Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bonao Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bonao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $706 in Bonao.

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

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

Living in Medellin is roughly 42% more expensive than in Bonao, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.59 DOP 325

5.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$27.06 DOP 1,572

21.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.00 DOP 291

48.60%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.00 DOP 116

-17.50%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.02 DOP 59.4

7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.83 DOP 48.08

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.40 DOP 140

-28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.12 DOP 181

1.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.35 DOP 78.4

-18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.42 DOP 82.4

-11.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.96 DOP 55.5

43.75%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.57 DOP 91.5

38.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.03 DOP 408

-36.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.56 DOP 323

4.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.07 DOP 643

-18.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.26 DOP 131

2.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.65 DOP 37.82

63.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.26 DOP 132

-32.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.33 DOP 77.3

2.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.20 DOP 128

-48.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.14 DOP 66.3

2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.76 DOP 44.38

18.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.57 DOP 33.37

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.61 DOP 326

-60.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.23 DOP 420

67.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.37 DOP 137

-49.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.26 DOP 189

-23.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.53 DOP 31.06

60.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$27.16 DOP 1,578

53.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.30 DOP 192

-56.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.10 DOP 122

-7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.42 DOP 140

226.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.20 DOP 69.9

-17.50%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$26.5K DOP 1.5M

-33.67%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

-17.13%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$76.8 DOP 4,460

8.16%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$25.53 DOP 1,484

-62.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$34.39 DOP 1,998

-31.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$17.13 DOP 995

47.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.58 DOP 150

53.10%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$268 DOP 15.6K

17.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,993 DOP 464.4K

-25.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$60.5 DOP 3,514

-0.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$51.0 DOP 2,964

-37.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$34.22 DOP 1,989

197.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$33.36 DOP 1,938

222.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$142 DOP 8,231

235.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$101 DOP 5,866

270.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$289 DOP 16.8K

193.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$215 DOP 12.5K

235.35%

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

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bonao: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $142 in Bonao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Bonao. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $202, 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

Medellin vs Bonao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Bonao differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $706 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,059 in Bonao 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: $475 in Medellin versus $142 in Bonao. 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 $316 in Medellin versus $268 in Bonao. 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.