😐A single person spends $1,078 per month in Santa Marta vs $704 in Da Nang, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,454 per month in Santa Marta vs $1,081 in Da Nang, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,830 per month in Santa Marta vs $1,458 in Da Nang, rent included.
😐Santa Marta costs about 53% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Santa Marta and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Santa Marta19% lower, Da Nang47% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.66COP 11.9K
$1.93₫50.8K
89.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.29COP 92.0K
$19.46₫511.6K
45.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.22COP 20.2K
$4.65₫122.2K
33.76%
Cappuccino
$1.55COP 5,030
$1.61₫42.3K
-3.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73COP 2,369
$0.51₫13.4K
43.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46COP 1,500
$0.29₫7,592
58.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.82COP 2,673
$1.07₫28.2K
-23.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68COP 5,476
$1.59₫41.7K
5.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.11COP 3,624
$1.38₫36.3K
-19.57%
White Bread(500g)
$1.19COP 3,864
$0.95₫24.9K
25.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.90COP 2,915
$1.17₫30.7K
-23.08%
Eggs
$2.45COP 7,949
$1.43₫37.5K
71.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.69COP 12.0K
$12.59₫331.0K
-70.69%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.07COP 13.2K
$3.64₫95.8K
11.81%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.85COP 25.5K
$9.79₫257.3K
-19.82%
Apples(1kg)
$1.74COP 5,673
$2.76₫72.4K
-36.96%
Banana(1kg)
$0.76COP 2,467
$0.94₫24.8K
-19.15%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.98COP 3,193
$1.12₫29.4K
-12.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.71COP 2,317
$1.05₫27.6K
-32.38%
Potato(1kg)
$0.51COP 1,668
$1.10₫28.9K
-53.64%
Onion(1kg)
$0.99COP 3,227
$1.19₫31.4K
-16.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04COP 3,383
$1.00₫26.3K
4.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55COP 1,788
$0.48₫12.7K
14.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.41COP 7,824
$1.38₫36.3K
74.64%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.04COP 48.9K
$7.52₫197.8K
100.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,752
$0.81₫21.4K
80.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41COP 4,582
$1.60₫42.1K
-11.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.68COP 2,205
$0.32₫8,321
112.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.46COP 47.0K
$3.73₫98.2K
287.67%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.68COP 5,474
$0.82₫21.5K
104.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.79COP 5,813
$0.69₫18.3K
159.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.42COP 27.4K
$12.03₫316.4K
-30.01%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.98COP 3,190
$0.91₫24.0K
7.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2KCOP 68.9M
$27.2K₫715.2M
-22.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2KCOP 85.2M
$28.1K₫739.3M
-6.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$192COP 624.2K
$74.1₫1.9M
159.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.78COP 28.6K
$5.97₫157.0K
47.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.15COP 78.5K
$8.07₫212.3K
199.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$19.49COP 63.4K
$20.06₫527.5K
-2.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.94COP 25.8K
$7.52₫197.6K
5.59%
Cinema Ticket
$4.87COP 15.8K
$3.00₫78.9K
62.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$167COP 542.4K
$153₫4.0M
8.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,906COP 16.0M
$12.8K₫336.9M
-61.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.94COP 129.8K
$39.61₫1.0M
0.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.37COP 115.0K
$25.60₫673.1K
38.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9COP 259.6K
$52.7₫1.4M
51.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.9COP 194.6K
$76.9₫2.0M
-22.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$281COP 912.6K
$365₫9.6M
-23.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$450COP 1.5M
$244₫6.4M
84.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$685COP 2.2M
$732₫19.2M
-6.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$564COP 1.8M
$458₫12.0M
23.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,078COP 6.8M
$3,767₫99.0M
-44.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$996COP 3.2M
$1,304₫34.3M
-23.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santa Marta
Da Nang
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$530COP 1.7M
$359₫9.4M
47.66%
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: July 14, 2026
Last update for Da Nang: July 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Santa Marta versus $365 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 48% 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 – $167 in Santa Marta vs $186 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 in Da Nang compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,078 in Santa Marta, $704 in Da Nang – roughly 53% 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 $1,617 per month in Santa Marta and $1,056 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 12% 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 compared to Da Nang?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,078 in Santa Marta and $704 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 $704 in Da Nang to $1,078 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