Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jarabacoa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jarabacoa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $735 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,223 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,710 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Jarabacoa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Jarabacoa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Jarabacoa 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.1K

$8.51 DOP 495

-30.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.2K

$51.5 DOP 2,998

-35.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.7K

$7.41 DOP 431

-2.43%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,779

$2.63 DOP 153

-38.02%

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

$1.09 COP 3,882

$1.04 DOP 60.5

4.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,590

$0.79 DOP 46.15

-7.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,163

$2.50 DOP 146

-30.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$5.17 DOP 301

-37.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,721

$1.34 DOP 78.2

-21.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,588

$1.80 DOP 105

-28.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,692

$1.56 DOP 91.0

-15.38%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,055

$2.23 DOP 130

1.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.4K

$7.34 DOP 427

-40.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.9K

$6.43 DOP 374

-8.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.5K

$11.07 DOP 644

-22.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,970

$3.30 DOP 192

-31.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,793

$0.86 DOP 49.89

24.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,408

$2.98 DOP 173

-48.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,045

$2.02 DOP 117

-29.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,150

$2.53 DOP 147

-53.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,143

$2.40 DOP 140

-51.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,146

$1.14 DOP 66.4

-21.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,197

$0.92 DOP 53.5

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,963

$5.94 DOP 345

-62.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.2K

$10.64 DOP 619

3.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,041

$2.77 DOP 161

-58.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,435

$3.19 DOP 186

-25.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,963

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 148.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,991

$3.43 DOP 200

-58.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,742

$2.21 DOP 129

-14.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.5K

$5.84 DOP 340

32.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,566

$1.32 DOP 76.5

-23.48%

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

$17.6K COP 62.3M

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

-32.87%

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

$26.5K COP 94.0M

$31.4K DOP 1.8M

-15.62%

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

$83.7 COP 296.8K

$77.1 DOP 4,482

8.59%

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

$9.45 COP 33.5K

$25.24 DOP 1,468

-62.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 85.5K

$36.72 DOP 2,136

-34.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 89.8K

$20.20 DOP 1,175

25.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.5K

$6.94 DOP 404

-40.92%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$268 DOP 15.6K

16.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.3M

$8,157 DOP 474.5K

-26.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 205.8K

$60.7 DOP 3,532

-4.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 115.5K

$52.3 DOP 3,041

-37.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 353.3K

$97.3 DOP 5,660

2.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 384.9K

$113 DOP 6,601

-4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

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

12.9

4.11%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Jarabacoa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $52.0 in Jarabacoa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $247 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Jarabacoa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,103 in Jarabacoa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $735 in Jarabacoa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $268 in Jarabacoa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jarabacoa, where all-in costs run around $735, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Jarabacoa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jarabacoa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jarabacoa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.