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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $715 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,196 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $1,677 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 42% more than Jarabacoa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Jarabacoa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Jarabacoa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$8.26 DOP 479

-28.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.5K

$49.96 DOP 2,899

-33.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$7.28 DOP 423

-2.20%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,484

$2.74 DOP 159

-37.59%

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

$1.05 COP 3,373

$1.04 DOP 60.1

0.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,323

$0.79 DOP 46.03

-8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,529

$2.62 DOP 152

-34.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$5.05 DOP 293

-37.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,425

$1.34 DOP 77.6

-20.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,213

$1.73 DOP 101

-24.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,277

$1.55 DOP 90.1

-14.19%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,334

$2.27 DOP 132

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$7.30 DOP 423

-39.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$6.26 DOP 363

-5.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$11.02 DOP 639

-21.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,541

$3.16 DOP 183

-25.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,544

$0.92 DOP 53.6

19.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,721

$2.91 DOP 169

-49.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,437

$1.95 DOP 113

-29.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,772

$2.48 DOP 144

-52.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,763

$2.30 DOP 134

-49.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,904

$1.09 DOP 63.5

-17.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,707

$0.97 DOP 56.4

-13.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,486

$5.71 DOP 331

-59.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$10.64 DOP 617

12.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,692

$2.65 DOP 154

-56.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,787

$3.25 DOP 188

-25.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

$3.30 DOP 192

-57.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,157

$2.18 DOP 127

-12.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$5.86 DOP 340

33.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,035

$1.33 DOP 76.9

-29.32%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$26.6K DOP 1.5M

-33.04%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$31.8K DOP 1.8M

-14.75%

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

$83.3 COP 267.8K

$75.7 DOP 4,390

10.04%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$25.47 DOP 1,478

-62.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$36.33 DOP 2,108

-33.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

$20.72 DOP 1,202

21.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$6.64 DOP 385

-38.70%

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

$307 COP 986.0K

$272 DOP 15.8K

12.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$7,974 DOP 462.7K

-25.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.8K

$59.5 DOP 3,450

0.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.0K

$50.7 DOP 2,944

-35.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.1K

$98.0 DOP 5,686

3.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.5K

$114 DOP 6,627

-5.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Jarabacoa: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in Jarabacoa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $244 – 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 42%, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,072 in Jarabacoa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,018 in Medellin and $715 in Jarabacoa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Medellin and $272 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 $715, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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.