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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $695 in Bonao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,087 in Bonao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,480 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 24% lower, Bonao 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.60 DOP 328

6.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$26.70 DOP 1,564

24.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.98 DOP 292

45.18%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.97 DOP 116

-17.26%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.00 DOP 58.5

9.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.84 DOP 49.08

-13.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.44 DOP 143

-28.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.12 DOP 183

3.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.38 DOP 80.8

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.41 DOP 82.8

-8.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.95 DOP 55.4

38.95%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.60 DOP 93.9

41.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.17 DOP 420

-39.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.55 DOP 325

5.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.70 DOP 627

-19.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.34 DOP 137

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.60 DOP 35.19

78.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.21 DOP 130

-31.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.32 DOP 77.4

7.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.21 DOP 129

-47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.15 DOP 67.1

1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.80 DOP 47.12

11.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.57 DOP 33.13

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.67 DOP 332

-60.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.22 DOP 423

52.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.48 DOP 145

-54.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.26 DOP 191

-26.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.55 DOP 32.04

52.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$26.88 DOP 1,574

56.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.38 DOP 198

-58.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.20 DOP 129

-13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.49 DOP 146

211.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.27 DOP 74.1

-20.47%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

-34.61%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$31.1K DOP 1.8M

-14.75%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$74.8 DOP 4,384

11.83%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$25.29 DOP 1,482

-62.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$34.04 DOP 1,994

-29.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$17.29 DOP 1,013

46.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.59 DOP 152

58.30%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$264 DOP 15.5K

18.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,104 DOP 474.7K

-26.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$60.8 DOP 3,564

-4.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$51.8 DOP 3,034

-37.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$34.31 DOP 2,010

190.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$34.16 DOP 2,001

217.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$147 DOP 8,582

229.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$102 DOP 5,992

270.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$292 DOP 17.1K

186.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$215 DOP 12.6K

236.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bonao: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $147 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 $203, 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 ($1,017 vs $695 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,042 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: $482 in Medellin versus $147 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 56% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $264 in Bonao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $695 in Bonao versus $1,017 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.