😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,078 in Santa Marta versus $708 in Zaporizhzhya.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,454 in Santa Marta versus $1,100 in Zaporizhzhya.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,830 in Santa Marta versus $1,492 in Zaporizhzhya.
🌍Living in Santa Marta is roughly 52% more expensive than in Zaporizhzhya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Marta19% lower, Zaporizhzhya47% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santa Marta
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.66COP 11.9K
$7.05₴315
-48.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.29COP 92.1K
$24.37₴1,088
16.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.22COP 20.3K
$3.98₴178
56.28%
Cappuccino
$1.55COP 5,037
$0.83₴36.82
86.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73COP 2,372
$0.65₴29.09
12.31%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46COP 1,502
$0.44₴19.55
4.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.82COP 2,676
$0.99₴43.99
-17.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68COP 5,483
$1.49₴66.4
12.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santa Marta
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.11COP 3,629
$1.11₴49.59
-
White Bread(500g)
$1.19COP 3,869
$0.61₴27.28
95.08%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.90COP 2,919
$1.28₴56.9
-29.69%
Eggs
$2.45COP 7,960
$1.54₴68.9
59.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.69COP 12.0K
$7.21₴322
-48.82%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.07COP 13.2K
$4.05₴181
0.49%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.85COP 25.5K
$4.73₴211
65.96%
Apples(1kg)
$1.74COP 5,680
$0.89₴39.77
95.51%
Banana(1kg)
$0.76COP 2,470
$1.66₴74.1
-54.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.98COP 3,197
$1.82₴81.1
-46.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.71COP 2,320
$2.13₴95.0
-66.67%
Potato(1kg)
$0.51COP 1,671
$0.66₴29.67
-22.73%
Onion(1kg)
$0.99COP 3,231
$0.52₴23.07
90.38%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04COP 3,387
$1.00₴44.56
4.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55COP 1,791
$0.53₴23.79
3.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.41COP 7,835
$2.33₴104
3.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.04COP 49.0K
$4.52₴202
232.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,758
$0.82₴36.71
78.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41COP 4,588
$1.25₴55.9
12.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Santa Marta
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.68COP 2,208
$0.43₴19.06
58.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.46COP 47.1K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.68COP 5,481
$1.42₴63.3
18.31%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.79COP 5,820
$0.25₴11.20
616.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.42COP 27.4K
$2.46₴110
242.28%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.98COP 3,194
$1.37₴61.3
-28.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2KCOP 69.0M
$27.4K₴1.2M
-22.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2KCOP 85.3M
$17.1K₴764.9K
52.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santa Marta
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$192COP 625.0K
$115₴5,140
66.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.78COP 28.6K
$5.26₴235
66.92%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.15COP 78.6K
$5.47₴244
341.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santa Marta
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$19.49COP 63.4K
$30.70₴1,370
-36.51%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.94COP 25.9K
$4.84₴216
64.05%
Cinema Ticket
$4.87COP 15.8K
$3.67₴164
32.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santa Marta
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$167COP 543.1K
$72.7₴3,243
129.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,906COP 16.0M
$3,209₴143.2K
52.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santa Marta
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.94COP 130.0K
$57.7₴2,573
-30.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.37COP 115.2K
$39.91₴1,781
-11.38%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9COP 260.0K
$71.6₴3,196
11.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.9COP 194.9K
$103₴4,598
-41.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santa Marta
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$281COP 913.8K
$215₴9,575
30.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$450COP 1.5M
$189₴8,425
138.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$685COP 2.2M
$445₴19.9K
53.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$564COP 1.8M
$331₴14.8K
70.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,078COP 6.8M
$567₴25.3K
266.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$996COP 3.2M
$390₴17.4K
155.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santa Marta
Zaporizhzhya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$530COP 1.7M
$483₴21.6K
9.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.62
17
-49.29%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Santa Marta: July 14, 2026
Last update for Zaporizhzhya: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Santa Marta and $215 in Zaporizhzhya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Santa Marta pays 10% 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 $24.00 in Zaporizhzhya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $146 per month, with Zaporizhzhya 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 Zaporizhzhya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Santa Marta or Zaporizhzhya?
Zaporizhzhya wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Santa Marta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zaporizhzhya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Santa Marta or in Zaporizhzhya?
Average pay runs 10% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Santa Marta compared to Zaporizhzhya?
Rent for a central apartment: $281 in Santa Marta versus $215 in Zaporizhzhya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Santa Marta or in Zaporizhzhya?
Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Santa Marta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Santa Marta compared to Zaporizhzhya?
All in, you'll spend $1,078 per month in Santa Marta versus $708 in Zaporizhzhya – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $800/month in Santa Marta or in Zaporizhzhya?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Zaporizhzhya gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Santa Marta or Zaporizhzhya?
Both work as nomad bases, but Zaporizhzhya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $708 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zaporizhzhya hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Zaporizhzhya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Santa Marta vs other spots: cost of living compared