🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $913 in Ao Nang versus $1,013 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,521 in Ao Nang versus $1,602 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Ao Nang versus $2,192 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Ao Nang costs roughly 10% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Ao Nang32% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.37฿77.5
$5.99COP 21.4K
-60.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.61฿837
$32.86COP 117.2K
-22.06%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.08฿329
$7.09COP 25.3K
42.17%
Cappuccino
$1.07฿35.12
$1.71COP 6,105
-37.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.36
$1.10COP 3,918
-38.18%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.33
$0.78COP 2,776
-55.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.89฿94.3
$1.68COP 5,987
72.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60฿118
$3.07COP 10.9K
17.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.68฿87.6
$1.09COP 3,899
145.87%
White Bread(500g)
$1.54฿50.3
$1.26COP 4,500
22.22%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.33฿43.40
$1.38COP 4,914
-3.62%
Eggs
$2.82฿92.2
$2.19COP 7,813
28.77%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.57฿607
$4.40COP 15.7K
322.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.99฿97.9
$5.63COP 20.1K
-46.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86฿355
$8.89COP 31.7K
22.16%
Apples(1kg)
$3.26฿106
$2.34COP 8,334
39.32%
Banana(1kg)
$1.21฿39.45
$1.06COP 3,771
14.15%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.89฿61.8
$1.50COP 5,365
26.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.52฿49.73
$1.38COP 4,915
10.14%
Potato(1kg)
$1.54฿50.4
$1.15COP 4,104
33.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.21฿39.47
$1.16COP 4,148
4.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.20
$0.89COP 3,176
14.61%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.69
$0.84COP 2,992
-39.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.49฿147
$2.28COP 8,131
96.93%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.12฿494
$10.64COP 37.9K
42.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81฿59.2
$1.20COP 4,276
50.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$2.47COP 8,809
9.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.94฿30.58
$0.86COP 3,051
9.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$36.46฿1,192
$41.40COP 147.6K
-11.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.06฿34.58
$1.47COP 5,255
-27.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.20฿39.13
$1.96COP 6,997
-38.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.07฿198
$7.74COP 27.6K
-21.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.61
$0.95COP 3,403
33.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.7K
$18.1KCOP 64.6M
55.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿882.7K
$26.5KCOP 94.4M
1.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$77.2฿2,524
$82.3COP 293.2K
-6.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.66฿283
$9.50COP 33.9K
-8.84%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.61฿608
$24.23COP 86.4K
-23.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.30฿1,579
$25.89COP 92.3K
86.56%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.96฿391
$19.00COP 67.7K
-37.05%
Cinema Ticket
$6.90฿225
$3.93COP 14.0K
75.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$304฿9,933
$309COP 1.1M
-1.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,772฿319.4K
$5,965COP 21.3M
63.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.18฿1,085
$58.7COP 209.1K
-43.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.17฿1,117
$32.35COP 115.3K
5.63%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$97.6฿3,191
$103COP 365.7K
-4.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.3฿2,330
$108COP 386.5K
-34.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$418฿13.7K
$476COP 1.7M
-12.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$249฿8,154
$379COP 1.4M
-34.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$604฿19.7K
$838COP 3.0M
-27.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$655฿21.4K
$724COP 2.6M
-9.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,117฿69.2K
$2,791COP 9.9M
-24.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,372฿44.9K
$1,211COP 4.3M
13.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,304฿42.6K
$512COP 1.8M
154.78%
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: May 31, 2026
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $418 in Ao Nang and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Ao Nang pays 155% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $26.00 in Ao Nang vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $188, 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 Medellin?
Ao Nang and Medellin differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($913 vs $1,013 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?
Ao Nang pays 155% more on average, 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 Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $418 in Ao Nang versus $476 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 $26.00 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 $913 per month in Ao Nang versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 11% 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 $913 in Ao Nang versus $1,013 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 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.