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: $1,065 in Santa Marta versus $558 in Taraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,444 in Santa Marta versus $895 in Taraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,822 in Santa Marta versus $1,231 in Taraz.

Living in Santa Marta is roughly 91% more expensive than Taraz, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Marta 21% lower, Taraz 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.69 COP 12.9K

$5.82 ₸2,841

-36.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.20 COP 98.4K

$19.58 ₸9,563

44.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.23 COP 21.7K

$5.90 ₸2,880

5.59%

Cappuccino

$1.51 COP 5,259

$1.35 ₸661

11.85%

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

$0.67 COP 2,324

$0.81 ₸394

-17.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 COP 1,496

$0.40 ₸196

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 COP 3,059

$1.14 ₸558

-22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,738

$1.54 ₸753

6.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 COP 3,937

$0.95 ₸463

18.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 COP 4,321

$0.37 ₸182

235.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 COP 3,098

$1.19 ₸583

-25.21%

Eggs

$2.44 COP 8,533

$1.66 ₸809

46.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.57 COP 12.5K

$8.73 ₸4,265

-59.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 COP 13.5K

$4.53 ₸2,213

-14.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 COP 27.6K

$7.25 ₸3,541

8.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,965

$1.31 ₸640

30.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,633

$1.90 ₸930

-60.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,399

$2.00 ₸978

-51.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 COP 2,465

$1.98 ₸965

-64.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 COP 1,761

$0.59 ₸289

-15.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 COP 3,282

$0.40 ₸197

135.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,645

$1.01 ₸495

2.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,936

$0.71 ₸344

-22.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 COP 8,802

$1.98 ₸967

27.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 COP 48.3K

$4.22 ₸2,062

227.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 COP 5,143

$0.94 ₸458

56.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 COP 5,129

$1.59 ₸775

-7.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,355

$0.19 ₸91.2

252.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.33 COP 50.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 COP 5,873

$0.80 ₸392

110.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 COP 6,186

$0.39 ₸189

353.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.43 COP 29.4K

$3.54 ₸1,729

138.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 COP 3,336

$0.42 ₸207

128.57%

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

$21.0K COP 73.3M

$19.9K ₸9.7M

5.30%

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

$26.0K COP 90.8M

$21.3K ₸10.4M

22.22%

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

$197 COP 686.0K

$50.1 ₸24.4K

292.63%

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

$8.96 COP 31.3K

$8.00 ₸3,906

12.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.83 COP 83.2K

$7.91 ₸3,866

201.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.34 COP 67.5K

$32.53 ₸15.9K

-40.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.78 COP 27.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 COP 16.8K

$3.88 ₸1,894

23.97%

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

$166 COP 579.5K

$215 ₸105.1K

-22.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,887 COP 17.1M

$4,852 ₸2.4M

0.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.51 COP 141.4K

$23.35 ₸11.4K

73.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.31 COP 123.3K

$39.70 ₸19.4K

-11.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 COP 273.5K

$96.2 ₸47.0K

-18.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.5 COP 204.1K

$58.4 ₸28.5K

0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 COP 985.1K

$236 ₸115.3K

19.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 COP 1.5M

$97.3 ₸47.5K

348.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 COP 2.4M

$386 ₸188.4K

77.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 COP 1.9M

$174 ₸84.8K

215.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 COP 6.8M

$794 ₸387.9K

146.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$938 COP 3.3M

$549 ₸268.0K

70.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$482 COP 1.7M

$252 ₸123.2K

91.04%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Taraz: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Santa Marta and $236 in Taraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 91% 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 Taraz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $163 vs $162 per month, with Taraz 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 Taraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taraz wins on cost – living expenses run 91% 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 91% 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: $282 in Santa Marta versus $236 in Taraz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Santa Marta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,065 per month in Santa Marta versus $558 in Taraz – a 91% 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 $558 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 91% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.