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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,078 in Santa Marta versus $498 in Depok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,454 in Santa Marta versus $797 in Depok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,830 in Santa Marta versus $1,097 in Depok.

Living in Santa Marta is roughly 117% more expensive than in Depok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Marta 19% lower, Depok 63% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santa Marta
Depok
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.66 COP 11.9K
$1.27 Rp 22.8K
188.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.29 COP 92.1K
$12.26 Rp 220.3K
130.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.22 COP 20.3K
$3.46 Rp 62.2K
79.77%
Cappuccino
$1.55 COP 5,036
$1.51 Rp 27.2K
2.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 COP 2,372
$0.51 Rp 9,236
43.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 COP 1,501
$0.25 Rp 4,489
84.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.82 COP 2,676
$2.70 Rp 48.6K
-69.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 COP 5,483
$4.34 Rp 78.1K
-61.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santa Marta
Depok
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 COP 3,628
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
-5.93%
White Bread (500g)
$1.19 COP 3,869
$1.11 Rp 20.0K
7.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.90 COP 2,919
$0.93 Rp 16.7K
-3.23%
Eggs
$2.45 COP 7,959
$1.59 Rp 28.5K
54.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.69 COP 12.0K
$6.48 Rp 116.5K
-43.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.07 COP 13.2K
$3.14 Rp 56.5K
29.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.85 COP 25.5K
$7.75 Rp 139.3K
1.29%
Apples (1kg)
$1.74 COP 5,680
$2.49 Rp 44.7K
-30.12%
Banana (1kg)
$0.76 COP 2,470
$1.30 Rp 23.4K
-41.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.98 COP 3,197
$1.70 Rp 30.6K
-42.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.71 COP 2,320
$1.55 Rp 27.9K
-54.19%
Potato (1kg)
$0.51 COP 1,670
$1.41 Rp 25.4K
-63.83%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 COP 3,231
$2.56 Rp 46.0K
-61.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 COP 3,387
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
18.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 COP 1,791
$0.46 Rp 8,276
19.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.41 COP 7,834
$2.63 Rp 47.2K
-8.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.04 COP 49.0K
$21.23 Rp 381.5K
-29.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46 COP 4,758
$2.18 Rp 39.2K
-33.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,588
$3.23 Rp 58.0K
-56.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Santa Marta
Depok
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.68 COP 2,208
$0.24 Rp 4,275
183.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.46 COP 47.1K
$9.19 Rp 165.2K
57.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 COP 5,481
$0.72 Rp 13.0K
133.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.79 COP 5,820
$0.37 Rp 6,703
383.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.42 COP 27.4K
$2.54 Rp 45.6K
231.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 COP 3,194
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
18.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K COP 69.0M
$30.4K Rp 546.1M
-30.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K COP 85.3M
$32.4K Rp 581.5M
-19.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santa Marta
Depok
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$192 COP 625.0K
$44.62 Rp 801.9K
330.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.78 COP 28.6K
$4.45 Rp 80.0K
97.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.15 COP 78.6K
$27.38 Rp 492.1K
-11.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santa Marta
Depok
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.49 COP 63.4K
$9.30 Rp 167.1K
109.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.94 COP 25.9K
$4.21 Rp 75.6K
88.60%
Cinema Ticket
$4.87 COP 15.8K
$3.10 Rp 55.7K
57.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santa Marta
Depok
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$167 COP 543.0K
$94.8 Rp 1.7M
75.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,906 COP 16.0M
$7,710 Rp 138.6M
-36.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santa Marta
Depok
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.94 COP 130.0K
$41.07 Rp 738.1K
-2.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.37 COP 115.1K
$30.91 Rp 555.5K
14.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 COP 259.9K
$58.4 Rp 1.0M
36.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.9 COP 194.9K
$65.3 Rp 1.2M
-8.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santa Marta
Depok
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$281 COP 913.7K
$117 Rp 2.1M
139.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$450 COP 1.5M
$46.01 Rp 826.9K
877.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$685 COP 2.2M
$185 Rp 3.3M
269.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$564 COP 1.8M
$124 Rp 2.2M
354.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,078 COP 6.8M
$819 Rp 14.7M
153.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$996 COP 3.2M
$691 Rp 12.4M
44.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santa Marta
Depok
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$530 COP 1.7M
$349 Rp 6.3M
52.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
9.15
-5.79%

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

Last update for Santa Marta: July 14, 2026

Last update for Depok: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Santa Marta and $117 in Depok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 52% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28.00 in Santa Marta vs $12.00 in Depok. Groceries flip the comparison at $167 vs $204, with Santa Marta cheaper for home cooking.

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 Depok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Santa Marta or Depok?
Depok wins on cost – living expenses run 117% lower than in Santa Marta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Depok the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Santa Marta or in Depok?
Average pay runs 52% higher in Santa Marta, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Santa Marta compared to Depok?
Rent for a central apartment: $281 in Santa Marta versus $117 in Depok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Santa Marta or in Depok?
Shoppers in Santa Marta pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Santa Marta and in Depok?
Dining out is cheaper in Depok – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $28.00 in Santa Marta. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $800/month in Santa Marta or in Depok?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Depok gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Santa Marta or Depok?
Both work as nomad bases, but Depok delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $498 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Depok hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Depok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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