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: $1,083 in Santa Marta versus $650 in Batangas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Santa Marta versus $952 in Batangas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Santa Marta versus $1,255 in Batangas.

Living in Santa Marta is roughly 67% more expensive than Batangas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Marta 19% lower, Batangas 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 COP 12.3K

$2.45 ₱148

46.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.72 COP 98.4K

$21.50 ₱1,295

33.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.91 COP 20.3K

$2.72 ₱164

117.28%

Cappuccino

$1.54 COP 5,291

$1.70 ₱102

-9.41%

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

$0.72 COP 2,452

$0.81 ₱48.98

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 COP 1,486

$0.38 ₱22.75

13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 COP 2,968

$1.03 ₱61.9

-15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 COP 5,599

$1.38 ₱83.1

18.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 COP 4,010

$2.15 ₱129

-45.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 COP 4,059

$1.21 ₱73.1

-2.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,273

$0.82 ₱49.37

15.85%

Eggs

$2.35 COP 8,057

$1.86 ₱112

26.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.68 COP 12.6K

$4.94 ₱297

-25.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.02 COP 13.8K

$4.17 ₱251

-3.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.00 COP 27.4K

$7.36 ₱443

8.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 COP 6,152

$2.64 ₱159

-32.20%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,598

$1.60 ₱96.1

-52.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 COP 3,475

$2.63 ₱159

-61.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,567

$1.64 ₱98.8

-54.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 COP 1,774

$2.53 ₱153

-79.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 COP 3,469

$4.15 ₱250

-75.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 COP 3,609

$1.41 ₱84.7

-25.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 COP 1,760

$1.02 ₱61.3

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 COP 8,434

$2.77 ₱167

-11.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.51 COP 49.7K

$7.59 ₱457

91.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 COP 4,809

$0.87 ₱52.6

60.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 COP 5,070

$1.95 ₱118

-24.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 COP 2,422

$0.28 ₱16.97

153.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.36 COP 49.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 COP 5,919

$0.78 ₱47.17

121.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 COP 6,035

$0.25 ₱14.93

604.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 COP 28.8K

$2.14 ₱129

292.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 COP 3,083

$1.15 ₱69.1

-21.74%

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

$21.6K COP 73.9M

$26.0K ₱1.6M

-16.95%

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

$26.3K COP 90.2M

$20.2K ₱1.2M

30.04%

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

$191 COP 654.8K

$162 ₱9,729

18.27%

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

$8.98 COP 30.8K

$19.40 ₱1,168

-53.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.13 COP 82.7K

$29.54 ₱1,779

-18.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.70 COP 67.5K

$28.00 ₱1,686

-29.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.71 COP 26.4K

$4.32 ₱260

78.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 COP 17.0K

$5.40 ₱325

-8.33%

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

$166 COP 570.6K

$80.3 ₱4,839

107.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,844 COP 16.6M

$1,411 ₱85.0K

243.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.59 COP 139.1K

$18.04 ₱1,087

125.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 COP 119.8K

$26.97 ₱1,624

29.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 COP 267.7K

$60.9 ₱3,667

28.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.2 COP 206.4K

$44.46 ₱2,678

35.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 963.2K

$268 ₱16.1K

4.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 COP 1.5M

$80.1 ₱4,826

446.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 COP 2.3M

$177 ₱10.7K

285.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$567 COP 1.9M

$106 ₱6,400

433.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,948 COP 6.7M

$2,656 ₱160.0K

-26.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$970 COP 3.3M

$1,703 ₱102.6K

-43.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$496 COP 1.7M

$171 ₱10.3K

189.59%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Batangas: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Santa Marta and $268 in Batangas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 190% 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 $166 vs $201, 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 67% in total monthly costs ($1,083 vs $650 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Santa Marta pays 190% 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: $281 in Santa Marta versus $268 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 $1,083 per month in Santa Marta versus $650 in Batangas – a 67% 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 67% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.