😐A single person spends $1,052 per month in Santa Marta vs $720 in Da Nang, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,421 per month in Santa Marta vs $1,104 in Da Nang, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,789 per month in Santa Marta vs $1,488 in Da Nang, rent included.
😐Santa Marta costs about 46% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Santa Marta and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Santa Marta21% lower, Da Nang46% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.56COP 12.7K
$1.97₫51.8K
80.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.12COP 100.4K
$18.92₫497.2K
48.63%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.21COP 22.2K
$4.60₫120.8K
35.00%
Cappuccino
$1.57COP 5,615
$1.63₫42.9K
-3.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68COP 2,426
$0.50₫13.1K
36.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47COP 1,663
$0.29₫7,495
62.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.88COP 3,146
$1.02₫26.9K
-13.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64COP 5,865
$1.60₫42.0K
2.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.12COP 4,006
$1.43₫37.5K
-21.68%
White Bread(500g)
$1.20COP 4,294
$1.02₫26.9K
17.65%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.91COP 3,244
$1.15₫30.3K
-20.87%
Eggs
$2.46COP 8,782
$1.42₫37.4K
73.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.56COP 12.7K
$12.25₫321.8K
-70.94%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.86COP 13.8K
$3.63₫95.5K
6.34%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.02COP 28.6K
$10.13₫266.3K
-20.83%
Apples(1kg)
$1.81COP 6,446
$2.75₫72.2K
-34.18%
Banana(1kg)
$0.77COP 2,736
$1.00₫26.2K
-23.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.99COP 3,533
$1.09₫28.6K
-9.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.74COP 2,647
$1.07₫28.1K
-30.84%
Potato(1kg)
$0.55COP 1,955
$1.13₫29.8K
-51.33%
Onion(1kg)
$0.98COP 3,515
$1.15₫30.2K
-14.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04COP 3,718
$1.04₫27.4K
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51COP 1,827
$0.48₫12.6K
6.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.49COP 8,896
$1.36₫35.7K
83.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.57COP 48.5K
$7.71₫202.5K
76.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.48COP 5,281
$0.86₫22.7K
72.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49COP 5,325
$1.66₫43.7K
-10.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.72COP 2,573
$0.32₫8,325
125.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.44COP 51.6K
$3.92₫103.0K
268.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.66COP 5,944
$0.90₫23.6K
84.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.79COP 6,381
$0.69₫18.0K
159.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.51COP 30.4K
$11.67₫306.7K
-27.08%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.92COP 3,271
$0.89₫23.4K
3.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.7KCOP 77.3M
$26.8K₫705.1M
-19.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3KCOP 93.8M
$28.1K₫738.4M
-6.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$196COP 699.7K
$74.3₫2.0M
163.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.85COP 31.6K
$5.71₫150.1K
54.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.02COP 85.8K
$8.07₫212.1K
197.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$19.61COP 70.0K
$20.37₫535.3K
-3.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.63COP 27.3K
$7.65₫201.0K
-0.26%
Cinema Ticket
$4.78COP 17.1K
$3.11₫81.6K
53.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$161COP 576.7K
$156₫4.1M
3.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,882COP 17.4M
$12.7K₫333.9M
-61.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.46COP 144.5K
$38.62₫1.0M
4.76%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.11COP 125.4K
$26.00₫683.1K
35.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.2COP 286.3K
$52.7₫1.4M
52.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.3COP 208.2K
$75.8₫2.0M
-23.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$281COP 1.0M
$360₫9.5M
-22.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437COP 1.6M
$249₫6.5M
75.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$697COP 2.5M
$727₫19.1M
-4.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$563COP 2.0M
$459₫12.0M
22.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,900COP 6.8M
$3,870₫101.7M
-50.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$952COP 3.4M
$1,283₫33.7M
-25.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$468COP 1.7M
$353₫9.3M
32.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.62
10.67
-19.21%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Santa Marta: June 1, 2026
Last update for Da Nang: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Santa Marta versus $360 in Da Nang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 33% higher in Santa Marta, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Santa Marta versus $19.00 in Da Nang. Groceries tell a different story – $163 in Santa Marta vs $188 in Da Nang – so Santa Marta wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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 Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Santa Marta and Da Nang compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,052 in Santa Marta, $720 in Da Nang – roughly 46% apart. Santa Marta costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Santa Marta compared to Da Nang?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,579 per month in Santa Marta and $1,080 in Da Nang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Santa Marta and Da Nang?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Da Nang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Santa Marta – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Santa Marta and $19.00 in Da Nang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How far does $1,200 go in Santa Marta vs Da Nang?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,052 in Santa Marta and $720 in Da Nang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Santa Marta and Da Nang?
It depends on your priorities. Santa Marta has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $720 in Da Nang to $1,052 in Santa Marta. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Santa Marta or Da Nang safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Santa Marta and Da Nang?
If budget matters most, go with Da Nang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santa Marta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Santa Marta vs other spots: cost of living compared