Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Tecla and Tunja Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Tecla and Tunja

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,375 in Santa Tecla versus $702 in Tunja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,962 in Santa Tecla versus $1,066 in Tunja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,548 in Santa Tecla versus $1,430 in Tunja.

Living in Santa Tecla is roughly 96% more expensive than Tunja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Tecla is 3% above, Tunja is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.81 $7.81

$2.71 COP 9,688

188.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.13 $35.13

$14.74 COP 52.6K

138.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 $7.09

$6.90 COP 24.6K

2.75%

Cappuccino

$3.31 $3.31

$1.10 COP 3,935

200.91%

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

$1.09 $1.09

$0.71 COP 2,521

53.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.59 COP 2,122

52.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.19 COP 4,258

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.03 COP 7,232

43.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.22 COP 4,364

44.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.08 COP 3,845

89.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.21 COP 4,318

28.10%

Eggs

$2.38 $2.38

$2.16 COP 7,728

10.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 $6.94

$4.22 COP 15.1K

64.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$5.83 COP 20.8K

-3.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 $10.80

$7.42 COP 26.5K

45.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.53 COP 9,022

22.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.22 COP 4,358

36.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$0.89 COP 3,161

194.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$0.87 COP 3,093

201.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.21 COP 4,311

86.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.03 COP 3,670

106.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.91 COP 3,238

9.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.74 COP 2,641

44.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.68 COP 6,015

141.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 $11.21

$7.95 COP 28.4K

41.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.77 COP 2,761

122.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.54 COP 5,511

64.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 COP 1,820

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 $5.44

$0.70 COP 2,485

677.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.60 COP 5,714

87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.18 $20.18

$6.20 COP 22.1K

225.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.98 COP 3,487

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$19.7K COP 70.3M

31.55%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$28.1K COP 100.4M

1.46%

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

$103 $103

$74.6 COP 266.3K

37.70%

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

$19.19 $19.19

$8.73 COP 31.2K

119.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.32 $42.32

$21.05 COP 75.2K

101.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.70 $24.70

$16.97 COP 60.6K

45.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 $5.11

$3.96 COP 14.2K

29.04%

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

$147 $147

$242 COP 862.6K

-39.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,045 $6,045

$2,416 COP 8.6M

150.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$65.7 COP 234.5K

2.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.92 $43.92

$32.30 COP 115.3K

35.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$82.5 COP 294.6K

37.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$38.83 COP 138.7K

174.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 $786

$284 COP 1.0M

177.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 $606

$234 COP 834.8K

159.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 $1,210

$522 COP 1.9M

131.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$913 $913

$434 COP 1.6M

110.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$413 $413

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.58

15.25

-43.74%

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

Last update for Santa Tecla: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tunja: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $786 in Santa Tecla and $284 in Tunja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Santa Tecla vs $15.00 in Tunja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $169 per month, with Tunja 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 Tecla vs Tunja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tunja wins on cost – living expenses run 96% lower than in Santa Tecla. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tunja the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,063 in Santa Tecla and $1,054 in Tunja to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $786 in Santa Tecla versus $284 in Tunja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Santa Tecla. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,375 per month in Santa Tecla versus $702 in Tunja – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $702 in Tunja versus $1,375 in Santa Tecla, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tunja but tight or insufficient in Santa Tecla. The gap between the two cities makes Tunja the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Tecla and Tunja 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 Tunja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Santa Tecla. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.