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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,078 in Santa Marta versus $647 in Gjilan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,454 in Santa Marta versus $1,007 in Gjilan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,830 in Santa Marta versus $1,368 in Gjilan.

Living in Santa Marta is roughly 67% more expensive than in Gjilan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Marta 19% lower, Gjilan 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 COP 11.9K

$4.40 €3.85

-16.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 COP 92.1K

$20.06 €17.55

41.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.22 COP 20.3K

$5.46 €4.78

13.92%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 5,037

$1.43 €1.25

8.39%

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

$0.73 COP 2,372

$1.11 €0.97

-34.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 COP 1,502

$0.93 €0.81

-50.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 COP 2,676

$1.42 €1.24

-42.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 COP 5,483

$1.42 €1.24

18.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,629

$1.31 €1.15

-15.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 COP 3,869

$0.47 €0.41

153.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 COP 2,919

$1.36 €1.19

-33.82%

Eggs

$2.45 COP 7,960

$1.51 €1.32

62.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.69 COP 12.0K

$6.03 €5.27

-38.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 COP 13.2K

$4.94 €4.32

-17.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 COP 25.5K

$10.36 €9.07

-24.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 COP 5,680

$1.20 €1.05

45.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,470

$1.59 €1.39

-52.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,197

$1.45 €1.27

-32.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 COP 2,320

$1.20 €1.05

-40.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 COP 1,671

$0.85 €0.74

-40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 COP 3,231

$0.83 €0.72

19.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,387

$0.73 €0.64

42.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,791

$0.53 €0.46

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 7,835

$3.38 €2.95

-28.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 COP 49.0K

$5.56 €4.87

170.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,758

$0.89 €0.78

64.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,588

$1.43 €1.25

-1.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,208

$0.60 €0.52

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.46 COP 47.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 COP 5,481

$2.28 €1.99

-26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 5,820

$0.50 €0.44

258.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.42 COP 27.4K

$5.83 €5.10

44.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,194

$1.54 €1.35

-36.36%

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

$21.2K COP 69.0M

$22.8K €20.0K

-7.13%

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

$26.2K COP 85.3M

$24.6K €21.5K

6.57%

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

$192 COP 625.0K

$70.3 €61.5

173.26%

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

$8.78 COP 28.6K

$10.66 €9.32

-17.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.15 COP 78.6K

$19.50 €17.06

23.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.49 COP 63.4K

$17.41 €15.23

11.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.94 COP 25.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 15.8K

$4.69 €4.10

3.84%

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

$167 COP 543.1K

$168 €147

-0.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,906 COP 16.0M

$2,874 €2,514

70.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.94 COP 130.0K

$38.98 €34.11

2.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 COP 115.2K

$31.52 €27.58

12.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 COP 260.0K

$56.6 €49.49

41.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 COP 194.9K

$83.7 €73.3

-28.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 913.8K

$230 €201

22.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 COP 1.5M

$173 €151

160.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 COP 2.2M

$468 €410

46.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 COP 1.8M

$343 €300

64.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,078 COP 6.8M

$954 €834

117.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$996 COP 3.2M

$715 €626

39.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 COP 1.7M

$461 €404

14.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

115.50%

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

Last update for Santa Marta: July 14, 2026

Last update for Gjilan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Santa Marta and $230 in Gjilan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 15% 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 $20.00 in Gjilan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $162 per month, with Gjilan cheaper across the board.

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 Gjilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Marta and Gjilan differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($1,078 vs $647 including rent). Gjilan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 15% 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 $230 in Gjilan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% 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 $647 in Gjilan – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Gjilan 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.

Safety-wise, Santa Marta and Gjilan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gjilan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.