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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $698 in Bonao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,149 in Bonao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,601 in Bonao.

Living in Medellin is roughly 141% more expensive than in Bonao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Bonao is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$10.06 DOP 591

-20.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$50.5 DOP 2,965

-5.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.99 DOP 470

23.78%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.02 DOP 119

54.95%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.08 DOP 63.6

76.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.69 DOP 40.44

118.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.60 DOP 153

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.58 DOP 210

60.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.05 DOP 61.7

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.04 DOP 61.0

139.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.69 DOP 40.47

156.52%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.19 DOP 70.1

148.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$5.19 DOP 305

94.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.53 DOP 325

83.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$6.62 DOP 389

116.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.30 DOP 135

80.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.67 DOP 39.30

140.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.75 DOP 161

-18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.40 DOP 82.2

60.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.08 DOP 122

-1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.59 DOP 93.6

-3.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.03 DOP 60.3

13.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.50 DOP 29.18

162.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.41 DOP 318

-27.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$7.43 DOP 437

88.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.15 DOP 126

-19.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.00 DOP 176

-4.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.55 DOP 32.26

121.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$34.22 DOP 2,011

135.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.22 DOP 189

-59.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.22 DOP 131

-1.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$2.40 DOP 141

262.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.37 DOP 80.5

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$23.7K DOP 1.4M

17.21%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$34.3K DOP 2.0M

4.26%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$95.4 DOP 5,603

85.93%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$32.04 DOP 1,883

-56.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$37.04 DOP 2,177

-19.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.69 DOP 452

-13.52%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$262 DOP 15.4K

210.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$7,398 DOP 434.7K

24.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$45.98 DOP 2,702

94.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$47.44 DOP 2,788

24.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$88.6 DOP 5,207

55.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$129 DOP 7,563

-20.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

13.56

-19.32%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bonao: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $50.0 in Bonao. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $176, with Bonao 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 141% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $698 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $1,046 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.

A monthly transit pass in Bonao runs roughly 135% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $262 in Bonao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $698 in Bonao versus $1,681 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 141% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.