😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $884 in Cabarete.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,347 in Cabarete.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,810 in Cabarete.
😐Living in Medellin is roughly 17% more expensive than Cabarete, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Cabarete34% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Cabarete
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$6.25DOP 369
-5.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$36.25DOP 2,142
-9.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$6.19DOP 366
16.32%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$2.26DOP 133
-24.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$1.04DOP 61.4
5.77%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$0.83DOP 48.82
-13.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
$2.51DOP 148
-33.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
$3.70DOP 219
-16.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Cabarete
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$0.91DOP 53.6
16.48%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$1.36DOP 80.5
-8.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$1.51DOP 89.4
-7.95%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$1.65DOP 97.7
36.97%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$6.95DOP 410
-37.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$4.59DOP 271
27.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$5.52DOP 326
59.96%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$0.92DOP 54.1
143.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$0.87DOP 51.1
24.14%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$1.93DOP 114
-20.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$1.33DOP 78.8
3.01%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$1.07DOP 63.5
5.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$1.77DOP 104
-36.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$1.11DOP 65.4
-23.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$0.95DOP 56.2
-4.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$3.35DOP 198
-30.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
$11.73DOP 693
-5.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
$2.37DOP 140
-49.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
$2.75DOP 162
-13.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Cabarete
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$0.70DOP 41.15
12.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$3.30DOP 195
-56.36%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
$2.13DOP 126
-10.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$5.84DOP 345
37.33%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$1.29DOP 76.1
-27.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$26.8KDOP 1.6M
-33.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$31.6KDOP 1.9M
-15.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Cabarete
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$51.7DOP 3,055
62.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$25.48DOP 1,505
-62.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$16.70DOP 987
44.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Cabarete
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$43.36DOP 2,562
-40.31%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$6.94DOP 410
-43.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Cabarete
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$269DOP 15.9K
13.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$8,153DOP 481.8K
-27.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Cabarete
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$60.2DOP 3,557
-3.79%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$50.6DOP 2,992
-37.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$95.0DOP 5,615
5.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$117DOP 6,885
-8.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Cabarete
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$874DOP 51.6K
-44.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$260DOP 15.3K
41.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$601DOP 35.5K
37.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$369DOP 21.8K
94.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
$307DOP 18.1K
358.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Cabarete
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
12.9
4.11%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Cabarete: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $874 in Cabarete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in Cabarete. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $183, with Cabarete cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Medellin vs Cabarete: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Cabarete?
Cabarete wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cabarete the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin vs Cabarete?
You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,326 in Cabarete 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin vs Cabarete?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $874 in Cabarete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Medellin and Cabarete?
Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $269 in Cabarete. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Medellin vs Cabarete?
Dining out is cheaper in Cabarete – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or Cabarete?
At $884 in Cabarete versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cabarete but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cabarete the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Cabarete?
Both work as nomad bases, but Cabarete delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $884 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cabarete hard to pass up.
How safe is Medellin compared to Cabarete?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Cabarete are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Cabarete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Medellin vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado