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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,052 in Santa Marta versus $744 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,421 in Santa Marta versus $1,224 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,789 in Santa Marta versus $1,704 in Cali.

Living in Santa Marta is roughly 41% more expensive than Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Marta 21% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 COP 12.7K

$3.65 COP 13.0K

-2.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 COP 100.4K

$29.25 COP 104.5K

-3.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 COP 22.2K

$7.36 COP 26.3K

-15.63%

Cappuccino

$1.57 COP 5,615

$1.61 COP 5,754

-2.48%

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

$0.68 COP 2,426

$0.94 COP 3,353

-27.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 COP 1,663

$0.55 COP 1,979

-14.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 COP 3,146

$1.06 COP 3,775

-16.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,865

$2.56 COP 9,130

-35.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 COP 4,006

$1.22 COP 4,347

-8.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 COP 4,294

$1.53 COP 5,465

-21.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 COP 3,244

$1.21 COP 4,319

-24.79%

Eggs

$2.46 COP 8,782

$2.46 COP 8,779

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.56 COP 12.7K

$4.29 COP 15.3K

-17.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 COP 13.8K

$5.47 COP 19.5K

-29.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 COP 28.6K

$7.60 COP 27.1K

5.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 COP 6,446

$2.40 COP 8,570

-24.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 COP 2,736

$0.97 COP 3,474

-20.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 COP 3,533

$1.20 COP 4,274

-17.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 COP 2,647

$1.27 COP 4,548

-41.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 COP 1,955

$0.88 COP 3,148

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,515

$1.11 COP 3,949

-11.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,718

$0.75 COP 2,679

38.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 COP 1,827

$0.65 COP 2,323

-21.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 COP 8,896

$2.90 COP 10.3K

-14.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 COP 48.5K

$11.48 COP 41.0K

18.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 COP 5,281

$1.10 COP 3,932

34.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 COP 5,325

$1.84 COP 6,584

-19.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,573

$0.67 COP 2,407

7.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 COP 51.6K

$20.20 COP 72.1K

-28.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 COP 5,944

$1.54 COP 5,485

7.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 6,381

$1.88 COP 6,707

-4.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.51 COP 30.4K

$9.80 COP 35.0K

-13.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,271

$0.93 COP 3,304

-1.08%

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

$21.7K COP 77.3M

$21.4K COP 76.4M

1.27%

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

$26.3K COP 93.8M

$30.3K COP 108.3M

-13.40%

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

$196 COP 699.7K

$80.9 COP 289.0K

142.07%

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

$8.85 COP 31.6K

$8.78 COP 31.4K

0.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.02 COP 85.8K

$23.99 COP 85.7K

0.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.61 COP 70.0K

$19.60 COP 70.0K

0.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.63 COP 27.3K

$14.79 COP 52.8K

-48.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 COP 17.1K

$4.87 COP 17.4K

-1.85%

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

$161 COP 576.7K

$226 COP 807.0K

-28.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,882 COP 17.4M

$6,039 COP 21.6M

-19.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.46 COP 144.5K

$63.7 COP 227.5K

-36.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 COP 125.4K

$44.16 COP 157.7K

-20.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 COP 286.3K

$78.6 COP 280.5K

2.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 COP 208.2K

$89.5 COP 319.6K

-34.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 1.0M

$234 COP 834.7K

20.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 COP 1.6M

$186 COP 665.2K

134.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 COP 2.5M

$609 COP 2.2M

14.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 COP 2.0M

$408 COP 1.5M

38.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,900 COP 6.8M

$1,101 COP 3.9M

72.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$952 COP 3.4M

$890 COP 3.2M

6.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$468 COP 1.7M

$494 COP 1.8M

-5.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

11.58

-25.56%

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

Last update for Santa Marta: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cali: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Santa Marta and $234 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Santa Marta vs $29.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $163 vs $182 per month, with Santa Marta cheaper across the board.

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 Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cali earns 6% 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: $281 in Santa Marta versus $234 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $161 in Santa Marta versus $226 in Cali. 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 $1,000 a month, though Cali gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Santa Marta, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.