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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $735 per month in Jarabacoa vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Jarabacoa vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,710 per month in Jarabacoa vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Jarabacoa is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jarabacoa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Jarabacoa 45% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.51 DOP 495

$5.95 COP 21.1K

43.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.5 DOP 2,998

$33.33 COP 118.2K

54.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 DOP 431

$7.23 COP 25.7K

2.49%

Cappuccino

$2.63 DOP 153

$1.63 COP 5,779

61.35%

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

$1.04 DOP 60.5

$1.09 COP 3,882

-4.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 DOP 46.15

$0.73 COP 2,590

8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 DOP 146

$1.74 COP 6,163

43.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 DOP 301

$3.23 COP 11.5K

60.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 DOP 78.2

$1.05 COP 3,721

27.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 DOP 105

$1.29 COP 4,588

39.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 DOP 91.0

$1.32 COP 4,692

18.18%

Eggs

$2.23 DOP 130

$2.27 COP 8,055

-1.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 DOP 427

$4.35 COP 15.4K

68.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 DOP 374

$5.88 COP 20.9K

9.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 DOP 644

$8.61 COP 30.5K

28.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 DOP 192

$2.25 COP 7,970

46.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 DOP 49.89

$1.07 COP 3,793

-19.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 DOP 173

$1.52 COP 5,408

96.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 DOP 117

$1.42 COP 5,045

42.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 DOP 147

$1.17 COP 4,150

116.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 DOP 140

$1.17 COP 4,143

105.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 DOP 66.4

$0.89 COP 3,146

28.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 DOP 53.5

$0.90 COP 3,197

2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.94 DOP 345

$2.25 COP 7,963

164.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 DOP 619

$11.04 COP 39.2K

-3.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 DOP 161

$1.14 COP 4,041

142.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 DOP 186

$2.38 COP 8,435

34.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,963

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 148.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 DOP 200

$1.41 COP 4,991

143.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 DOP 129

$1.90 COP 6,742

16.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 DOP 340

$7.75 COP 27.5K

-24.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 DOP 76.5

$1.01 COP 3,566

30.69%

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

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

$17.6K COP 62.3M

48.96%

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

$31.4K DOP 1.8M

$26.5K COP 94.0M

18.51%

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

$77.1 DOP 4,482

$83.7 COP 296.8K

-7.91%

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

$25.24 DOP 1,468

$9.45 COP 33.5K

167.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.72 DOP 2,136

$24.11 COP 85.5K

52.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.20 DOP 1,175

$25.31 COP 89.8K

-20.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 DOP 404

$4.10 COP 14.5K

69.27%

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

$268 DOP 15.6K

$312 COP 1.1M

-14.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,157 DOP 474.5K

$5,993 COP 21.3M

36.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 DOP 3,532

$58.0 COP 205.8K

4.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 DOP 3,041

$32.56 COP 115.5K

60.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 DOP 5,660

$99.6 COP 353.3K

-2.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 DOP 6,601

$109 COP 384.9K

4.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

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 %)

12.9

13.43

-3.95%

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

Last update for Jarabacoa: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Jarabacoa versus $33.00 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 38%, 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 $1,103 per month in Jarabacoa and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $735 in Jarabacoa and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $268 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 $735, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.