🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $911 in Ao Nang versus $1,031 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,545 in Ao Nang versus $1,599 in Medellin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,178 in Ao Nang versus $2,167 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Ao Nang costs roughly 12% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Ao Nang32% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.35฿79.1
$6.16COP 20.1K
-61.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.34฿853
$32.60COP 106.1K
-22.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.93฿334
$7.34COP 23.9K
35.29%
Cappuccino
$1.07฿36.03
$1.72COP 5,600
-37.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.97
$1.05COP 3,420
-35.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.72
$0.77COP 2,515
-54.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.87฿96.4
$1.69COP 5,488
69.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69฿124
$3.17COP 10.3K
16.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.81฿94.5
$1.05COP 3,423
167.62%
White Bread(500g)
$1.49฿50.1
$1.30COP 4,236
14.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.26฿42.41
$1.40COP 4,544
-10.00%
Eggs
$2.81฿94.6
$2.16COP 7,047
30.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.48฿622
$4.39COP 14.3K
320.96%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.94฿99.1
$5.88COP 19.1K
-50.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.01฿371
$8.64COP 28.1K
27.43%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿110
$2.28COP 7,426
43.86%
Banana(1kg)
$1.25฿42.15
$1.11COP 3,604
12.61%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.96฿65.8
$1.53COP 4,983
28.10%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59฿53.5
$1.35COP 4,410
17.78%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$1.13COP 3,674
35.40%
Onion(1kg)
$1.22฿40.98
$1.13COP 3,692
7.96%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿33.25
$0.85COP 2,753
16.47%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$0.91COP 2,975
-47.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿143
$2.34COP 7,630
81.62%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.22฿546
$12.37COP 40.3K
31.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73฿58.1
$1.20COP 3,909
44.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿92.9
$2.49COP 8,104
10.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.90฿30.42
$0.84COP 2,728
7.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$36.23฿1,219
$40.57COP 132.1K
-10.70%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.10฿36.98
$1.42COP 4,623
-22.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.18฿39.85
$1.92COP 6,235
-38.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.12฿206
$7.66COP 24.9K
-20.10%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.25฿41.95
$0.99COP 3,223
26.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K฿928.0K
$18.0KCOP 58.7M
52.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.8K฿935.0K
$26.6KCOP 86.7M
4.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$75.7฿2,548
$80.8COP 263.1K
-6.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.64฿291
$9.95COP 32.4K
-13.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.92฿637
$24.18COP 78.7K
-21.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.56฿1,634
$25.08COP 81.7K
93.62%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.11฿407
$19.15COP 62.3K
-36.76%
Cinema Ticket
$7.26฿244
$3.98COP 13.0K
82.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$299฿10.1K
$305COP 993.5K
-2.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,516฿320.2K
$6,059COP 19.7M
57.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.93฿1,108
$58.1COP 189.2K
-43.35%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.04฿1,179
$32.20COP 104.8K
8.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101฿3,388
$101COP 327.9K
-0.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.7฿2,414
$108COP 350.8K
-33.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$430฿14.5K
$477COP 1.6M
-9.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$242฿8,129
$376COP 1.2M
-35.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.8K
$845COP 2.7M
-26.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$647฿21.8K
$730COP 2.4M
-11.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,856฿62.4K
$3,215COP 10.5M
-42.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,303฿43.8K
$1,372COP 4.5M
-5.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,251฿42.1K
$617COP 2.0M
102.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.45
13.43
-59.42%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ao Nang: July 12, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Ao Nang and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Ao Nang pays 103% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $25.00 in Ao Nang vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $265 vs $193, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.
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
Ao Nang vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ao Nang and in Medellin?
Ao Nang and Medellin differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($911 vs $1,031 including rent). Ao Nang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Ao Nang or Medellin?
Average pay runs 103% higher in Ao Nang, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Ao Nang and in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Ao Nang versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Ao Nang – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ao Nang or Medellin?
All in, you'll spend $911 per month in Ao Nang versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $911 in Ao Nang versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ao Nang but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ao Nang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ao Nang and Medellin?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Ao Nang or Medellin safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ao Nang and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Ao Nang or Medellin?
Expats usually find Ao Nang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.