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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $718 per month in Jarabacoa vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,204 per month in Jarabacoa vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,690 per month in Jarabacoa vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Jarabacoa is about 56% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Jarabacoa sits 48% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.15 DOP 599

$8.04 COP 24.8K

26.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 DOP 3,046

$48.29 COP 148.6K

7.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 DOP 471

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-15.18%

Cappuccino

$2.37 DOP 140

$2.94 COP 9,040

-19.39%

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

$1.14 DOP 67.1

$1.86 COP 5,735

-38.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 DOP 40.67

$1.46 COP 4,479

-52.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 DOP 153

$3.21 COP 9,882

-19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 DOP 208

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-38.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 DOP 82.5

$1.44 COP 4,428

-2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 DOP 90.1

$2.40 COP 7,389

-36.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 DOP 94.1

$1.70 COP 5,228

-5.88%

Eggs

$2.41 DOP 142

$2.89 COP 8,896

-16.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 DOP 429

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-27.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.86 DOP 345

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-41.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.00 DOP 413

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-50.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 DOP 191

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-18.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 47.77

$1.58 COP 4,878

-48.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 DOP 168

$2.15 COP 6,624

32.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 DOP 109

$2.30 COP 7,078

-19.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 DOP 120

$2.00 COP 6,169

1.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 DOP 132

$1.51 COP 4,646

48.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 DOP 59.9

$1.20 COP 3,701

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 DOP 60.5

$1.28 COP 3,946

-19.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.54 DOP 327

$3.84 COP 11.8K

44.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 DOP 617

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 DOP 157

$1.71 COP 5,256

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 DOP 175

$2.74 COP 8,440

8.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 DOP 203

$1.31 COP 4,016

162.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 DOP 137

$2.17 COP 6,680

7.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 DOP 358

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-26.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 DOP 83.9

$1.36 COP 4,172

4.41%

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

$24.0K DOP 1.4M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-12.80%

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

$34.4K DOP 2.0M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-5.73%

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

$94.0 DOP 5,543

$169 COP 519.2K

-44.27%

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

$32.17 DOP 1,897

$13.57 COP 41.8K

137.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.46 DOP 2,209

$28.32 COP 87.2K

32.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 DOP 454

$6.65 COP 20.5K

15.79%

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

$258 DOP 15.2K

$803 COP 2.5M

-67.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,941 DOP 409.2K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-24.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.43 DOP 2,737

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-46.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.69 DOP 2,812

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-19.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 DOP 5,204

$139 COP 427.5K

-36.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 DOP 7,451

$102 COP 314.0K

23.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.56

10.94

23.95%

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

Last update for Jarabacoa: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Jarabacoa versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Jarabacoa vs $300 in Medellin – so Jarabacoa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 128%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,077 per month in Jarabacoa and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $718 in Jarabacoa and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $258 per month in Jarabacoa and $803 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 $718, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.