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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,052 per month in Santa Marta vs $556 in Gabes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,421 per month in Santa Marta vs $864 in Gabes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,789 per month in Santa Marta vs $1,173 in Gabes, rent included.

Santa Marta costs about 89% more than Gabes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Santa Marta and Gabes are more affordable than the global median – Santa Marta 21% lower, Gabes 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 COP 12.7K

$2.79 TND 8.07

27.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 COP 100.2K

$18.47 TND 53.5

52.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 COP 22.2K

$3.49 TND 10.10

77.94%

Cappuccino

$1.57 COP 5,605

$0.78 TND 2.24

101.28%

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

$0.68 COP 2,422

$0.66 TND 1.90

3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 COP 1,660

$0.25 TND 0.72

88.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 COP 3,140

$1.16 TND 3.37

-24.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,854

$1.56 TND 4.52

5.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 COP 3,999

$0.45 TND 1.31

148.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 COP 4,287

$0.20 TND 0.57

500.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 COP 3,238

$1.27 TND 3.67

-28.35%

Eggs

$2.46 COP 8,766

$1.74 TND 5.05

41.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.56 COP 12.7K

$12.34 TND 35.74

-71.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 COP 13.8K

$5.50 TND 15.92

-29.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 COP 28.6K

$13.96 TND 40.44

-42.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 COP 6,435

$1.51 TND 4.38

19.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 COP 2,731

$2.83 TND 8.21

-72.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 COP 3,527

$0.88 TND 2.56

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 COP 2,642

$0.59 TND 1.70

25.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 COP 1,952

$0.70 TND 2.03

-21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,509

$0.58 TND 1.67

68.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,711

$0.36 TND 1.03

188.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 COP 1,824

$0.31 TND 0.90

64.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 COP 8,881

$3.32 TND 9.61

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 COP 48.4K

$3.46 TND 10.01

292.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 COP 5,271

$0.69 TND 1.99

114.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 COP 5,316

$0.81 TND 2.35

83.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,568

$0.18 TND 0.53

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 COP 51.5K

$6.94 TND 20.10

108.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 COP 5,933

$0.31 TND 0.90

435.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 6,370

$0.20 TND 0.59

795.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.51 COP 30.3K

$6.21 TND 17.99

37.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,266

$0.87 TND 2.51

5.75%

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

$21.7K COP 77.2M

$46.2K TND 133.8K

-53.11%

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

$26.3K COP 93.6M

$28.4K TND 82.2K

-7.44%

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

$196 COP 698.5K

$65.3 TND 189

200.09%

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

$8.85 COP 31.5K

$7.66 TND 22.20

15.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.02 COP 85.6K

$16.61 TND 48.11

44.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.61 COP 69.9K

$32.80 TND 95.0

-40.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.63 COP 27.2K

$4.85 TND 14.05

57.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 COP 17.0K

$6.28 TND 18.20

-23.89%

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

$161 COP 575.7K

$56.7 TND 164

184.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,882 COP 17.4M

$3,232 TND 9,359

51.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.46 COP 144.2K

$31.99 TND 92.6

26.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 COP 125.2K

$41.20 TND 119

-14.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 COP 285.8K

$75.4 TND 218

6.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 COP 207.8K

$83.3 TND 241

-30.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 1.0M

$113 TND 328

147.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 COP 1.6M

$69.8 TND 202

526.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 COP 2.5M

$201 TND 582

246.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 COP 2.0M

$118 TND 341

377.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,900 COP 6.8M

$1,003 TND 2,906

89.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$952 COP 3.4M

$631 TND 1,828

50.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$468 COP 1.7M

$424 TND 1,228

10.36%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Gabes: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Santa Marta versus $113 in Gabes. 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 10% 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 $18.00 in Gabes. Groceries tell a different story – $163 in Santa Marta vs $176 in Gabes – 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 Gabes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Marta is pricier by about 89%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,579 per month in Santa Marta and $833 in Gabes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gabes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $161 per month in Santa Marta and $56.7 in Gabes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Santa Marta – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,052 in Santa Marta and $556 in Gabes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Gabes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Gabes. 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.