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: $695 in Bonao versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,087 in Bonao versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,480 in Bonao versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Bonao costs roughly 32% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bonao 48% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.60 DOP 328

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-5.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.70 DOP 1,564

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-19.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 DOP 292

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-31.12%

Cappuccino

$1.97 DOP 116

$1.63 COP 5,687

20.86%

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

$1.00 DOP 58.5

$1.09 COP 3,821

-8.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 DOP 49.08

$0.73 COP 2,548

15.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 DOP 143

$1.74 COP 6,065

40.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 DOP 183

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-3.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 DOP 80.8

$1.05 COP 3,662

31.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 DOP 82.8

$1.29 COP 4,515

9.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 DOP 55.4

$1.32 COP 4,617

-28.03%

Eggs

$1.60 DOP 93.9

$2.27 COP 7,927

-29.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.17 DOP 420

$4.35 COP 15.2K

64.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 DOP 325

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-5.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.70 DOP 627

$8.61 COP 30.0K

24.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 DOP 137

$2.25 COP 7,844

4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 DOP 35.19

$1.07 COP 3,733

-43.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 DOP 130

$1.52 COP 5,322

45.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 DOP 77.4

$1.42 COP 4,964

-7.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 DOP 129

$1.17 COP 4,084

88.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 DOP 67.1

$1.17 COP 4,077

-1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 DOP 47.12

$0.89 COP 3,096

-10.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 DOP 33.13

$0.90 COP 3,146

-36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.67 DOP 332

$2.25 COP 7,837

152.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 DOP 423

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-34.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 DOP 145

$1.14 COP 3,977

117.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 DOP 191

$2.38 COP 8,301

36.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 DOP 32.04

$0.84 COP 2,916

-34.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.88 DOP 1,574

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-35.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 DOP 198

$1.41 COP 4,912

139.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 DOP 129

$1.90 COP 6,634

15.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 DOP 146

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-67.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 DOP 74.1

$1.01 COP 3,509

25.74%

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

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

52.92%

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

$31.1K DOP 1.8M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

17.30%

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

$74.8 DOP 4,384

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-10.58%

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

$25.29 DOP 1,482

$9.45 COP 33.0K

167.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.04 DOP 1,994

$24.11 COP 84.1K

41.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.29 DOP 1,013

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-31.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$2.59 DOP 152

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-36.83%

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

$264 DOP 15.5K

$312 COP 1.1M

-15.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,104 DOP 474.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

35.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 DOP 3,564

$58.0 COP 202.6K

4.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 DOP 3,034

$32.56 COP 113.6K

59.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.31 DOP 2,010

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-65.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.16 DOP 2,001

$109 COP 378.8K

-68.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 DOP 8,582

$482 COP 1.7M

-69.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 DOP 5,992

$379 COP 1.3M

-73.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$292 DOP 17.1K

$837 COP 2.9M

-65.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 DOP 12.6K

$723 COP 2.5M

-70.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.65%

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

Last update for Bonao: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $147 in Bonao and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Bonao vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $190, with Medellin 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 46% in total monthly costs ($695 vs $1,017 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,042 in Bonao and $1,525 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $147 in Bonao versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bonao runs roughly 56% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $264 in Bonao versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $695 in Bonao versus $1,017 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 46% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.