₱134

296.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 COP 2,839

$1.10 ₱67.6

-18.18%

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

$21.7K COP 68.5M

$26.0K ₱1.6M

-16.36%

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

$26.3K COP 83.0M

$20.4K ₱1.2M

29.31%

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

$192 COP 604.3K

$162 ₱9,916

18.35%

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

$8.62 COP 27.2K

$19.09 ₱1,168

-54.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.37 COP 76.8K

$29.60 ₱1,811

-17.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.99 COP 59.9K

$27.76 ₱1,699

-31.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.88 COP 24.8K

$4.30 ₱263

83.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 COP 15.1K

$5.30 ₱324

-9.62%

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

$164 COP 517.2K

$79.9 ₱4,891

105.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,844 COP 15.3M

$1,412 ₱86.4K

243.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.10 COP 129.5K

$17.48 ₱1,070

135.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.71 COP 112.6K

$27.00 ₱1,652

32.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 COP 249.2K

$61.0 ₱3,731

29.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.6 COP 184.8K

$43.85 ₱2,684

33.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 COP 876.2K

$270 ₱16.5K

2.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 COP 1.4M

$78.6 ₱4,810

475.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$178 ₱10.9K

282.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 COP 1.8M

$106 ₱6,493

429.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,100 COP 6.6M

$2,508 ₱153.5K

-16.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$983 COP 3.1M

$1,652 ₱101.1K

-40.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$540 COP 1.7M

$169 ₱10.3K

219.73%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Batangas: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $278 in Santa Marta and $270 in Batangas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 220% 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: $28.00 in Santa Marta vs $22.00 in Batangas. Groceries flip the comparison at $168 vs $202, 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 ($1,069 vs $665 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 220% higher in Santa Marta, 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: $278 in Santa Marta versus $270 in Batangas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Santa Marta pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,069 per month in Santa Marta versus $665 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.