🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,009 in Ao Nang versus $1,641 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,553 in Ao Nang versus $2,447 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,097 in Ao Nang versus $3,253 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Ao Nang costs roughly 39% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Ao Nang is 27% below, Medellin is 19% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.00฿99.0
$8.04COP 24.8K
-62.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.28฿802
$48.29COP 148.6K
-49.72%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.89฿327
$9.42COP 29.0K
4.99%
Cappuccino
$1.74฿57.4
$2.94COP 9,040
-40.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.40
$1.86COP 5,735
-60.22%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34฿11.08
$1.46COP 4,479
-76.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.07฿68.6
$3.21COP 9,882
-35.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06฿101
$5.71COP 17.6K
-46.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.71฿89.4
$1.44COP 4,428
88.19%
White Bread(500g)
$1.54฿50.8
$2.40COP 7,389
-35.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.35฿44.66
$1.70COP 5,228
-20.59%
Eggs
$2.89฿95.5
$2.89COP 8,896
-
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.26฿537
$10.06COP 30.9K
61.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.64฿87.2
$9.97COP 30.7K
-73.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.26฿339
$14.20COP 43.7K
-27.75%
Apples(1kg)
$3.16฿104
$3.98COP 12.3K
-20.60%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08฿35.56
$1.58COP 4,878
-31.65%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿75.1
$2.15COP 6,624
5.58%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.87฿61.7
$2.30COP 7,078
-18.70%
Potato(1kg)
$1.50฿49.64
$2.00COP 6,169
-25.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.11฿36.61
$1.51COP 4,646
-26.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.14฿37.53
$1.20COP 3,701
-5.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.20
$1.28COP 3,946
-59.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.48฿148
$3.84COP 11.8K
16.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.45฿543
$14.01COP 43.1K
17.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66฿54.8
$1.71COP 5,256
-2.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86฿94.4
$2.74COP 8,440
4.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.92฿30.47
$1.25COP 3,834
-26.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$36.16฿1,195
$77.9COP 239.7K
-53.58%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.26฿41.71
$1.31COP 4,016
-3.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.11฿36.60
$2.17COP 6,680
-48.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.85฿127
$8.29COP 25.5K
-53.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.39฿45.80
$1.36COP 4,172
2.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿900.0K
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
-0.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.7K฿947.2K
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
-21.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$108฿3,575
$169COP 519.2K
-35.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.78฿290
$13.57COP 41.8K
-35.30%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.27฿703
$28.32COP 87.2K
-24.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.4฿1,797
$45.71COP 140.7K
18.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.46฿478
$17.22COP 53.0K
-16.03%
Cinema Ticket
$6.82฿225
$6.65COP 20.5K
2.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$566฿18.7K
$803COP 2.5M
-29.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.2K฿369.7K
$9,190COP 28.3M
21.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.1฿1,687
$87.4COP 268.8K
-41.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.43฿972
$59.4COP 182.7K
-50.43%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0฿2,643
$139COP 427.5K
-42.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.2฿2,516
$102COP 314.0K
-25.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$370฿12.2K
$1,071COP 3.3M
-65.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$306฿10.1K
$653COP 2.0M
-53.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$986฿32.6K
$1,925COP 5.9M
-48.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$561฿18.5K
$1,048COP 3.2M
-46.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,846฿61.0K
$4,123COP 12.7M
-55.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,413฿46.7K
$1,697COP 5.2M
-16.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ao Nang
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,307฿43.2K
$655COP 2.0M
99.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
10.94
-49.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ao Nang: September 7, 2026
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in Ao Nang and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Ao Nang pays 100% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $24.00 in Ao Nang vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $300 per month, with Ao Nang cheaper across the board.
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 63% in total monthly costs ($1,009 vs $1,641 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 100% 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: $370 in Ao Nang versus $1,071 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 $24.00 versus $48.00 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 $1,009 per month in Ao Nang versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 63% 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 $1,009 in Ao Nang versus $1,641 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 63% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.