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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $600 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $964 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,329 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

Medellin costs about 70% 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 24% lower, San Francisco de Macoris 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.91 DOP 229

52.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$13.38 DOP 784

149.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.77 DOP 397

6.79%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.60 DOP 152

-37.31%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.57 DOP 33.38

91.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.53 DOP 30.84

37.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.17 DOP 127

-19.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.61 DOP 153

23.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.15 DOP 67.7

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.81 DOP 106

-28.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.09 DOP 64.1

21.10%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.46 DOP 85.7

55.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.01 DOP 235

8.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.46 DOP 203

69.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.82 DOP 400

26.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.70 DOP 158

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.72 DOP 42.35

48.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.30 DOP 76.2

16.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.86 DOP 50.4

65.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.19 DOP 69.8

-1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.25 DOP 73.5

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.61 DOP 35.65

45.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.96 DOP 56.2

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.32 DOP 194

-32.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.67 DOP 625

3.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.76 DOP 161

-58.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.20 DOP 187

-25.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.57 DOP 33.10

47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.43 DOP 201

-58.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.94 DOP 114

-2.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.81 DOP 340

33.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.15 DOP 67.5

-12.17%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.4K DOP 1.5M

-33.52%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$32.2K DOP 1.9M

-17.80%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$39.30 DOP 2,302

112.93%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$8.73 DOP 511

8.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$35.55 DOP 2,082

-32.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$16.90 DOP 990

49.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$8.32 DOP 487

130.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.28 DOP 250

-4.21%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$171 DOP 10.0K

82.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,050 DOP 120.1K

192.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$25.79 DOP 1,511

125.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$51.6 DOP 3,020

-36.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$66.8 DOP 3,914

49.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$66.6 DOP 3,902

62.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$160 DOP 9,394

200.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$109 DOP 6,383

248.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$343 DOP 20.1K

144.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$270 DOP 15.8K

167.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for San Francisco de Macoris: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $160 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 $179 – 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 70%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $900 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 6% 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 $600, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.