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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Nagua is about 31% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.56 DOP 499

$6.16 COP 20.1K

38.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 DOP 2,983

$32.60 COP 106.1K

56.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 DOP 433

$7.34 COP 23.9K

1.23%

Cappuccino

$2.66 DOP 155

$1.72 COP 5,600

54.65%

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

$1.02 DOP 59.6

$1.05 COP 3,420

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 DOP 46.19

$0.77 COP 2,515

2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 DOP 147

$1.69 COP 5,488

49.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 DOP 296

$3.17 COP 10.3K

59.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 DOP 80.4

$1.05 COP 3,423

31.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 DOP 100

$1.30 COP 4,236

32.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 DOP 91.9

$1.40 COP 4,544

12.86%

Eggs

$2.22 DOP 129

$2.16 COP 7,047

2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 DOP 410

$4.39 COP 14.3K

60.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 DOP 377

$5.88 COP 19.1K

9.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 DOP 645

$8.64 COP 28.1K

28.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 DOP 188

$2.28 COP 7,426

41.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 53.7

$1.11 COP 3,604

-17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 DOP 176

$1.53 COP 4,983

97.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 DOP 116

$1.35 COP 4,410

46.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 DOP 147

$1.13 COP 3,674

123.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 DOP 134

$1.13 COP 3,692

103.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 DOP 63.2

$0.85 COP 2,753

27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 DOP 54.9

$0.91 COP 2,975

3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.72 DOP 333

$2.34 COP 7,630

144.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.10 DOP 997

$12.37 COP 40.3K

38.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 DOP 153

$1.20 COP 3,909

118.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 DOP 187

$2.49 COP 8,104

28.92%

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)

$3.36 DOP 196

$1.42 COP 4,623

136.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 DOP 123

$1.92 COP 6,235

9.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 DOP 348

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-22.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 DOP 73.7

$0.99 COP 3,223

27.27%

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

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

48.58%

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

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

18.52%

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

$75.7 DOP 4,412

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-6.36%

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

$25.60 DOP 1,493

$9.95 COP 32.4K

157.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.17 DOP 2,109

$24.18 COP 78.7K

49.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 DOP 390

$3.98 COP 13.0K

68.09%

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

$267 DOP 15.6K

$305 COP 993.5K

-12.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,967 DOP 464.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

31.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 DOP 3,459

$58.1 COP 189.2K

2.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 DOP 2,977

$32.20 COP 104.8K

58.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 DOP 5,694

$101 COP 327.9K

-3.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 DOP 6,795

$108 COP 350.8K

8.15%

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 %)

12.9

13.43

-3.95%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Nagua: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Nagua versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $193 – 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

Nagua vs Medellin: 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 $1,074 per month in Nagua and $1,546 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 $51.0 in Nagua and $33.00 in Medellin. 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.