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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $706 in Bonao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,089 in Bonao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,472 in Bonao.

Living in Medellin is roughly 46% more expensive than Bonao, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bonao 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.63 DOP 333

5.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$27.24 DOP 1,609

20.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.03 DOP 297

43.14%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.96 DOP 116

-13.27%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.99 DOP 58.5

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.79 DOP 46.97

-8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.41 DOP 142

-30.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.03 DOP 179

2.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.37 DOP 81.2

-22.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.42 DOP 84.1

-11.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.94 DOP 55.8

47.87%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.60 DOP 94.5

41.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.32 DOP 432

-40.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.68 DOP 336

2.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.86 DOP 641

-18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.34 DOP 139

-4.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.64 DOP 37.65

68.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.27 DOP 134

-32.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.32 DOP 78.3

3.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.17 DOP 128

-47.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.13 DOP 66.7

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.76 DOP 44.64

11.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.54 DOP 31.64

68.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.75 DOP 340

-59.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.24 DOP 428

53.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.47 DOP 146

-51.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.23 DOP 191

-26.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.57 DOP 33.90

38.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$27.60 DOP 1,631

49.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.36 DOP 199

-57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.19 DOP 130

-12.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.43 DOP 144

230.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.21 DOP 71.7

-22.31%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

-31.44%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

-17.08%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$75.4 DOP 4,453

11.40%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$25.18 DOP 1,488

-61.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$34.52 DOP 2,040

-30.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$16.85 DOP 996

53.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$2.48 DOP 147

58.06%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$265 DOP 15.7K

15.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,245 DOP 487.2K

-28.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$60.7 DOP 3,584

-4.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$51.3 DOP 3,029

-37.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$33.37 DOP 1,972

199.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$33.79 DOP 1,997

217.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$142 DOP 8,395

242.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$103 DOP 6,092

256.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$288 DOP 17.0K

186.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$216 DOP 12.8K

231.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bonao: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 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 $190 vs $204, 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 46% in total monthly costs ($1,034 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 $1,550 in Medellin and $1,058 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: $487 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 49% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $265 in Bonao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $706 in Bonao versus $1,034 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 46% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.