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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,047 in Santa Marta versus $562 in Taraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Santa Marta versus $884 in Taraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,781 in Santa Marta versus $1,206 in Taraz.

Living in Santa Marta is roughly 86% more expensive than Taraz, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Marta 22% lower, Taraz 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 COP 13.4K

$5.98 ₸2,767

-37.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.78 COP 103.9K

$19.50 ₸9,017

47.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.95 COP 21.5K

$5.80 ₸2,683

2.59%

Cappuccino

$1.54 COP 5,561

$1.35 ₸622

14.07%

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

$0.73 COP 2,641

$0.76 ₸351

-3.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 COP 1,686

$0.37 ₸172

27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 COP 2,979

$1.19 ₸552

-30.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 6,154

$1.60 ₸739

6.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,019

$1.00 ₸461

11.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 COP 4,320

$0.38 ₸175

215.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,439

$1.14 ₸526

-16.67%

Eggs

$2.40 COP 8,670

$1.75 ₸809

37.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.69 COP 13.3K

$8.89 ₸4,112

-58.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 COP 13.9K

$4.57 ₸2,112

-15.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 COP 28.1K

$7.03 ₸3,249

10.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 COP 6,223

$1.30 ₸601

32.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,713

$1.98 ₸914

-62.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,552

$1.99 ₸918

-50.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,691

$1.95 ₸900

-61.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 COP 1,975

$0.55 ₸256

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 COP 3,613

$0.37 ₸172

170.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,618

$0.92 ₸427

8.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,985

$0.71 ₸331

-22.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 8,695

$1.93 ₸891

24.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 COP 49.9K

$4.46 ₸2,064

209.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 COP 5,294

$0.93 ₸428

58.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 COP 5,300

$1.58 ₸729

-6.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,613

$0.18 ₸83.7

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.28 COP 51.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 COP 6,259

$0.77 ₸354

124.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 COP 6,627

$0.41 ₸190

348.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.54 COP 30.8K

$3.44 ₸1,592

148.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,521

$0.42 ₸195

133.33%

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

$21.1K COP 76.2M

$19.8K ₸9.2M

6.61%

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

$26.5K COP 95.7M

$21.9K ₸10.1M

21.28%

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

$191 COP 690.4K

$49.21 ₸22.8K

288.62%

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

$8.70 COP 31.4K

$7.61 ₸3,520

14.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.27 COP 87.6K

$7.73 ₸3,574

213.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.22 COP 69.4K

$31.95 ₸14.8K

-39.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 COP 28.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 COP 18.0K

$3.83 ₸1,770

30.03%

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

$167 COP 603.4K

$214 ₸98.9K

-21.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,881 COP 17.6M

$4,924 ₸2.3M

-0.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$23.66 ₸10.9K

72.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 COP 125.8K

$39.83 ₸18.4K

-12.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 COP 282.1K

$98.9 ₸45.7K

-20.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.6 COP 215.1K

$57.9 ₸26.8K

2.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 COP 1.0M

$238 ₸110.1K

17.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 COP 1.6M

$97.7 ₸45.2K

353.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 COP 2.5M

$385 ₸178.1K

82.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 COP 2.0M

$172 ₸79.7K

228.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,929 COP 7.0M

$834 ₸385.5K

131.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$941 COP 3.4M

$592 ₸273.6K

59.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 COP 1.8M

$277 ₸128.2K

75.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

16.25

-46.95%

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

Last update for Santa Marta: April 28, 2026

Last update for Taraz: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Santa Marta and $238 in Taraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 75% 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: $29.00 in Santa Marta vs $20.00 in Taraz. Groceries flip the comparison at $163 vs $163, 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 Taraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taraz wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Santa Marta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taraz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Santa Marta pays 75% more on average, 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: $280 in Santa Marta versus $238 in Taraz. 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 $1,047 per month in Santa Marta versus $562 in Taraz – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Taraz gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Taraz delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $562 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Taraz hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Santa Marta and Taraz 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 Taraz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.