Cost of Living Comparison Between Bonao and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bonao and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $698 in Bonao versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,149 in Bonao versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,601 in Bonao versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Bonao costs roughly 58% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bonao is 49% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 DOP 591

$8.02 COP 25.0K

25.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 DOP 2,965

$47.87 COP 149.4K

5.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 DOP 470

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-19.21%

Cappuccino

$2.02 DOP 119

$3.13 COP 9,767

-35.46%

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

$1.08 DOP 63.6

$1.91 COP 5,954

-43.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 DOP 40.44

$1.51 COP 4,712

-54.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 DOP 153

$3.12 COP 9,747

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 DOP 210

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-37.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 DOP 61.7

$1.44 COP 4,509

-27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 DOP 61.0

$2.49 COP 7,759

-58.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 DOP 40.47

$1.77 COP 5,535

-61.02%

Eggs

$1.19 DOP 70.1

$2.96 COP 9,235

-59.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.19 DOP 305

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-48.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 DOP 325

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-45.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.62 DOP 389

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-53.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 DOP 135

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 DOP 39.30

$1.61 COP 5,019

-58.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 DOP 161

$2.25 COP 7,007

22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 DOP 82.2

$2.25 COP 7,028

-37.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 DOP 122

$2.04 COP 6,375

1.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 DOP 93.6

$1.54 COP 4,790

3.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 DOP 60.3

$1.17 COP 3,651

-11.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 DOP 29.18

$1.31 COP 4,077

-61.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 DOP 318

$3.90 COP 12.2K

38.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 DOP 437

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-46.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 DOP 126

$1.74 COP 5,439

23.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 DOP 176

$2.87 COP 8,956

4.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 DOP 32.26

$1.22 COP 3,792

-54.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.22 DOP 2,011

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-57.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 DOP 189

$1.31 COP 4,084

145.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 DOP 131

$2.19 COP 6,825

1.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 DOP 141

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-72.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 DOP 80.5

$1.37 COP 4,260

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

$23.7K DOP 1.4M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-14.68%

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

$34.3K DOP 2.0M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-4.09%

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

$95.4 DOP 5,603

$177 COP 553.2K

-46.22%

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

$32.04 DOP 1,883

$13.88 COP 43.3K

130.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.04 DOP 2,177

$29.72 COP 92.8K

24.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 DOP 452

$6.65 COP 20.7K

15.64%

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

$262 DOP 15.4K

$813 COP 2.5M

-67.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,398 DOP 434.7K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-19.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 DOP 2,702

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-48.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.44 DOP 2,788

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-19.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 DOP 5,207

$138 COP 431.2K

-35.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 DOP 7,563

$102 COP 318.7K

26.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.56

10.94

23.95%

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

Last update for Bonao: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $50.0 in Bonao vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $176 vs $305, with Bonao 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

Bonao vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bonao and Medellin differ by about 141% in total monthly costs ($698 vs $1,681 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,046 in Bonao and $2,521 in Medellin 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.

A monthly transit pass in Bonao runs roughly 135% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $262 in Bonao versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $698 in Bonao versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bonao but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bonao 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.

Expats usually find Bonao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.