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: $1,574 in Santarem versus $1,422 in Santiago de Compostela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,046 in Santarem versus $2,169 in Santiago de Compostela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,518 in Santarem versus $2,916 in Santiago de Compostela.

Living in Santarem is roughly 11% more expensive than in Santiago de Compostela, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santarem 18% above, Santiago de Compostela 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.69 €11.96

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.83 €35.68

$55.9 €48.87

-27.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 €7.79

$9.96 €8.71

-10.54%

Cappuccino

$1.65 €1.44

$1.88 €1.64

-12.23%

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

$1.25 €1.09

$2.39 €2.09

-47.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.20

$2.03 €1.78

-32.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 €2.01

$3.11 €2.72

-26.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.09

$3.87 €3.38

-8.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 €0.90

$1.16 €1.01

-11.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 €0.42

$1.21 €1.05

-60.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 €0.98

$1.68 €1.47

-32.74%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.70

$2.98 €2.61

4.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.07 €9.67

$9.34 €8.16

18.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 €6.70

$6.47 €5.65

18.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 €12.24

$17.58 €15.36

-20.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 €2.32

$1.88 €1.64

41.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 €1.19

$2.23 €1.95

-38.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 €1.94

$1.54 €1.35

44.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.91 €2.54

-19.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 €1.23

$2.09 €1.83

-32.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 €1.39

$1.48 €1.30

7.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 €0.76

$1.18 €1.03

-26.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 €0.28

$0.70 €0.61

-54.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 €5.09

$6.08 €5.31

-4.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 €5.26

$5.17 €4.52

16.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.09

$1.44 €1.26

-13.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 €3.37

$2.50 €2.19

54.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.03

$1.25 €1.09

86.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.80 €37.39

$34.13 €29.82

25.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 €3.19

$4.73 €4.13

-22.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 €1.16

$1.23 €1.07

7.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 €15.25

$22.83 €19.94

-23.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.65

$1.81 €1.58

3.87%

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

$34.5K €30.2K

$28.9K €25.3K

19.45%

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

$39.7K €34.7K

$31.2K €27.3K

27.17%

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

$83.4 €72.9

$163 €143

-48.95%

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

$21.59 €18.86

$21.56 €18.84

0.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 €44.44

$32.84 €28.69

54.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.90 €33.99

$41.87 €36.58

-7.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.25 €1.96

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 €6.04

$9.97 €8.71

-30.69%

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

$438 €383

$342 €299

28.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,285 €7,238

$8,017 €7,004

3.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.1 €75.2

$76.3 €66.7

12.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.29 €33.45

$31.64 €27.64

21.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 €86.7

$85.1 €74.3

16.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 €81.3

$94.9 €82.9

-1.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$912 €797

$753 €658

21.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 €642

$526 €460

39.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 €1,301

$1,011 €883

47.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$684 €598

$853 €745

-19.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,239 €1,956

$3,050 €2,665

-26.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,123 €981

$2,197 €1,920

-48.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,086 €949

$1,941 €1,696

-44.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

3.33

59.76%

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

Last update for Santarem: July 13, 2026

Last update for Santiago de Compostela: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $912 in Santarem and $753 in Santiago de Compostela. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago de Compostela pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Santarem vs $56.0 in Santiago de Compostela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $244 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

Santiago de Compostela wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Santarem. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santiago de Compostela the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 79% 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: $912 in Santarem versus $753 in Santiago de Compostela. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Santiago de Compostela runs roughly 25% less than in Santarem. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $438 in Santarem versus $342 in Santiago de Compostela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,422 in Santiago de Compostela versus $1,574 in Santarem, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santiago de Compostela but tight or insufficient in Santarem. The gap between the two cities makes Santiago de Compostela 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 Santiago de Compostela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Santarem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.