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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $715 per month in Jarabacoa vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,196 per month in Jarabacoa vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,677 per month in Jarabacoa vs $2,200 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 47% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.26 DOP 479

$5.93 COP 19.1K

39.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.96 DOP 2,899

$33.12 COP 106.5K

50.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 DOP 423

$7.12 COP 22.9K

2.25%

Cappuccino

$2.74 DOP 159

$1.71 COP 5,484

60.23%

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

$1.04 DOP 60.1

$1.05 COP 3,373

-0.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 DOP 46.03

$0.72 COP 2,323

9.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 DOP 152

$1.72 COP 5,529

52.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 DOP 293

$3.17 COP 10.2K

59.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 DOP 77.6

$1.06 COP 3,425

26.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 DOP 101

$1.31 COP 4,213

32.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 DOP 90.1

$1.33 COP 4,277

16.54%

Eggs

$2.27 DOP 132

$2.28 COP 7,334

-0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 DOP 423

$4.42 COP 14.2K

65.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 DOP 363

$5.92 COP 19.0K

5.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 DOP 639

$8.64 COP 27.8K

27.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 DOP 183

$2.34 COP 7,541

35.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 53.6

$1.10 COP 3,544

-16.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 DOP 169

$1.47 COP 4,721

97.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 DOP 113

$1.38 COP 4,437

41.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 DOP 144

$1.17 COP 3,772

111.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 DOP 134

$1.17 COP 3,763

96.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 63.5

$0.90 COP 2,904

21.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 56.4

$0.84 COP 2,707

15.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 DOP 331

$2.33 COP 7,486

145.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 DOP 617

$11.92 COP 38.3K

-10.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 DOP 154

$1.15 COP 3,692

130.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 DOP 188

$2.42 COP 7,787

34.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 DOP 192

$1.41 COP 4,539

134.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 DOP 127

$1.91 COP 6,157

14.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 DOP 340

$7.83 COP 25.2K

-25.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 DOP 76.9

$0.94 COP 3,035

41.49%

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

$26.6K DOP 1.5M

$17.8K COP 57.3M

49.34%

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

$31.8K DOP 1.8M

$27.1K COP 87.1M

17.30%

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

$75.7 DOP 4,390

$83.3 COP 267.8K

-9.13%

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

$25.47 DOP 1,478

$9.66 COP 31.1K

163.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.33 DOP 2,108

$24.22 COP 77.9K

50.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.72 DOP 1,202

$25.22 COP 81.1K

-17.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 DOP 385

$4.07 COP 13.1K

63.14%

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

$272 DOP 15.8K

$307 COP 986.0K

-11.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,974 DOP 462.7K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

33.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 DOP 3,450

$60.0 COP 192.8K

-0.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 DOP 2,944

$32.65 COP 105.0K

55.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 DOP 5,686

$101 COP 325.1K

-3.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 DOP 6,627

$108 COP 347.5K

5.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Jarabacoa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $192 – 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 42%, 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 $1,072 per month in Jarabacoa and $1,527 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $715 in Jarabacoa and $1,018 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $272 per month in Jarabacoa and $307 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 $715, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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.