Cost of Living Comparison Between Samana and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Samana and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $817 per month in Samana vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,353 per month in Samana vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,889 per month in Samana vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Samana is about 20% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Samana and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Samana 39% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 DOP 255

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-26.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.59 DOP 2,144

$33.33 COP 116.3K

9.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 DOP 431

$7.23 COP 25.2K

1.80%

Cappuccino

$1.73 DOP 101

$1.63 COP 5,687

6.13%

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

$0.75 DOP 44.16

$1.09 COP 3,821

-31.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 DOP 49.57

$0.73 COP 2,548

16.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 DOP 147

$1.74 COP 6,065

43.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 DOP 244

$3.23 COP 11.3K

28.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 DOP 81.0

$1.05 COP 3,662

31.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 DOP 48.04

$1.29 COP 4,515

-36.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 DOP 51.1

$1.32 COP 4,617

-34.09%

Eggs

$2.10 DOP 123

$2.27 COP 7,927

-7.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 DOP 371

$4.35 COP 15.2K

45.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 DOP 311

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-9.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 DOP 495

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-1.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 DOP 175

$2.25 COP 7,844

32.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 DOP 50.3

$1.07 COP 3,733

-19.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 DOP 81.7

$1.52 COP 5,322

-8.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 DOP 95.3

$1.42 COP 4,964

14.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 DOP 98.9

$1.17 COP 4,084

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 DOP 101

$1.17 COP 4,077

47.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 DOP 30.96

$0.89 COP 3,096

-40.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 DOP 39.06

$0.90 COP 3,146

-25.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 DOP 244

$2.25 COP 7,837

84.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 DOP 513

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-20.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 DOP 151

$1.14 COP 3,977

126.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 DOP 170

$2.38 COP 8,301

21.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 DOP 47.34

$0.84 COP 2,916

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 DOP 194

$1.41 COP 4,912

135.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 DOP 62.6

$1.90 COP 6,634

-43.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 DOP 351

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-22.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 DOP 72.2

$1.01 COP 3,509

21.78%

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

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

52.91%

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

$31.9K DOP 1.9M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

20.22%

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

$50.4 DOP 2,954

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-39.75%

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

$16.85 DOP 987

$9.45 COP 33.0K

78.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 DOP 2,150

$24.11 COP 84.1K

52.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 DOP 395

$4.10 COP 14.3K

64.39%

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

$263 DOP 15.4K

$312 COP 1.1M

-15.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,189 DOP 479.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

36.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 DOP 3,474

$58.0 COP 202.6K

2.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 DOP 3,068

$32.56 COP 113.6K

60.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 DOP 5,566

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-4.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,778

$109 COP 378.8K

6.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 DOP 18.2K

$482 COP 1.7M

-35.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 DOP 14.9K

$379 COP 1.3M

-33.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 DOP 43.7K

$837 COP 2.9M

-10.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 DOP 31.5K

$723 COP 2.5M

-25.52%

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 %)

12.9

13.43

-3.95%

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

Last update for Samana: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $310 in Samana versus $482 in Medellin. 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 $37.00 in Samana versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $190 – 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

Samana vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,226 per month in Samana and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samana, 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 $37.00 in Samana 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 2% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Samana, where all-in costs run around $817, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Samana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samana – 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 Samana. 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.