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: $1,052 in Santa Marta versus $660 in Gjilan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,421 in Santa Marta versus $1,014 in Gjilan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,789 in Santa Marta versus $1,368 in Gjilan.

Living in Santa Marta is roughly 59% more expensive than Gjilan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Marta 21% lower, Gjilan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 COP 12.7K

$4.32 €3.72

-17.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 COP 100.4K

$19.90 €17.11

41.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 COP 22.2K

$5.53 €4.76

12.30%

Cappuccino

$1.57 COP 5,615

$1.41 €1.21

11.35%

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

$0.68 COP 2,426

$1.17 €1.01

-41.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 COP 1,663

$0.91 €0.79

-48.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 COP 3,146

$1.46 €1.26

-39.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,865

$1.36 €1.17

20.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 COP 4,006

$1.28 €1.10

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 COP 4,294

$0.45 €0.39

166.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 COP 3,244

$1.41 €1.21

-35.46%

Eggs

$2.46 COP 8,782

$1.54 €1.33

59.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.56 COP 12.7K

$6.17 €5.31

-42.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 COP 13.8K

$4.88 €4.20

-20.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 COP 28.6K

$10.54 €9.07

-23.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 COP 6,446

$1.26 €1.09

43.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 COP 2,736

$1.63 €1.41

-52.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 COP 3,533

$1.40 €1.20

-29.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 COP 2,647

$1.22 €1.05

-39.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 COP 1,955

$0.78 €0.67

-29.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,515

$0.81 €0.70

20.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,718

$0.67 €0.58

55.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 COP 1,827

$0.56 €0.48

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 COP 8,896

$3.56 €3.06

-30.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 COP 48.5K

$5.71 €4.91

137.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 COP 5,281

$0.95 €0.82

55.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 COP 5,325

$1.43 €1.23

4.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,573

$0.55 €0.48

30.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 COP 51.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 COP 5,944

$2.32 €2.00

-28.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 6,381

$0.53 €0.46

237.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.51 COP 30.4K

$5.87 €5.05

44.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,271

$1.52 €1.30

-39.47%

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

$21.7K COP 77.3M

$23.4K €20.1K

-7.42%

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

$26.3K COP 93.8M

$25.0K €21.5K

5.22%

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

$196 COP 699.7K

$68.3 €58.7

186.95%

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

$8.85 COP 31.6K

$10.53 €9.06

-15.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.02 COP 85.8K

$19.16 €16.48

25.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.61 COP 70.0K

$17.45 €15.01

12.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.63 COP 27.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 COP 17.1K

$4.54 €3.90

5.29%

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

$161 COP 576.7K

$170 €146

-4.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,882 COP 17.4M

$2,932 €2,522

66.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.46 COP 144.5K

$39.27 €33.78

3.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 COP 125.4K

$30.91 €26.59

13.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 COP 286.3K

$55.3 €47.55

45.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 COP 208.2K

$84.9 €73.0

-31.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 1.0M

$232 €199

21.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 COP 1.6M

$177 €152

147.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 COP 2.5M

$455 €392

52.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 COP 2.0M

$342 €294

64.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,900 COP 6.8M

$944 €812

101.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$952 COP 3.4M

$726 €625

31.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$468 COP 1.7M

$471 €405

-0.58%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Gjilan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Santa Marta and $232 in Gjilan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gjilan pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Santa Marta vs $20.00 in Gjilan. Groceries flip the comparison at $163 vs $164, 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 Gjilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Marta and Gjilan differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,052 vs $660 including rent). Gjilan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Gjilan earns 1% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $281 in Santa Marta versus $232 in Gjilan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Santa Marta pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,052 per month in Santa Marta versus $660 in Gjilan – a 59% 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 59% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.