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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,078 in Santa Marta versus $533 in Eldoret.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,454 in Santa Marta versus $937 in Eldoret.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,830 in Santa Marta versus $1,341 in Eldoret.

Living in Santa Marta is roughly 102% more expensive than in Eldoret, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Marta 19% lower, Eldoret 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 COP 11.9K

$5.47 KES 707

-33.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 COP 92.1K

$39.33 KES 5,082

-28.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.22 COP 20.3K

$6.62 KES 856

-6.04%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 5,036

$2.39 KES 309

-35.15%

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

$0.73 COP 2,372

$0.76 KES 98.1

-3.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 COP 1,501

$0.54 KES 69.4

-14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 COP 2,676

$2.35 KES 304

-65.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 COP 5,483

$2.85 KES 368

-41.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,628

$0.76 KES 97.6

46.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 COP 3,869

$0.48 KES 62.4

147.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 COP 2,919

$1.24 KES 160

-27.42%

Eggs

$2.45 COP 7,959

$1.63 KES 211

50.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.69 COP 12.0K

$3.95 KES 511

-6.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 COP 13.2K

$3.60 KES 466

13.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 COP 25.5K

$4.33 KES 560

81.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 COP 5,680

$3.12 KES 404

-44.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,470

$0.95 KES 123

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,197

$1.63 KES 211

-39.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 COP 2,320

$1.05 KES 136

-32.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 COP 1,670

$0.56 KES 73.0

-8.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 COP 3,231

$0.82 KES 106

20.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,387

$0.69 KES 88.6

50.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,791

$0.69 KES 89.0

-20.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 7,834

$3.10 KES 401

-22.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 COP 49.0K

$5.89 KES 761

155.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,758

$1.76 KES 228

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,588

$1.58 KES 204

-10.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,208

$1.42 KES 184

-52.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.46 COP 47.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 COP 5,481

$1.57 KES 203

7.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 5,820

$1.58 KES 205

13.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.42 COP 27.4K

$2.98 KES 386

182.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,194

$1.54 KES 199

-36.36%

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

$21.2K COP 69.0M

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-3.89%

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

$26.2K COP 85.3M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

29.76%

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

$192 COP 625.0K

$34.65 KES 4,477

454.08%

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

$8.78 COP 28.6K

$16.69 KES 2,157

-47.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.15 COP 78.6K

$39.58 KES 5,115

-38.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.49 COP 63.4K

$39.34 KES 5,083

-50.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.94 COP 25.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 15.8K

$4.95 KES 639

-1.62%

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

$167 COP 543.0K

$64.3 KES 8,311

159.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,906 COP 16.0M

$7,995 KES 1.0M

-38.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.94 COP 130.0K

$11.55 KES 1,493

245.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 COP 115.1K

$24.32 KES 3,142

45.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 COP 259.9K

$19.65 KES 2,540

306.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 COP 194.9K

$34.90 KES 4,510

71.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 913.7K

$91.7 KES 11.8K

206.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 COP 1.5M

$90.6 KES 11.7K

396.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 COP 2.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 COP 1.8M

$272 KES 35.2K

107.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,078 COP 6.8M

$631 KES 81.5K

229.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$996 COP 3.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 COP 1.7M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

-28.17%

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

Last update for Santa Marta: July 14, 2026

Last update for Eldoret: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Santa Marta and $91.7 in Eldoret. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Santa Marta vs $39.00 in Eldoret. Groceries flip the comparison at $167 vs $138, with Eldoret 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 Eldoret: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eldoret wins on cost – living expenses run 102% lower than in Santa Marta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Eldoret the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,617 in Santa Marta and $800 in Eldoret to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $281 in Santa Marta versus $91.7 in Eldoret. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Santa Marta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,078 per month in Santa Marta versus $533 in Eldoret – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Eldoret gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Eldoret delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $533 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Eldoret hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Eldoret gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.