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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A family of three spends $1,682 per month in Nagua vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Nagua is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nagua and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Nagua 47% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.67 DOP 506

$5.99 COP 21.4K

44.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 DOP 2,946

$32.86 COP 117.4K

53.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 DOP 429

$7.09 COP 25.3K

3.67%

Cappuccino

$2.61 DOP 152

$1.71 COP 6,115

52.63%

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

$1.04 DOP 60.6

$1.10 COP 3,924

-5.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 DOP 48.40

$0.78 COP 2,781

6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 DOP 145

$1.68 COP 5,997

47.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 DOP 300

$3.07 COP 11.0K

67.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 DOP 77.1

$1.09 COP 3,906

21.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 DOP 101

$1.26 COP 4,508

37.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 DOP 87.5

$1.38 COP 4,922

8.70%

Eggs

$2.22 DOP 130

$2.19 COP 7,827

1.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 DOP 410

$4.40 COP 15.7K

59.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 DOP 362

$5.63 COP 20.1K

10.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 DOP 634

$8.89 COP 31.8K

22.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 DOP 187

$2.34 COP 8,349

36.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 DOP 49.53

$1.06 COP 3,777

-19.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 DOP 169

$1.50 COP 5,374

92.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 DOP 117

$1.38 COP 4,924

44.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 DOP 142

$1.15 COP 4,111

111.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 DOP 135

$1.16 COP 4,155

99.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 63.4

$0.89 COP 3,182

22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 DOP 51.7

$0.84 COP 2,997

5.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 DOP 344

$2.28 COP 8,145

158.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 DOP 633

$10.64 COP 38.0K

1.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 DOP 154

$1.20 COP 4,284

120.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 DOP 187

$2.47 COP 8,824

29.55%

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)

$3.47 DOP 203

$1.47 COP 5,264

136.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 DOP 127

$1.96 COP 7,009

11.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 DOP 350

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-22.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 DOP 78.0

$0.95 COP 3,409

41.05%

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

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

43.90%

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

$31.2K DOP 1.8M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

17.79%

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

$75.9 DOP 4,429

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-7.68%

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

$25.77 DOP 1,503

$9.50 COP 33.9K

171.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.90 DOP 2,094

$24.23 COP 86.5K

48.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 DOP 404

$3.93 COP 14.0K

76.08%

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

$270 DOP 15.7K

$309 COP 1.1M

-12.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,973 DOP 465.0K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

33.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 DOP 3,456

$58.7 COP 209.5K

1.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 DOP 3,080

$32.35 COP 115.5K

63.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 DOP 5,535

$103 COP 366.4K

-7.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,785

$108 COP 387.2K

7.29%

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 %)

12.9

13.43

-3.95%

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

Last update for Nagua: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 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: $241 vs $188 – 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 $1,059 per month in Nagua and $1,519 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 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.