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: $1,078 in Santa Marta versus $747 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,454 in Santa Marta versus $1,229 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,830 in Santa Marta versus $1,710 in Cali.

Living in Santa Marta is roughly 44% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Marta 19% lower, Cali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 COP 11.9K

$3.65 COP 11.9K

0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 COP 92.0K

$29.20 COP 94.9K

-3.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.22 COP 20.2K

$7.41 COP 24.1K

-16.06%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 5,030

$1.58 COP 5,130

-1.90%

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

$0.73 COP 2,369

$0.95 COP 3,095

-23.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 COP 1,500

$0.60 COP 1,940

-23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 COP 2,673

$1.01 COP 3,297

-18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 COP 5,476

$2.61 COP 8,484

-35.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,624

$1.24 COP 4,029

-10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 COP 3,864

$1.47 COP 4,770

-19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 COP 2,915

$1.25 COP 4,076

-28.00%

Eggs

$2.45 COP 7,949

$2.48 COP 8,065

-1.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.69 COP 12.0K

$4.33 COP 14.1K

-14.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 COP 13.2K

$5.36 COP 17.4K

-24.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 COP 25.5K

$7.49 COP 24.4K

4.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 COP 5,673

$2.49 COP 8,108

-30.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,467

$0.92 COP 2,986

-17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,193

$1.15 COP 3,749

-14.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 COP 2,317

$1.31 COP 4,260

-45.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 COP 1,668

$0.89 COP 2,881

-42.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 COP 3,227

$1.11 COP 3,593

-10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,383

$0.75 COP 2,427

38.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,788

$0.68 COP 2,211

-19.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 7,824

$2.91 COP 9,454

-17.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 COP 48.9K

$12.88 COP 41.9K

16.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,752

$1.07 COP 3,478

36.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,582

$1.86 COP 6,040

-24.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,205

$0.73 COP 2,386

-6.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.46 COP 47.0K

$20.17 COP 65.6K

-28.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 COP 5,474

$1.55 COP 5,043

8.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 5,813

$1.90 COP 6,171

-5.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.42 COP 27.4K

$9.45 COP 30.7K

-10.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,190

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

$21.2K COP 68.9M

$21.9K COP 71.3M

-3.39%

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

$26.2K COP 85.2M

$29.6K COP 96.2M

-11.49%

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

$192 COP 624.2K

$83.3 COP 270.9K

130.42%

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

$8.78 COP 28.6K

$8.94 COP 29.1K

-1.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.15 COP 78.5K

$24.55 COP 79.8K

-1.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.49 COP 63.4K

$19.79 COP 64.3K

-1.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.94 COP 25.8K

$14.72 COP 47.9K

-46.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 15.8K

$4.88 COP 15.9K

-0.20%

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

$167 COP 542.4K

$222 COP 720.7K

-24.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,906 COP 16.0M

$5,871 COP 19.1M

-16.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.94 COP 129.8K

$64.0 COP 208.1K

-37.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 COP 115.0K

$43.51 COP 141.5K

-18.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 COP 259.6K

$76.3 COP 248.1K

4.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 COP 194.6K

$89.5 COP 291.1K

-33.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 912.6K

$241 COP 783.0K

16.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 COP 1.5M

$188 COP 611.5K

139.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 COP 2.2M

$615 COP 2.0M

11.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 COP 1.8M

$398 COP 1.3M

41.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,078 COP 6.8M

$1,258 COP 4.1M

65.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$996 COP 3.2M

$990 COP 3.2M

0.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 COP 1.7M

$554 COP 1.8M

-4.29%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Cali: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Santa Marta and $241 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 4% 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 $167 vs $184 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

Santa Marta and Cali differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,078 vs $747 including rent). Cali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 4% 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: $281 in Santa Marta versus $241 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $167 in Santa Marta versus $222 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 44% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.