Cost of Living Comparison Between Tunja and Santa Tecla Cost of Living Comparison Between Tunja and Santa Tecla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,289 in Tunja versus $1,415 in Santa Tecla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Tunja versus $2,042 in Santa Tecla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,798 in Tunja versus $2,670 in Santa Tecla.

Living in Tunja costs roughly 9% less than in Santa Tecla, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tunja is 7% below, Santa Tecla is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 COP 24.3K

$7.11 $7.11

11.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.90 COP 128.9K

$43.28 $43.28

-3.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 COP 30.4K

$7.18 $7.18

37.47%

Cappuccino

$2.65 COP 8,161

$3.50 $3.50

-24.29%

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

$1.31 COP 4,018

$1.11 $1.11

18.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,544

$0.79 $0.79

5.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 COP 5,680

$2.03 $2.03

-8.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.56 $3.56

7.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 COP 4,868

$1.69 $1.69

-6.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,526

$2.17 $2.17

12.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 COP 4,992

$1.38 $1.38

17.39%

Eggs

$3.62 COP 11.1K

$2.27 $2.27

59.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.17 COP 22.1K

$7.80 $7.80

-8.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.40 COP 22.8K

$5.56 $5.56

33.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.52 COP 32.4K

$10.08 $10.08

4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 COP 10.8K

$3.16 $3.16

11.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 COP 5,331

$1.47 $1.47

17.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 COP 6,006

$2.96 $2.96

-34.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 COP 5,562

$3.47 $3.47

-47.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 COP 4,576

$2.96 $2.96

-49.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,360

$3.38 $3.38

-57.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 COP 4,046

$0.94 $0.94

39.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,348

$0.91 $0.91

19.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 COP 13.3K

$3.97 $3.97

8.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 COP 38.9K

$12.16 $12.16

4.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 COP 4,509

$2.23 $2.23

-34.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 9,528

$2.97 $2.97

4.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 COP 3,428

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 COP 2,972

$6.02 $6.02

-83.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.47 COP 7,592

$3.01 $3.01

-17.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.55 COP 29.4K

$19.83 $19.83

-51.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,191

$1.16 $1.16

17.24%

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

$21.9K COP 67.3M

$25.1K $25.1K

-12.88%

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

$35.9K COP 110.3M

$27.6K $27.6K

29.93%

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

$123 COP 378.7K

$129 $129

-4.52%

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

$16.30 COP 50.2K

$21.28 $21.28

-23.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.59 COP 97.2K

$42.93 $42.93

-26.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.12 COP 111.2K

$25.06 $25.06

44.13%

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 COP 23.7K

$4.91 $4.91

56.82%

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

$467 COP 1.4M

$162 $162

188.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,557 COP 20.2M

$4,639 $4,639

41.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.0 COP 246.1K

$68.3 $68.3

17.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 COP 153.9K

$46.74 $46.74

7.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 COP 435.0K

$118 $118

20.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 COP 339.4K

$116 $116

-5.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 COP 2.1M

$790 $790

-13.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$564 $564

-15.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 COP 3.2M

$1,179 $1,179

-12.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 COP 2.9M

$884 $884

7.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,971 COP 6.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,646 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$400 $400

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.81

8.5

50.71%

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

Last update for Tunja: September 7, 2026

Last update for Santa Tecla: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tunja and $790 in Santa Tecla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Tunja vs $43.00 in Santa Tecla. Groceries flip the comparison at $261 vs $260, with Santa Tecla cheaper for home cooking.

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

Tunja vs Santa Tecla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tunja wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Santa Tecla. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tunja the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,934 in Tunja and $2,123 in Santa Tecla to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $682 in Tunja versus $790 in Santa Tecla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $1,289 per month in Tunja versus $1,415 in Santa Tecla – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,289 in Tunja versus $1,415 in Santa Tecla, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tunja but tight or insufficient in Santa Tecla. The gap between the two cities makes Tunja 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, Tunja and Santa Tecla 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 Tunja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Santa Tecla. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.