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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $706 in Nagua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,194 in Nagua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,682 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 24% lower, Nagua 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$8.67 DOP 506

-30.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$50.5 DOP 2,946

-34.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.35 DOP 429

-3.54%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.61 DOP 152

-34.48%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.04 DOP 60.6

5.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.83 DOP 48.40

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.48 DOP 145

-32.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$5.14 DOP 300

-40.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.32 DOP 77.1

-17.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.73 DOP 101

-27.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.50 DOP 87.5

-8.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.22 DOP 130

-1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.03 DOP 410

-37.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.21 DOP 362

-9.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$10.87 DOP 634

-18.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.20 DOP 187

-26.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.85 DOP 49.53

24.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.89 DOP 169

-48.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.00 DOP 117

-31.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.43 DOP 142

-52.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.31 DOP 135

-49.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.09 DOP 63.4

-18.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.89 DOP 51.7

-5.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$5.90 DOP 344

-61.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$10.85 DOP 633

-1.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.65 DOP 154

-54.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.20 DOP 187

-22.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$3.47 DOP 203

-57.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$2.18 DOP 127

-10.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.00 DOP 350

29.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.34 DOP 78.0

-29.10%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

-30.51%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$31.2K DOP 1.8M

-15.10%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$75.9 DOP 4,429

8.32%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$25.77 DOP 1,503

-63.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$35.90 DOP 2,094

-32.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.92 DOP 404

-43.21%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$270 DOP 15.7K

14.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,973 DOP 465.0K

-25.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$59.3 DOP 3,456

-1.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$52.8 DOP 3,080

-38.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$94.9 DOP 5,535

8.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$116 DOP 6,785

-6.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nagua: May 31, 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: $188 vs $241 – 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,059 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 28% 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 $706, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.