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 $1,078 per month in Santa Marta vs $546 in Gabes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,454 per month in Santa Marta vs $863 in Gabes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,830 per month in Santa Marta vs $1,181 in Gabes, rent included.

Santa Marta costs about 97% more than Gabes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Santa Marta and Gabes are more affordable than the global median – Santa Marta 19% lower, Gabes 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 COP 11.9K

$2.77 TND 7.84

32.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 COP 92.1K

$18.86 TND 53.4

50.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.22 COP 20.3K

$3.47 TND 9.82

79.25%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 5,037

$0.78 TND 2.21

98.72%

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

$0.73 COP 2,372

$0.69 TND 1.96

5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 COP 1,502

$0.27 TND 0.77

70.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 COP 2,676

$1.17 TND 3.32

-29.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 COP 5,483

$1.59 TND 4.52

5.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,629

$0.49 TND 1.38

126.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 COP 3,869

$0.20 TND 0.56

495.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 COP 2,919

$1.31 TND 3.71

-31.30%

Eggs

$2.45 COP 7,960

$1.72 TND 4.88

42.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.69 COP 12.0K

$11.98 TND 33.93

-69.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 COP 13.2K

$5.65 TND 16.00

-27.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 COP 25.5K

$13.67 TND 38.73

-42.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 COP 5,680

$1.54 TND 4.36

12.99%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,470

$2.84 TND 8.06

-73.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,197

$0.88 TND 2.49

11.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 COP 2,320

$0.61 TND 1.73

16.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 COP 1,671

$0.66 TND 1.88

-22.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 COP 3,231

$0.60 TND 1.70

65.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,387

$0.33 TND 0.93

215.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,791

$0.31 TND 0.88

77.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 7,835

$3.49 TND 9.89

-30.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 COP 49.0K

$3.31 TND 9.39

354.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,758

$0.69 TND 1.96

111.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,588

$0.82 TND 2.33

71.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,208

$0.20 TND 0.56

240.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.46 COP 47.1K

$6.97 TND 19.76

107.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 COP 5,481

$0.31 TND 0.88

441.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 5,820

$0.21 TND 0.59

752.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.42 COP 27.4K

$5.94 TND 16.84

41.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,194

$0.88 TND 2.49

11.36%

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

$21.2K COP 69.0M

$45.7K TND 129.5K

-53.64%

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

$26.2K COP 85.3M

$28.6K TND 81.1K

-8.44%

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

$192 COP 625.0K

$63.1 TND 179

204.36%

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

$8.78 COP 28.6K

$7.63 TND 21.63

15.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.15 COP 78.6K

$16.65 TND 47.18

45.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.49 COP 63.4K

$31.70 TND 89.8

-38.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.94 COP 25.9K

$4.64 TND 13.16

71.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 15.8K

$6.29 TND 17.83

-22.58%

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

$167 COP 543.1K

$56.9 TND 161

193.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,906 COP 16.0M

$3,204 TND 9,078

53.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.94 COP 130.0K

$31.86 TND 90.3

25.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 COP 115.2K

$40.35 TND 114

-12.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 COP 260.0K

$77.2 TND 219

3.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 COP 194.9K

$82.8 TND 235

-27.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 913.8K

$117 TND 332

139.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 COP 1.5M

$70.2 TND 199

540.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 COP 2.2M

$199 TND 565

243.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 COP 1.8M

$120 TND 341

367.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,078 COP 6.8M

$958 TND 2,714

116.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$996 COP 3.2M

$620 TND 1,757

60.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 COP 1.7M

$424 TND 1,201

25.08%

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 Gabes: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Santa Marta versus $117 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 25% 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 Gabes. Groceries tell a different story – $167 in Santa Marta vs $175 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 97%, 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 $1,617 per month in Santa Marta and $819 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 $167 per month in Santa Marta and $56.9 in Gabes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% 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 $1,078 in Santa Marta and $546 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.