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: $562 in Taraz versus $1,047 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $884 in Taraz versus $1,414 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,206 in Taraz versus $1,781 in Santa Marta.

Living in Taraz costs roughly 46% less than in Santa Marta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taraz 58% lower, Santa Marta 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.98 ₸2,745

$3.72 COP 13.5K

60.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.50 ₸8,947

$28.78 COP 104.7K

-32.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 ₸2,662

$5.95 COP 21.6K

-2.52%

Cappuccino

$1.35 ₸617

$1.54 COP 5,602

-12.34%

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

$0.76 ₸349

$0.73 COP 2,661

4.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₸171

$0.47 COP 1,698

-21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 ₸547

$0.83 COP 3,001

43.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₸733

$1.70 COP 6,200

-5.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 ₸458

$1.11 COP 4,049

-9.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 ₸174

$1.20 COP 4,353

-68.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ₸522

$0.95 COP 3,465

20.00%

Eggs

$1.75 ₸803

$2.40 COP 8,735

-27.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 ₸4,080

$3.69 COP 13.4K

140.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 ₸2,096

$3.84 COP 14.0K

19.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.03 ₸3,224

$7.78 COP 28.3K

-9.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 ₸597

$1.72 COP 6,270

-24.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₸907

$0.75 COP 2,734

164.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ₸911

$0.98 COP 3,578

103.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 ₸893

$0.75 COP 2,711

160.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ₸254

$0.55 COP 1,990

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₸171

$1.00 COP 3,639

-63.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₸423

$1.00 COP 3,645

-8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₸328

$0.55 COP 1,999

29.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 ₸884

$2.41 COP 8,760

-19.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.46 ₸2,048

$13.81 COP 50.2K

-67.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₸425

$1.47 COP 5,334

-36.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₸724

$1.47 COP 5,339

7.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₸83.0

$0.72 COP 2,632

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.28 COP 52.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₸351

$1.73 COP 6,305

-55.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ₸188

$1.84 COP 6,677

-77.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ₸1,580

$8.54 COP 31.1K

-59.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.42 ₸194

$0.98 COP 3,548

-57.14%

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

$19.8K ₸9.1M

$21.1K COP 76.8M

-6.20%

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

$21.9K ₸10.0M

$26.5K COP 96.5M

-17.54%

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

$49.21 ₸22.6K

$191 COP 695.5K

-74.27%

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

$7.61 ₸3,493

$8.70 COP 31.7K

-12.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.73 ₸3,546

$24.27 COP 88.3K

-68.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.95 ₸14.7K

$19.22 COP 69.9K

66.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 COP 28.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.83 ₸1,757

$4.98 COP 18.1K

-23.09%

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

$214 ₸98.1K

$167 COP 607.9K

28.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,924 ₸2.3M

$4,881 COP 17.8M

0.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.66 ₸10.9K

$40.77 COP 148.3K

-41.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.83 ₸18.3K

$34.85 COP 126.7K

14.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₸45.4K

$78.1 COP 284.2K

26.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 ₸26.6K

$59.6 COP 216.7K

-2.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 ₸109.2K

$280 COP 1.0M

-14.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.7 ₸44.8K

$444 COP 1.6M

-77.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 ₸176.7K

$702 COP 2.6M

-45.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 ₸79.1K

$566 COP 2.1M

-69.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$834 ₸382.5K

$1,929 COP 7.0M

-56.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$592 ₸271.5K

$941 COP 3.4M

-37.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 ₸127.2K

$486 COP 1.8M

-42.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.25

8.62

88.52%

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

Last update for Taraz: April 25, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $238 in Taraz and $280 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 75% 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: $20.00 in Taraz vs $29.00 in Santa Marta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $163 vs $163 per month, with Taraz 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

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

Taraz wins on cost – living expenses run 86% 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, Santa Marta earns 75% less. 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: $238 in Taraz versus $280 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Santa Marta pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $562 per month in Taraz versus $1,047 in Santa Marta – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Taraz gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Taraz delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $562 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 86% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.