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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $718 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,204 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,690 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 128% more than Jarabacoa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Jarabacoa is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$10.15 DOP 599

-20.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$51.7 DOP 3,046

-6.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$7.99 DOP 471

17.90%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.37 DOP 140

24.05%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.14 DOP 67.1

63.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.69 DOP 40.67

111.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.60 DOP 153

23.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.53 DOP 208

61.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.40 DOP 82.5

2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.53 DOP 90.1

56.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.60 DOP 94.1

6.25%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.41 DOP 142

19.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$7.28 DOP 429

38.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$5.86 DOP 345

70.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$7.00 DOP 413

102.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.24 DOP 191

22.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$0.81 DOP 47.77

95.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.85 DOP 168

-24.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.85 DOP 109

24.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.03 DOP 120

-1.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.24 DOP 132

-32.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.02 DOP 59.9

17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.03 DOP 60.5

24.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$5.54 DOP 327

-30.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$10.47 DOP 617

33.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.66 DOP 157

-35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.97 DOP 175

-7.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$3.44 DOP 203

-61.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$2.33 DOP 137

-6.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$6.08 DOP 358

36.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.42 DOP 83.9

-4.23%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$24.0K DOP 1.4M

14.68%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$34.4K DOP 2.0M

6.08%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$94.0 DOP 5,543

79.45%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$32.17 DOP 1,897

-57.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$37.46 DOP 2,209

-24.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$7.70 DOP 454

-13.64%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$258 DOP 15.2K

211.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$6,941 DOP 409.2K

32.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$46.43 DOP 2,737

88.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$47.69 DOP 2,812

24.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$88.3 DOP 5,204

57.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$126 DOP 7,451

-19.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

13.56

-19.32%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Jarabacoa: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $52.0 in Jarabacoa. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $226 in Jarabacoa – so Jarabacoa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 128%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,077 in Jarabacoa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $718 in Jarabacoa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $258 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 $718, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.