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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $717 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,218 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,718 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% more than Jarabacoa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Jarabacoa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Jarabacoa 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$8.56 DOP 516

-30.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$51.9 DOP 3,126

-36.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$7.57 DOP 456

-4.23%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$2.65 DOP 160

-35.47%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$1.00 DOP 60.1

9.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.84 DOP 50.4

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.49 DOP 150

-29.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$5.04 DOP 304

-36.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.39 DOP 83.7

-23.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.81 DOP 109

-28.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.49 DOP 89.7

-7.38%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.20 DOP 133

0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$7.04 DOP 424

-35.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$6.43 DOP 387

-9.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$11.11 DOP 669

-19.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$3.22 DOP 194

-28.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$0.92 DOP 55.6

15.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$2.89 DOP 174

-47.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.92 DOP 115

-29.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$2.55 DOP 153

-54.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$2.32 DOP 140

-49.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$1.13 DOP 67.8

-26.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.98 DOP 58.7

-13.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$5.67 DOP 341

-58.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$11.51 DOP 693

-3.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$2.70 DOP 163

-57.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$3.13 DOP 188

-21.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$3.39 DOP 204

-57.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$2.22 DOP 134

-14.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$6.08 DOP 366

26.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.27 DOP 76.4

-18.90%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

-34.12%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$31.4K DOP 1.9M

-13.94%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$76.2 DOP 4,591

6.81%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$25.02 DOP 1,507

-62.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$35.51 DOP 2,139

-33.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$20.68 DOP 1,245

25.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$6.69 DOP 403

-39.46%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$271 DOP 16.3K

15.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$8,209 DOP 494.5K

-26.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$61.0 DOP 3,672

-3.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$52.4 DOP 3,156

-37.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$95.5 DOP 5,751

5.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$114 DOP 6,837

-6.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Jarabacoa: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $0 in Jarabacoa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Medellin versus $52 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 44%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,075 in Jarabacoa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,030 in Medellin and $717 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 $271 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 $717, than in Medellin at $1,030. 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.