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: $706 in Bonao versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,099 in Bonao versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,492 in Bonao versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Bonao costs roughly 30% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bonao 47% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.59 DOP 325

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-5.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.06 DOP 1,572

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-17.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 DOP 291

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-32.71%

Cappuccino

$2.00 DOP 116

$1.65 COP 5,207

21.21%

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

$1.02 DOP 59.4

$1.10 COP 3,468

-7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 DOP 48.08

$0.78 COP 2,458

6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 DOP 140

$1.72 COP 5,412

39.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 DOP 181

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-1.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 DOP 78.4

$1.10 COP 3,474

22.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 DOP 82.4

$1.26 COP 3,962

12.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 DOP 55.5

$1.38 COP 4,349

-30.43%

Eggs

$1.57 DOP 91.5

$2.18 COP 6,858

-27.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 DOP 408

$4.49 COP 14.1K

56.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 DOP 323

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-3.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 DOP 643

$8.97 COP 28.2K

23.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 DOP 131

$2.32 COP 7,308

-2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 DOP 37.82

$1.06 COP 3,352

-38.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 DOP 132

$1.52 COP 4,774

48.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 DOP 77.3

$1.36 COP 4,270

-2.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 DOP 128

$1.13 COP 3,552

94.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 DOP 66.3

$1.17 COP 3,689

-2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 DOP 44.38

$0.90 COP 2,838

-15.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 DOP 33.37

$0.90 COP 2,823

-36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.61 DOP 326

$2.23 COP 7,034

151.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.23 DOP 420

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-40.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 DOP 137

$1.19 COP 3,743

99.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 DOP 189

$2.48 COP 7,815

31.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 DOP 31.06

$0.85 COP 2,687

-37.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.16 DOP 1,578

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-34.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 DOP 192

$1.42 COP 4,459

132.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 122

$1.95 COP 6,141

7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 DOP 140

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-69.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 DOP 69.9

$0.99 COP 3,118

21.21%

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

$26.5K DOP 1.5M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

50.76%

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

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

20.67%

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

$76.8 DOP 4,460

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-7.54%

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

$25.53 DOP 1,484

$9.70 COP 30.5K

163.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.39 DOP 1,998

$23.52 COP 74.1K

46.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.13 DOP 995

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-32.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$2.58 DOP 150

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-34.68%

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

$268 DOP 15.6K

$316 COP 994.2K

-15.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,993 DOP 464.4K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

33.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 DOP 3,514

$60.0 COP 188.9K

0.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 DOP 2,964

$31.82 COP 100.2K

60.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.22 DOP 1,989

$102 COP 320.1K

-66.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.36 DOP 1,938

$107 COP 338.3K

-68.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 DOP 8,231

$475 COP 1.5M

-70.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 DOP 5,866

$374 COP 1.2M

-73.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 DOP 16.8K

$849 COP 2.7M

-65.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 DOP 12.5K

$719 COP 2.3M

-70.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $142 in Bonao and $475 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 $202 vs $193, 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 42% in total monthly costs ($706 vs $1,003 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,059 in Bonao and $1,504 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: $142 in Bonao versus $475 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 53% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $268 in Bonao versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $706 in Bonao versus $1,003 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 42% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.