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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $716 in Nagua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,185 in Nagua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,653 in Nagua, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.56 DOP 499

-28.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$51.2 DOP 2,983

-36.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.43 DOP 433

-1.21%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.66 DOP 155

-35.34%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.02 DOP 59.6

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.79 DOP 46.19

-2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.53 DOP 147

-33.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$5.07 DOP 296

-37.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.38 DOP 80.4

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.72 DOP 100

-24.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.58 DOP 91.9

-11.39%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.22 DOP 129

-2.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.03 DOP 410

-37.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.46 DOP 377

-8.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.07 DOP 645

-21.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$3.23 DOP 188

-29.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.92 DOP 53.7

20.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.02 DOP 176

-49.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.98 DOP 116

-31.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.53 DOP 147

-55.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.30 DOP 134

-50.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.08 DOP 63.2

-21.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.94 DOP 54.9

-3.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$5.72 DOP 333

-59.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$17.10 DOP 997

-27.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.62 DOP 153

-54.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.21 DOP 187

-22.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.36 DOP 196

-57.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.11 DOP 123

-9.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.97 DOP 348

28.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.26 DOP 73.7

-21.43%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

-32.70%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

-15.63%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$75.7 DOP 4,412

6.79%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$25.60 DOP 1,493

-61.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$36.17 DOP 2,109

-33.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.69 DOP 390

-40.51%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$267 DOP 15.6K

14.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,967 DOP 464.5K

-23.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$59.3 DOP 3,459

-2.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$51.1 DOP 2,977

-36.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$97.7 DOP 5,694

3.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$117 DOP 6,795

-7.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 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 12, 2026

Last update for Nagua: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $51.0 in Nagua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $258 – 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 Nagua: 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,074 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $51.0 in Nagua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nagua, where all-in costs run around $716, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.