Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nagua Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nagua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $663 in Nagua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,068 in Nagua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,473 in Nagua, rent included.

Medellin costs about 153% more than Nagua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Nagua is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$8.68 DOP 511

-7.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$42.76 DOP 2,520

11.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$7.06 DOP 416

40.08%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.85 DOP 109

69.19%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.75 DOP 43.91

154.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.41 DOP 24.23

268.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.60 DOP 153

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$4.15 DOP 245

38.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.18 DOP 69.8

22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.77 DOP 104

40.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.61 DOP 95.1

9.94%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.55 DOP 91.6

90.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$6.32 DOP 372

59.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$3.61 DOP 213

180.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$4.93 DOP 290

190.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.71 DOP 219

11.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.42 DOP 83.7

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$3.43 DOP 202

-34.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$2.21 DOP 130

1.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$3.65 DOP 215

-44.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.91 DOP 172

-47.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.96 DOP 56.5

21.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.64 DOP 96.8

-20.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.94 DOP 291

-21.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$16.75 DOP 987

-16.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$3.11 DOP 183

-44.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$3.46 DOP 204

-17.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$2.50 DOP 147

-47.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.36 DOP 198

-34.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.39 DOP 81.7

-1.44%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$15.1K DOP 889.3K

84.45%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$25.3K DOP 1.5M

41.67%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$98.9 DOP 5,829

79.25%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$27.88 DOP 1,643

-50.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$39.99 DOP 2,357

-25.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$5.00 DOP 295

33.00%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$153 DOP 8,991

432.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$5,657 DOP 333.3K

62.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$27.30 DOP 1,609

227.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$46.70 DOP 2,752

26.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$62.4 DOP 3,678

121.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$67.2 DOP 3,962

51.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-0.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Nagua: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $43.00 in Nagua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $242 – making Nagua 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 Nagua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 153%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $995 in Nagua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $43.00 in Nagua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nagua, where all-in costs run around $663, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Nagua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Nagua. 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.