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: $1,069 in Santa Marta versus $555 in Taraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,416 in Santa Marta versus $888 in Taraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,762 in Santa Marta versus $1,222 in Taraz.

Living in Santa Marta is roughly 93% more expensive than in Taraz, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Marta 20% lower, Taraz 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 COP 11.2K

$5.98 ₸2,838

-39.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.43 COP 88.6K

$19.85 ₸9,410

43.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 COP 18.4K

$5.96 ₸2,826

-1.01%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 4,844

$1.41 ₸667

9.93%

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

$0.69 COP 2,140

$0.76 ₸361

-9.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 COP 1,358

$0.41 ₸194

7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 COP 2,565

$1.20 ₸567

-31.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,172

$1.52 ₸721

9.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 COP 3,658

$0.95 ₸449

23.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,915

$0.37 ₸178

240.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 COP 2,952

$1.19 ₸565

-20.17%

Eggs

$2.33 COP 7,266

$1.75 ₸828

33.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.56 COP 11.1K

$8.98 ₸4,258

-60.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 COP 12.2K

$4.55 ₸2,157

-13.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 COP 24.7K

$7.17 ₸3,400

10.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 COP 5,398

$1.30 ₸615

33.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,363

$1.89 ₸898

-59.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 COP 3,083

$1.92 ₸909

-48.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,375

$1.89 ₸898

-59.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 COP 1,711

$0.59 ₸280

-6.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 COP 3,162

$0.37 ₸177

172.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 COP 3,284

$0.99 ₸471

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 COP 1,583

$0.72 ₸343

-29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 COP 7,596

$1.98 ₸937

23.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.42 COP 48.1K

$4.32 ₸2,050

256.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 COP 4,582

$0.98 ₸463

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,429

$1.58 ₸749

-10.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,246

$0.18 ₸87.6

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.34 COP 44.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 COP 5,383

$0.82 ₸388

110.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 COP 5,689

$0.38 ₸181

381.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.68 COP 27.1K

$3.42 ₸1,622

153.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 COP 2,807

$0.42 ₸198

114.29%

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

$21.7K COP 67.7M

$19.8K ₸9.4M

9.49%

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

$26.3K COP 82.0M

$21.5K ₸10.2M

22.20%

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

$192 COP 597.5K

$51.1 ₸24.2K

275.32%

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

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$8.04 ₸3,813

7.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.37 COP 75.9K

$7.63 ₸3,620

219.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.99 COP 59.2K

$32.56 ₸15.4K

-41.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.88 COP 24.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 COP 14.9K

$3.98 ₸1,888

20.35%

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

$164 COP 511.4K

$215 ₸101.8K

-23.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,844 COP 15.1M

$4,961 ₸2.4M

-2.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.10 COP 128.1K

$23.25 ₸11.0K

76.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.71 COP 111.3K

$39.75 ₸18.8K

-10.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 COP 246.4K

$98.0 ₸46.4K

-19.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.6 COP 182.7K

$58.4 ₸27.7K

0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 COP 866.2K

$232 ₸110.2K

19.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 COP 1.4M

$96.2 ₸45.6K

369.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$394 ₸186.8K

72.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 COP 1.8M

$173 ₸82.0K

225.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,100 COP 6.5M

$805 ₸381.6K

160.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$983 COP 3.1M

$567 ₸268.6K

73.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$540 COP 1.7M

$264 ₸125.0K

104.90%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Taraz: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $278 in Santa Marta and $232 in Taraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 105% 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 $168 vs $163 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 93% 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.

Average pay runs 105% 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: $278 in Santa Marta versus $232 in Taraz. 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 $1,069 per month in Santa Marta versus $555 in Taraz – a 93% 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 $555 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 93% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.