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: $1,477 in Santa Marta versus $1,090 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,711 in Santa Marta versus $1,649 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Santa Marta versus $2,208 in Cali.

Living in Santa Marta is roughly 35% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Marta is 8% above, Cali is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 COP 24.2K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.08 COP 119.9K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 COP 27.1K

Cappuccino

$3.83 COP 12.1K

$1.62 COP 5,101

136.42%

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

$1.26 COP 3,965

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 2,749

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 COP 12.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 COP 5,076

$1.57 COP 4,959

2.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 COP 7,184

$1.99 COP 6,269

14.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,705

$1.51 COP 4,756

-21.85%

Eggs

$2.48 COP 7,795

$2.83 COP 8,904

-12.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.40 COP 26.4K

$6.43 COP 20.3K

30.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 COP 31.5K

$7.06 COP 22.2K

41.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 COP 35.7K

$10.39 COP 32.7K

9.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 COP 13.1K

$3.49 COP 11.0K

18.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 COP 3,216

$1.41 COP 4,448

-27.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,412

$1.76 COP 5,531

-38.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 COP 6,556

$1.75 COP 5,511

18.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,906

$1.45 COP 4,575

-36.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,849

$1.57 COP 4,939

-1.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 COP 3,069

$1.15 COP 3,632

-15.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,066

$1.04 COP 3,265

-36.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 COP 13.0K

$3.70 COP 11.7K

11.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.09 COP 53.8K

$13.26 COP 41.8K

28.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.45 COP 4,560

-2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 COP 4,417

$2.53 COP 7,974

-44.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 COP 2,850

$1.08 COP 3,415

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.95 COP 94.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 COP 10.3K

$0.84 COP 2,657

288.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,095

$1.30 COP 4,106

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

$23.8K COP 75.1M

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

$34.5K COP 108.7M

$35.7K COP 112.4M

-3.24%

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

$159 COP 499.5K

$114 COP 357.6K

39.69%

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

$9.41 COP 29.6K

$13.49 COP 42.5K

-30.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.28 COP 70.2K

$31.05 COP 97.8K

-28.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.72 COP 99.9K

$28.87 COP 90.9K

9.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 COP 16.9K

$8.43 COP 26.5K

-36.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K COP 34.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 COP 276.2K

$80.3 COP 252.8K

9.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 COP 196.3K

$54.4 COP 171.2K

14.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 COP 298.5K

$124 COP 391.0K

-23.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 COP 280.9K

$109 COP 343.0K

-18.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 COP 3.4M

$641 COP 2.0M

70.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 COP 2.4M

$299 COP 943.0K

152.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 COP 3.5M

$1,577 COP 5.0M

-30.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 COP 2.0M

$493 COP 1.6M

30.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,101 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,194 COP 3.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 COP 1.7M

$591 COP 1.9M

-8.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.54

11.58

68.74%

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

Last update for Santa Marta: August 29, 2026

Last update for Cali: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,094 in Santa Marta and $641 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Groceries & Markets. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Cali. 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: $1,094 in Santa Marta versus $641 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Santa Marta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,477 per month in Santa Marta versus $1,090 in Cali – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,090 in Cali versus $1,477 in Santa Marta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Santa Marta. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 35% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.