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: $1,360 in Santa Tecla versus $710 in Tunja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,954 in Santa Tecla versus $1,084 in Tunja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,548 in Santa Tecla versus $1,458 in Tunja.

Living in Santa Tecla is roughly 92% more expensive than in Tunja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Tecla is 2% above, Tunja is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 $7.79

$2.73 COP 8,883

185.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.49 $35.49

$14.33 COP 46.7K

147.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 $6.86

$6.84 COP 22.3K

0.29%

Cappuccino

$3.32 $3.32

$1.07 COP 3,488

210.28%

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

$1.10 $1.10

$0.76 COP 2,463

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.59 COP 1,927

47.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.19 COP 3,874

63.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.09 COP 6,817

44.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.23 COP 3,997

41.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.11 COP 3,617

79.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.19 COP 3,890

24.37%

Eggs

$2.39 $2.39

$2.18 COP 7,108

9.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$4.05 COP 13.2K

78.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$5.95 COP 19.4K

-8.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 $10.73

$7.21 COP 23.5K

48.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.58 COP 8,409

25.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.17 COP 3,823

47.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.88 COP 2,867

184.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$0.86 COP 2,791

219.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.24 COP 4,046

73.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.95 COP 3,095

124.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.89 COP 2,881

13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.80 COP 2,618

33.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.66 COP 5,405

137.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.81 $11.81

$9.14 COP 29.8K

29.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.78 COP 2,532

117.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.53 COP 4,987

58.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 COP 1,762

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 $5.66

$0.70 COP 2,287

708.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.58 COP 5,148

96.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.26 $20.26

$6.07 COP 19.8K

233.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.00 COP 3,242

-3.00%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$19.2K COP 62.5M

30.99%

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

$28.7K $28.7K

$28.3K COP 92.3M

1.12%

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

$103 $103

$73.8 COP 240.2K

39.51%

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

$19.23 $19.23

$8.94 COP 29.1K

115.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.11 $41.11

$20.46 COP 66.6K

100.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.38 $25.38

$16.88 COP 55.0K

50.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 $5.16

$3.92 COP 12.7K

31.63%

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

$147 $147

$234 COP 763.3K

-37.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,937 $5,937

$2,442 COP 8.0M

143.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 $67.4

$63.6 COP 207.0K

6.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.73 $43.73

$32.91 COP 107.1K

32.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$84.6 COP 275.3K

37.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$37.75 COP 122.9K

176.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 $801

$290 COP 944.5K

176.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 $591

$235 COP 766.4K

150.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 $1,181

$514 COP 1.7M

129.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 $899

$427 COP 1.4M

110.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$407 $407

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tunja: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $801 in Santa Tecla and $290 in Tunja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Santa Tecla vs $14.00 in Tunja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $172 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 92% 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 $2,040 in Santa Tecla and $1,065 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: $801 in Santa Tecla versus $290 in Tunja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Santa Tecla. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,360 per month in Santa Tecla versus $710 in Tunja – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $710 in Tunja versus $1,360 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 92% less than in Santa Tecla. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.