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: $1,447 in Santiago de Compostela versus $1,575 in Santarem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,174 in Santiago de Compostela versus $2,069 in Santarem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,900 in Santiago de Compostela versus $2,563 in Santarem.

Living in Santiago de Compostela costs roughly 8% less than in Santarem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santiago de Compostela 8% above, Santarem 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.87 €11.93

$13.91 €11.97

-0.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 €47.11

$39.99 €34.40

36.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 €8.30

$8.66 €7.45

11.43%

Cappuccino

$1.94 €1.67

$1.65 €1.42

17.58%

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

$2.36 €2.03

$1.31 €1.12

80.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.38 €1.18

46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 €2.61

$2.34 €2.02

29.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 €3.14

$3.41 €2.93

7.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.08 €0.93

6.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 €1.04

$0.47 €0.41

157.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 €1.39

$1.17 €1.01

37.61%

Eggs

$2.97 €2.55

$3.06 €2.63

-2.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 €7.99

$11.04 €9.50

-15.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 €5.42

$7.52 €6.47

-16.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 €14.64

$13.81 €11.88

23.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$2.60 €2.24

-29.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.37 €1.18

62.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 €1.32

$2.23 €1.92

-31.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 €2.44

$2.35 €2.02

20.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$1.48 €1.27

43.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.66 €1.43

-8.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 €1.01

$0.88 €0.76

34.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 €0.59

$0.30 €0.25

130.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.16 €5.30

$5.79 €4.98

6.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.39 €4.64

$6.00 €5.16

-10.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.28 €1.10

16.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.07

$3.83 €3.30

-37.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 €1.07

$2.26 €1.94

-44.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.88 €30.00

$42.55 €36.60

-18.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.94

$3.67 €3.15

24.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.39 €1.19

-9.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.95 €19.74

$17.62 €15.15

30.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.99 €1.72

-8.54%

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

$28.4K €24.4K

$34.8K €30.0K

-18.44%

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

$31.2K €26.9K

$39.8K €34.2K

-21.42%

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

$162 €140

$84.5 €72.7

92.30%

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

$21.15 €18.19

$21.79 €18.75

-2.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.39 €28.72

$49.45 €42.54

-32.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.32 €35.54

$38.87 €33.44

6.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.32 €2.00

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 €8.60

$6.88 €5.92

45.35%

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

$349 €300

$442 €381

-21.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,176 €7,033

$8,434 €7,255

-3.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.4 €66.5

$85.1 €73.2

-9.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.12 €27.63

$39.38 €33.87

-18.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 €74.2

$99.3 €85.4

-13.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.7 €84.1

$92.1 €79.2

6.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 €628

$910 €783

-19.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 €453

$728 €626

-27.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 €889

$1,457 €1,253

-29.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$881 €758

$689 €593

27.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,181 €2,737

$2,267 €1,950

40.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,224 €1,913

$1,183 €1,018

87.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,974 €1,698

$1,089 €937

81.19%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Santarem: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Santiago de Compostela and $910 in Santarem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago de Compostela pays 81% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $55.0 in Santiago de Compostela vs $40.00 in Santarem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $227 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 9% 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.

Santiago de Compostela pays 81% more on average, 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: $730 in Santiago de Compostela versus $910 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 22% less than in Santarem. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $349 in Santiago de Compostela versus $442 in Santarem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,447 in Santiago de Compostela versus $1,575 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 9% less than in Santarem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.