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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,422 in Santiago de Compostela versus $1,574 in Santarem.

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

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

Living in Santiago de Compostela costs roughly 10% less than in Santarem, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.69 €11.96

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.9 €48.87

$40.83 €35.68

37.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 €8.71

$8.91 €7.79

11.78%

Cappuccino

$1.88 €1.64

$1.65 €1.44

13.94%

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

$2.39 €2.09

$1.25 €1.09

91.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.37 €1.20

48.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 €2.72

$2.30 €2.01

35.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 €3.38

$3.54 €3.09

9.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 €1.01

$1.03 €0.90

12.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 €1.05

$0.48 €0.42

152.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 €1.47

$1.13 €0.98

48.67%

Eggs

$2.98 €2.61

$3.10 €2.70

-3.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 €8.16

$11.07 €9.67

-15.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 €5.65

$7.67 €6.70

-15.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.58 €15.36

$14.01 €12.24

25.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 €1.64

$2.66 €2.32

-29.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.95

$1.37 €1.19

62.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 €1.35

$2.22 €1.94

-30.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 €2.54

$2.35 €2.05

23.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 €1.83

$1.41 €1.23

48.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.30

$1.59 €1.39

-6.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 €1.03

$0.87 €0.76

35.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.61

$0.32 €0.28

118.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 €5.31

$5.82 €5.09

4.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.17 €4.52

$6.02 €5.26

-14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.26

$1.25 €1.09

15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 €2.19

$3.86 €3.37

-35.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 €1.09

$2.33 €2.03

-46.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.13 €29.82

$42.80 €37.39

-20.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 €4.13

$3.65 €3.19

29.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 €1.07

$1.32 €1.16

-6.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.83 €19.94

$17.46 €15.25

30.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.58

$1.88 €1.65

-3.72%

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

$28.9K €25.3K

$34.5K €30.2K

-16.28%

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

$31.2K €27.3K

$39.7K €34.7K

-21.37%

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

$163 €143

$83.4 €72.9

95.89%

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

$21.56 €18.84

$21.59 €18.86

-0.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.84 €28.69

$50.9 €44.44

-35.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.87 €36.58

$38.90 €33.99

7.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.25 €1.96

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 €8.71

$6.91 €6.04

44.28%

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

$342 €299

$438 €383

-21.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,017 €7,004

$8,285 €7,238

-3.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 €66.7

$86.1 €75.2

-11.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.64 €27.64

$38.29 €33.45

-17.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 €74.3

$99.3 €86.7

-14.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 €82.9

$93.1 €81.3

2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 €658

$912 €797

-17.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 €460

$734 €642

-28.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 €883

$1,489 €1,301

-32.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$853 €745

$684 €598

24.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,050 €2,665

$2,239 €1,956

36.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,197 €1,920

$1,123 €981

95.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,941 €1,696

$1,086 €949

78.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.33

5.32

-37.41%

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

Last update for Santiago de Compostela: July 13, 2026

Last update for Santarem: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $753 in Santiago de Compostela and $912 in Santarem. 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: $56.0 in Santiago de Compostela vs $41.00 in Santarem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $229 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

Santiago de Compostela vs Santarem: 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.

Average pay runs 79% higher in Santiago de Compostela, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $753 in Santiago de Compostela versus $912 in Santarem. 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 $342 in Santiago de Compostela versus $438 in Santarem. 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, Santiago de Compostela and Santarem 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.