Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Francisco de Macoris Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Francisco de Macoris

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $614 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $962 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,310 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

Medellin costs about 68% more than San Francisco de Macoris, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and San Francisco de Macoris are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, San Francisco de Macoris 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.72 DOP 220

59.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$13.37 DOP 790

144.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.91 DOP 408

4.20%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.48 DOP 147

-31.45%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.62 DOP 36.51

77.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.49 DOP 28.94

46.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.11 DOP 124

-20.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.50 DOP 148

24.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.20 DOP 70.8

-11.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.75 DOP 103

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.13 DOP 66.8

23.01%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.45 DOP 85.5

55.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$3.97 DOP 235

9.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.39 DOP 200

72.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.75 DOP 399

30.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.63 DOP 155

-14.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.80 DOP 46.99

35.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.24 DOP 73.3

23.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.82 DOP 48.44

67.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.21 DOP 71.3

-6.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.24 DOP 73.2

-9.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.60 DOP 35.57

41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.88 DOP 52.3

3.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.38 DOP 200

-31.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.55 DOP 683

-3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.66 DOP 157

-55.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.12 DOP 184

-24.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.57 DOP 33.63

38.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.32 DOP 196

-56.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.01 DOP 119

-4.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.79 DOP 342

38.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.16 DOP 68.4

-18.97%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.3K DOP 1.6M

-31.94%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$31.6K DOP 1.9M

-15.12%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$38.98 DOP 2,303

115.39%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$8.47 DOP 500

13.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$36.30 DOP 2,145

-33.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$17.21 DOP 1,017

50.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$8.66 DOP 512

119.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.18 DOP 247

-6.22%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$172 DOP 10.2K

77.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,016 DOP 119.1K

193.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$25.03 DOP 1,479

131.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$51.8 DOP 3,062

-38.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$66.8 DOP 3,948

49.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$68.4 DOP 4,042

56.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$159 DOP 9,419

205.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$106 DOP 6,247

248.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$333 DOP 19.7K

147.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$269 DOP 15.9K

166.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for San Francisco de Macoris: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $159 in San Francisco de Macoris. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $13.00 in San Francisco de Macoris. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $178 – making San Francisco de Macoris 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 San Francisco de Macoris: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 68%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $921 in San Francisco de Macoris. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Francisco de Macoris, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $13.00 in San Francisco de Macoris. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Francisco de Macoris, where all-in costs run around $614, than in Medellin at $1,034. In San Francisco de Macoris it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Francisco de Macoris – 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 San Francisco de Macoris. 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.