Cost of Living Comparison Between Jarabacoa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Jarabacoa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $717 per month in Jarabacoa vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,218 per month in Jarabacoa vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,718 per month in Jarabacoa vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Jarabacoa is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jarabacoa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Jarabacoa 46% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.56 DOP 516

$5.92 COP 21.2K

44.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 DOP 3,126

$33.17 COP 118.7K

56.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 DOP 456

$7.25 COP 25.9K

4.41%

Cappuccino

$2.65 DOP 160

$1.71 COP 6,137

54.97%

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

$1.00 DOP 60.1

$1.09 COP 3,915

-8.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 DOP 50.4

$0.77 COP 2,743

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 DOP 150

$1.75 COP 6,254

42.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 DOP 304

$3.18 COP 11.4K

58.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 DOP 83.7

$1.06 COP 3,792

31.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 DOP 109

$1.30 COP 4,657

39.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 DOP 89.7

$1.38 COP 4,926

7.97%

Eggs

$2.20 DOP 133

$2.21 COP 7,908

-0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 DOP 424

$4.52 COP 16.2K

55.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 DOP 387

$5.80 COP 20.7K

10.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.11 DOP 669

$8.97 COP 32.1K

23.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 DOP 194

$2.29 COP 8,182

40.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 55.6

$1.06 COP 3,791

-13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 DOP 174

$1.51 COP 5,411

91.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 DOP 115

$1.36 COP 4,869

41.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 DOP 153

$1.16 COP 4,146

119.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 DOP 140

$1.17 COP 4,174

98.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 67.8

$0.83 COP 2,960

36.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 DOP 58.7

$0.85 COP 3,043

15.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.67 DOP 341

$2.35 COP 8,423

141.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.51 DOP 693

$11.09 COP 39.7K

3.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 DOP 163

$1.15 COP 4,133

134.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 DOP 188

$2.47 COP 8,853

26.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 DOP 204

$1.44 COP 5,140

135.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 DOP 134

$1.90 COP 6,793

16.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 DOP 366

$7.70 COP 27.6K

-21.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 DOP 76.4

$1.03 COP 3,680

23.30%

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

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

$17.7K COP 63.3M

51.80%

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

$31.4K DOP 1.9M

$27.0K COP 96.7M

16.20%

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

$76.2 DOP 4,591

$81.4 COP 291.4K

-6.37%

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

$25.02 DOP 1,507

$9.42 COP 33.7K

165.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.51 DOP 2,139

$23.77 COP 85.1K

49.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.68 DOP 1,245

$25.86 COP 92.6K

-20.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 DOP 403

$4.05 COP 14.5K

65.19%

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

$271 DOP 16.3K

$312 COP 1.1M

-13.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,209 DOP 494.5K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

35.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 DOP 3,672

$58.9 COP 210.7K

3.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 DOP 3,156

$32.82 COP 117.5K

59.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 DOP 5,751

$100 COP 359.6K

-4.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 DOP 6,837

$106 COP 380.3K

6.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

13.43

-3.95%

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

Last update for Jarabacoa: April 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Jarabacoa versus $490 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jarabacoa versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Jarabacoa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,075 per month in Jarabacoa and $1,544 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $717 in Jarabacoa and $1,030 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $271 per month in Jarabacoa and $312 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jarabacoa, where all-in costs run around $717, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Jarabacoa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jarabacoa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jarabacoa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.