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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,078 in Santa Marta versus $497 in Gampaha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,454 in Santa Marta versus $872 in Gampaha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,830 in Santa Marta versus $1,247 in Gampaha.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 COP 11.9K

$1.72 LKR 577

112.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 COP 92.1K

$25.50 LKR 8,569

10.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.22 COP 20.3K

$5.05 LKR 1,697

23.17%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 5,036

$2.13 LKR 715

-27.23%

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

$0.73 COP 2,372

$0.69 LKR 231

5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 COP 1,501

$0.38 LKR 127

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 COP 2,676

$2.21 LKR 743

-62.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 COP 5,483

$1.64 LKR 552

2.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,628

$1.78 LKR 597

-37.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 COP 3,869

$0.52 LKR 176

128.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 COP 2,919

$0.73 LKR 244

23.29%

Eggs

$2.45 COP 7,959

$2.21 LKR 741

10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.69 COP 12.0K

$14.34 LKR 4,819

-74.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 COP 13.2K

$4.38 LKR 1,470

-7.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 COP 25.5K

$7.94 LKR 2,667

-1.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 COP 5,680

$6.63 LKR 2,226

-73.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,470

$1.07 LKR 359

-28.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,197

$5.74 LKR 1,929

-82.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 COP 2,320

$1.25 LKR 421

-43.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 COP 1,670

$1.07 LKR 358

-52.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 COP 3,231

$1.38 LKR 464

-28.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,387

$0.31 LKR 105

235.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,791

$0.36 LKR 120

52.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 7,834

$10.14 LKR 3,407

-76.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 COP 49.0K

$12.48 LKR 4,193

20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,758

$1.54 LKR 517

-5.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,588

$2.64 LKR 889

-46.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,208

$0.34 LKR 115

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.46 COP 47.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 COP 5,481

$0.32 LKR 106

425.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 5,820

$0.35 LKR 118

411.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.42 COP 27.4K

$0.58 LKR 195

1351.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,194

$1.26 LKR 425

-22.22%

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

$21.2K COP 69.0M

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

-21.20%

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

$26.2K COP 85.3M

$34.7K LKR 11.7M

-24.49%

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

$192 COP 625.0K

$30.47 LKR 10.2K

530.10%

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

$8.78 COP 28.6K

$3.31 LKR 1,111

165.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.15 COP 78.6K

$12.24 LKR 4,112

97.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.49 COP 63.4K

$8.51 LKR 2,861

129.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.94 COP 25.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 15.8K

$3.40 LKR 1,144

43.24%

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

$167 COP 543.0K

$16.81 LKR 5,649

892.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,906 COP 16.0M

$137 LKR 45.9K

3493.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.94 COP 130.0K

$27.31 LKR 9,176

46.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 COP 115.1K

$9.88 LKR 3,322

258.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 COP 259.9K

$67.0 LKR 22.5K

19.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 COP 194.9K

$26.60 LKR 8,939

125.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 913.7K

$98.9 LKR 33.2K

183.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 COP 1.5M

$62.9 LKR 21.2K

614.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 COP 2.2M

$333 LKR 112.1K

105.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 COP 1.8M

$186 LKR 62.4K

203.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,078 COP 6.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$996 COP 3.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 COP 1.7M

$219 LKR 73.5K

142.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

-13.80%

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

Last update for Santa Marta: July 14, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Santa Marta and $98.9 in Gampaha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 142% 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 $26.00 in Gampaha. Groceries flip the comparison at $167 vs $242, 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 Gampaha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Marta and Gampaha differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($1,078 vs $497 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 142% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $281 in Santa Marta versus $98.9 in Gampaha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $167 in Santa Marta versus $16.81 in Gampaha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gampaha – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $28.00 in Santa Marta. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Gampaha gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Gampaha 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.