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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $666 per month in Nagua vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,072 per month in Nagua vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,478 per month in Nagua vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Nagua is about 61% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Nagua sits 52% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.25 DOP 483

$8.03 COP 25.3K

2.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.39 DOP 2,482

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-12.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 DOP 410

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-28.35%

Cappuccino

$1.80 DOP 105

$2.91 COP 9,167

-38.14%

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

$0.68 DOP 39.54

$1.94 COP 6,122

-64.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 DOP 22.80

$1.52 COP 4,792

-74.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 DOP 152

$3.09 COP 9,740

-16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 DOP 240

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 DOP 69.6

$1.36 COP 4,296

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 DOP 108

$2.39 COP 7,519

-23.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 DOP 93.4

$1.70 COP 5,356

-5.88%

Eggs

$1.54 DOP 89.9

$2.87 COP 9,038

-46.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 DOP 389

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-33.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 DOP 211

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-66.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.98 DOP 292

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-66.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 DOP 218

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-8.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 DOP 86.2

$1.57 COP 4,950

-6.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 DOP 192

$2.13 COP 6,695

53.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 DOP 131

$2.21 COP 6,972

1.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 DOP 216

$2.05 COP 6,447

80.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 DOP 180

$1.50 COP 4,737

104.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 DOP 53.7

$1.19 COP 3,747

-22.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 DOP 98.8

$1.16 COP 3,647

45.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.93 DOP 289

$3.90 COP 12.3K

26.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.84 DOP 986

$14.44 COP 45.5K

16.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 DOP 179

$1.58 COP 4,987

93.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 DOP 209

$2.83 COP 8,905

25.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 DOP 147

$1.28 COP 4,045

95.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 DOP 193

$2.09 COP 6,589

57.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 DOP 84.1

$1.30 COP 4,088

10.77%

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

$15.4K DOP 904.2K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-44.16%

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

$25.6K DOP 1.5M

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-27.82%

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

$96.2 DOP 5,635

$176 COP 554.5K

-45.34%

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

$27.73 DOP 1,623

$13.37 COP 42.1K

107.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.24 DOP 2,297

$29.89 COP 94.1K

31.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 DOP 302

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-16.77%

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

$152 DOP 8,910

$793 COP 2.5M

-80.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,563 DOP 325.7K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-38.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.21 DOP 1,593

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-68.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.99 DOP 2,692

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-21.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 DOP 3,794

$136 COP 429.3K

-52.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.2 DOP 3,990

$103 COP 324.7K

-33.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 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 Nagua: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Nagua versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $303 – 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

Nagua vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 158%, 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 $999 per month in Nagua and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Nagua and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $666, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.