Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sosua and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Sosua: $1,424 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. The total is higher in Medellin despite lower rent and utilities.

Sosua, Dominican Republic
Medellin, Colombia
Sosua
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
$1,424
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sosua and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sosua and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,424 per month in Sosua vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Sosua $1,424
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Sosua vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Sosua $2,228
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $3,033 per month in Sosua vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Sosua $3,033
  • Medellin $3,186

Sosua is about 13% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sosua and Medellin sit above the global median – Sosua by 5%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sosua
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.80 DOP 591
$8.09 COP 26.1K
21.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.65 DOP 2,996
$47.05 COP 151.9K
5.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.26 DOP 438
$9.50 COP 30.7K
-23.58%
Cappuccino
$2.26 DOP 136
$3.01 COP 9,735
-24.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01 DOP 61.1
$1.80 COP 5,809
-43.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 DOP 33.07
$1.41 COP 4,561
-60.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 DOP 146
$3.18 COP 10.3K
-24.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 DOP 198
$5.75 COP 18.6K
-43.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sosua
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 DOP 79.6
$1.51 COP 4,876
-12.58%
White Bread (500g)
$1.50 DOP 90.3
$2.38 COP 7,678
-36.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.63 DOP 38.25
$1.77 COP 5,720
-64.41%
Eggs
$1.99 DOP 120
$2.89 COP 9,333
-31.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.22 DOP 436
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-29.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 DOP 339
$9.87 COP 31.9K
-42.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.46 DOP 390
$13.99 COP 45.2K
-53.82%
Apples (1kg)
$3.03 DOP 183
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-23.68%
Banana (1kg)
$0.76 DOP 45.88
$1.55 COP 5,012
-50.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.64 DOP 159
$2.18 COP 7,048
21.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.23 DOP 74.2
$2.18 COP 7,051
-43.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.74 DOP 105
$1.96 COP 6,337
-11.22%
Onion (1kg)
$2.24 DOP 135
$1.59 COP 5,132
40.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 DOP 40.90
$1.15 COP 3,699
-40.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40 DOP 24.01
$1.24 COP 4,014
-67.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.33 DOP 322
$3.96 COP 12.8K
34.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.30 DOP 621
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-24.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.49 DOP 150
$1.66 COP 5,359
50.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 DOP 139
$2.26 COP 7,291
2.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Sosua
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.17 COP 3,771
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.21 DOP 194
$1.27 COP 4,094
152.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.16 DOP 131
$2.05 COP 6,612
5.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.89 DOP 355
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-31.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 DOP 76.3
$1.35 COP 4,349
-6.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.6K DOP 1.7M
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-16.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K DOP 2.1M
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-0.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sosua
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.5 DOP 3,953
$170 COP 547.8K
-61.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.83 DOP 1,680
$13.55 COP 43.8K
105.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.55 DOP 1,964
$28.07 COP 90.6K
15.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sosua
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$43.70 COP 141.1K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.30 DOP 441
$6.91 COP 22.3K
5.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sosua
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$245 DOP 14.8K
$797 COP 2.6M
-69.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,347 DOP 443.4K
$9,112 COP 29.4M
-19.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sosua
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.48 DOP 2,745
$84.7 COP 273.5K
-46.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.68 DOP 2,757
$58.0 COP 187.2K
-21.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.7 DOP 5,109
$135 COP 435.8K
-37.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 DOP 7,544
$97.9 COP 316.0K
27.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sosua
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$851 DOP 51.4K
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-29.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$783 DOP 47.2K
$642 COP 2.1M
22.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,722 DOP 103.9K
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-15.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 DOP 91.2K
$1,012 COP 3.3M
49.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,828 DOP 110.3K
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-56.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,705 DOP 102.9K
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-10.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sosua
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$657 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.56
10.94
23.95%

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

Last update for Sosua: October 24, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sosua
$783
Medellin
$642 18% $141
Groceries & Markets
Sosua
$199
Medellin
$297 49.2% $98
Eating Out
Sosua
$152
Medellin
$170 11.5% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Sosua
$135
Medellin
$169 24.8% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sosua
$126
Medellin
$211 67.8% $85
Sport & Entertainment
Sosua
$15 *
Medellin
$58 294% $43
Getting Around
Sosua
$14 *
Medellin
$94 567% $80

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $851 in Sosua versus $1,208 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 $50 in Sosua versus $47 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Sosua vs $297 in Medellin – so Sosua wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇩🇴 Sosua
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
23:52 11:52 PM
22:52 10:52 PM
1 h behind Sosua
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
7,713
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to DOP – Dominican Peso Converter

Dominican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 60.35 DOP (100 DOP = 1.66 USD). 1 EUR = 67.38 DOP (100 DOP = 1.48 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sosua Medellin 1,600 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sosua
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Sosua vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sosua cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,136 per month in Sosua and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sosua, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $851 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Sosua or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Sosua and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Sosua and in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 49% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Sosua or in Medellin?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,424 in Sosua and $1,639 in Medellin. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Sosua or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sosua – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Sosua vs other spots: cost of living compared

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