Cost of Living Comparison Between Santarem and Santiago de Compostela Cost of Living Comparison Between Santarem and Santiago de Compostela

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,333 in Santarem versus $1,491 in Santiago de Compostela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,081 in Santarem versus $2,281 in Santiago de Compostela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,828 in Santarem versus $3,071 in Santiago de Compostela.

Living in Santarem costs roughly 11% less than in Santiago de Compostela, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santarem is 3% below, Santiago de Compostela is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.81 €11.06

$13.72 €11.84

-6.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.51 €34.95

$69.6 €60.1

-41.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 €7.96

$9.63 €8.31

-4.26%

Cappuccino

$1.82 €1.57

$2.13 €1.83

-14.55%

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

$1.77 €1.53

$2.91 €2.51

-39.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.02

$2.30 €1.99

-48.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 €1.94

$3.22 €2.78

-30.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 €2.99

$4.16 €3.59

-16.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.24 €1.07

-4.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 €0.38

$1.22 €1.06

-63.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.40 €1.21

-15.71%

Eggs

$3.56 €3.07

$2.97 €2.56

19.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 €9.96

$9.05 €7.81

27.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.24 €6.24

$7.07 €6.10

2.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 €12.15

$17.33 €14.96

-18.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.44

$2.14 €1.84

32.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 €1.17

$2.11 €1.82

-36.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$1.50 €1.29

69.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 €1.92

$2.87 €2.48

-22.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 €1.28

$2.10 €1.81

-29.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 €1.39

$1.55 €1.34

3.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.18 €1.02

-3.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 €0.28

$0.87 €0.75

-63.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.10 €5.26

$6.11 €5.28

-0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.97 €5.15

$5.27 €4.55

13.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.50 €1.29

-14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 €3.25

$2.38 €2.06

58.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.32 €1.14

78.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.4 €49.48

$35.46 €30.60

61.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 €3.21

$5.06 €4.37

-26.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 €1.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.38 €16.73

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.79 €1.55

15.08%

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

$34.9K €30.1K

$36.3K €31.3K

-4.01%

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

$40.3K €34.8K

$30.1K €25.9K

34.04%

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

$137 €118

$161 €139

-15.05%

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

$21.21 €18.30

$22.63 €19.53

-6.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 €49.41

$34.78 €30.01

64.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.84 €33.52

$53.4 €46.07

-27.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.35 €2.03

Cinema Ticket

$7.15 €6.17

$10.33 €8.92

-30.78%

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

$444 €383

$354 €305

25.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K €16.6K

$8,689 €7,498

121.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 €70.8

$92.2 €79.6

-11.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.25 €33.87

$65.9 €56.9

-40.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €94.1

$106 €91.4

3.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 €121

$97.0 €83.7

44.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$671 €579

$762 €657

-11.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 €375

$541 €467

-19.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 €904

$1,092 €942

-3.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$818 €706

$931 €803

-12.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,259 €1,949

$3,145 €2,714

-28.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,148 €991

$2,246 €1,938

-48.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,093 €943

$1,950 €1,683

-43.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.76

2.96

60.81%

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

Last update for Santarem: August 29, 2026

Last update for Santiago de Compostela: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $671 in Santarem and $762 in Santiago de Compostela. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago de Compostela pays 78% 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: $41.00 in Santarem vs $70.0 in Santiago de Compostela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $248 per month, with Santarem 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

Santarem vs Santiago de Compostela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santarem wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Santiago de Compostela. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santarem the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Santiago de Compostela. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $671 in Santarem versus $762 in Santiago de Compostela. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Santarem runs roughly 62% less than in Santiago de Compostela. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $444 in Santarem versus $354 in Santiago de Compostela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,333 in Santarem versus $1,491 in Santiago de Compostela, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Santarem but tight or insufficient in Santiago de Compostela. The gap between the two cities makes Santarem 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, Santarem and Santiago de Compostela 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 Santarem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Santiago de Compostela. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.