Cost of Living Comparison Between Taraz and Santa Marta Cost of Living Comparison Between Taraz and Santa Marta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $628 in Taraz versus $1,443 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,007 in Taraz versus $1,710 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,385 in Taraz versus $1,976 in Santa Marta.

Living in Taraz costs roughly 56% less than in Santa Marta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taraz is 54% below, Santa Marta is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.60 ₸3,875

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.04 ₸9,933

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 ₸2,915

Cappuccino

$1.57 ₸709

$3.77 COP 11.6K

-58.36%

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

$0.91 ₸408

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₸206

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ₸485

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 ₸803

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ₸490

$1.56 COP 4,810

-30.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 ₸183

$2.20 COP 6,758

-81.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ₸604

$1.24 COP 3,812

8.06%

Eggs

$1.73 ₸778

$2.56 COP 7,881

-32.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 ₸4,592

$8.43 COP 25.9K

20.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 ₸2,323

$9.98 COP 30.7K

-48.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 ₸3,810

$11.24 COP 34.6K

-24.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₸541

$4.16 COP 12.8K

-71.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 ₸983

$1.04 COP 3,193

109.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 ₸1,160

$1.12 COP 3,455

129.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 ₸634

$2.06 COP 6,327

-31.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ₸232

$0.93 COP 2,869

-45.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₸180

$1.57 COP 4,846

-74.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₸434

$0.99 COP 3,050

-3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₸352

$0.62 COP 1,920

25.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 ₸1,120

$4.04 COP 12.4K

-38.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.39 ₸1,978

$17.75 COP 54.6K

-75.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₸467

$1.44 COP 4,419

-27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₸710

$1.46 COP 4,494

7.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₸89.9

$0.97 COP 2,980

-79.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 ₸401

$3.23 COP 9,941

-72.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ₸170

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ₸1,731

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 ₸288

$1.31 COP 4,042

-51.15%

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

$27.7K ₸12.5M

$24.3K COP 74.8M

13.75%

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

$27.4K ₸12.3M

$34.7K COP 106.7M

-20.98%

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

$46.57 ₸21.0K

$161 COP 495.2K

-71.06%

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

$8.57 ₸3,861

$9.48 COP 29.2K

-9.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.84 ₸3,985

$22.23 COP 68.4K

-60.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.31 ₸16.4K

$32.38 COP 99.7K

12.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 ₸1,960

$5.40 COP 16.6K

-19.44%

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

$57.6 ₸25.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K COP 34.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.34 ₸11.9K

$87.4 COP 269.1K

-69.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.85 ₸15.3K

$63.5 COP 195.3K

-46.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 ₸50.0K

$97.2 COP 299.0K

14.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.9 ₸23.9K

$87.4 COP 268.9K

-39.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 ₸120.8K

$1,113 COP 3.4M

-75.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ₸50.3K

$771 COP 2.4M

-85.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ₸196.9K

$1,118 COP 3.4M

-60.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 ₸90.2K

$643 COP 2.0M

-68.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$836 ₸376.7K

$1,129 COP 3.5M

-25.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$598 ₸269.5K

$1,199 COP 3.7M

-50.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$276 ₸124.3K

$538 COP 1.7M

-48.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.83

19.54

-8.75%

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

Last update for Taraz: September 5, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $268 in Taraz and $1,113 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 95% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Taraz vs Santa Marta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taraz wins on cost – living expenses run 130% lower than in Santa Marta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taraz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Santa Marta. 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: $268 in Taraz versus $1,113 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Santa Marta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $628 per month in Taraz versus $1,443 in Santa Marta – a 130% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $628 in Taraz versus $1,443 in Santa Marta, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taraz but tight or insufficient in Santa Marta. The gap between the two cities makes Taraz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Taraz delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $628 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Taraz hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Taraz and Santa Marta 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 Taraz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 130% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.