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: $558 in Taraz versus $1,065 in Santa Marta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $895 in Taraz versus $1,444 in Santa Marta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,231 in Taraz versus $1,822 in Santa Marta.

Living in Taraz costs roughly 48% less than in Santa Marta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taraz 58% lower, Santa Marta 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.82 ₸2,841

$3.69 COP 12.9K

57.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.58 ₸9,563

$28.20 COP 98.4K

-30.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 ₸2,880

$6.23 COP 21.7K

-5.30%

Cappuccino

$1.35 ₸661

$1.51 COP 5,259

-10.60%

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

$0.81 ₸394

$0.67 COP 2,324

20.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₸196

$0.43 COP 1,496

-6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₸558

$0.88 COP 3,059

29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₸753

$1.64 COP 5,738

-6.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 ₸463

$1.13 COP 3,937

-15.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 ₸182

$1.24 COP 4,321

-70.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ₸583

$0.89 COP 3,098

33.71%

Eggs

$1.66 ₸809

$2.44 COP 8,533

-31.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.73 ₸4,265

$3.57 COP 12.5K

144.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 ₸2,213

$3.88 COP 13.5K

16.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.25 ₸3,541

$7.90 COP 27.6K

-8.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 ₸640

$1.71 COP 5,965

-23.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₸930

$0.75 COP 2,633

153.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ₸978

$0.97 COP 3,399

106.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ₸965

$0.71 COP 2,465

178.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ₸289

$0.50 COP 1,761

18.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₸197

$0.94 COP 3,282

-57.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₸495

$1.04 COP 3,645

-2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₸344

$0.55 COP 1,936

29.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 ₸967

$2.52 COP 8,802

-21.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.22 ₸2,062

$13.84 COP 48.3K

-69.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₸458

$1.47 COP 5,143

-36.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₸775

$1.47 COP 5,129

8.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 ₸91.2

$0.67 COP 2,355

-71.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.33 COP 50.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 ₸392

$1.68 COP 5,873

-52.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ₸189

$1.77 COP 6,186

-77.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 ₸1,729

$8.43 COP 29.4K

-58.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.42 ₸207

$0.96 COP 3,336

-56.25%

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

$19.9K ₸9.7M

$21.0K COP 73.3M

-5.04%

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

$21.3K ₸10.4M

$26.0K COP 90.8M

-18.18%

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

$50.1 ₸24.4K

$197 COP 686.0K

-74.53%

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

$8.00 ₸3,906

$8.96 COP 31.3K

-10.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.91 ₸3,866

$23.83 COP 83.2K

-66.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.53 ₸15.9K

$19.34 COP 67.5K

68.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.78 COP 27.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.88 ₸1,894

$4.81 COP 16.8K

-19.33%

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

$215 ₸105.1K

$166 COP 579.5K

29.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,852 ₸2.4M

$4,887 COP 17.1M

-0.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.35 ₸11.4K

$40.51 COP 141.4K

-42.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 ₸19.4K

$35.31 COP 123.3K

12.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ₸47.0K

$78.4 COP 273.5K

22.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 ₸28.5K

$58.5 COP 204.1K

-0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 ₸115.3K

$282 COP 985.1K

-16.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.3 ₸47.5K

$437 COP 1.5M

-77.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 ₸188.4K

$686 COP 2.4M

-43.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₸84.8K

$548 COP 1.9M

-68.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$794 ₸387.9K

$1,955 COP 6.8M

-59.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$549 ₸268.0K

$938 COP 3.3M

-41.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 ₸123.2K

$482 COP 1.7M

-47.65%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $236 in Taraz and $282 in Santa Marta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 91% 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 $28.00 in Santa Marta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 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 91% 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 91% 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: $236 in Taraz versus $282 in Santa Marta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Santa Marta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $558 per month in Taraz versus $1,065 in Santa Marta – a 91% 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 $558 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 91% less than in Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.