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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $835 per month in Samana vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,334 per month in Samana vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,834 per month in Samana vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Samana is about 17% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Samana and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Samana 37% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.19 DOP 243

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-29.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.95 DOP 2,147

$32.96 COP 103.8K

12.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 DOP 442

$7.43 COP 23.4K

2.29%

Cappuccino

$1.67 DOP 97.2

$1.65 COP 5,207

1.21%

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

$0.76 DOP 43.87

$1.10 COP 3,468

-30.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 DOP 44.88

$0.78 COP 2,458

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 DOP 147

$1.72 COP 5,412

47.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 DOP 250

$3.18 COP 10.0K

35.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 DOP 77.0

$1.10 COP 3,474

20.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 DOP 51.7

$1.26 COP 3,962

-29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 DOP 48.03

$1.38 COP 4,349

-39.86%

Eggs

$2.00 DOP 116

$2.18 COP 6,858

-8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.27 DOP 364

$4.49 COP 14.1K

39.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 DOP 302

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-10.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.41 DOP 489

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-6.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 DOP 179

$2.32 COP 7,308

32.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 DOP 53.9

$1.06 COP 3,352

-12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 DOP 78.1

$1.52 COP 4,774

-11.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 DOP 91.3

$1.36 COP 4,270

15.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 DOP 102

$1.13 COP 3,552

54.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 DOP 102

$1.17 COP 3,689

49.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 DOP 30.54

$0.90 COP 2,838

-41.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 DOP 38.86

$0.90 COP 2,823

-25.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 DOP 250

$2.23 COP 7,034

92.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 DOP 485

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-31.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 DOP 144

$1.19 COP 3,743

108.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 DOP 175

$2.48 COP 7,815

21.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 DOP 48.07

$0.85 COP 2,687

-2.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 DOP 198

$1.42 COP 4,459

140.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 DOP 59.5

$1.95 COP 6,141

-47.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 DOP 351

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-23.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 DOP 74.4

$0.99 COP 3,118

29.29%

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

$26.3K DOP 1.5M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

49.47%

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

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

19.70%

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

$51.9 DOP 3,015

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-37.50%

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

$16.97 DOP 986

$9.70 COP 30.5K

74.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.25 DOP 2,107

$23.52 COP 74.1K

54.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 DOP 393

$3.95 COP 12.4K

71.14%

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

$266 DOP 15.4K

$316 COP 994.2K

-15.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,990 DOP 464.3K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

33.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 DOP 3,470

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-0.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 DOP 2,975

$31.82 COP 100.2K

60.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 DOP 5,655

$102 COP 320.1K

-4.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 DOP 6,633

$107 COP 338.3K

6.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 DOP 18.2K

$475 COP 1.5M

-34.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 DOP 14.7K

$374 COP 1.2M

-32.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 DOP 42.6K

$849 COP 2.7M

-13.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 DOP 31.1K

$719 COP 2.3M

-25.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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 Samana: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $313 in Samana versus $475 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. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Samana vs $193 in Medellin – so Samana wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 20%, 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 $1,253 per month in Samana and $1,504 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.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 Samana, where all-in costs run around $835, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.