Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,068 in Bangkok versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Bangkok versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,396 in Bangkok versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 5% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 20% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 ฿104

$5.99 COP 21.5K

-47.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ฿995

$32.86 COP 118.1K

-7.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ฿206

$7.09 COP 25.5K

-11.57%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ฿82.3

$1.71 COP 6,154

46.78%

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

$0.68 ฿22.45

$1.10 COP 3,949

-38.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.83

$0.78 COP 2,798

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿80.0

$1.68 COP 6,035

45.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 ฿129

$3.07 COP 11.0K

28.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$1.09 COP 3,930

65.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.59

$1.26 COP 4,536

10.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.43

$1.38 COP 4,953

2.90%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.1

$2.19 COP 7,876

3.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.40 ฿604

$4.40 COP 15.8K

318.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.9

$5.63 COP 20.2K

-46.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ฿308

$8.89 COP 32.0K

5.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ฿116

$2.34 COP 8,401

51.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿57.9

$1.06 COP 3,801

66.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.50 COP 5,408

47.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.38 COP 4,955

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.8

$1.15 COP 4,137

42.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.10

$1.16 COP 4,181

29.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ฿42.87

$0.89 COP 3,202

47.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.18

$0.84 COP 3,016

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿140

$2.28 COP 8,196

86.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 ฿493

$10.64 COP 38.2K

41.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.2

$1.20 COP 4,311

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.47 COP 8,880

37.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿39.18

$0.86 COP 3,075

38.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,195

$41.40 COP 148.8K

-12.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿36.01

$1.47 COP 5,297

-25.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.25

$1.96 COP 7,053

-38.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ฿201

$7.74 COP 27.8K

-20.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿41.07

$0.95 COP 3,430

31.58%

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

$18.1K COP 65.2M

105.89%

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

$28.6K ฿938.8K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

8.03%

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

$91.9 ฿3,014

$82.3 COP 295.6K

11.67%

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

$12.96 ฿425

$9.50 COP 34.1K

36.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.67 ฿580

$24.23 COP 87.1K

-27.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ฿1,767

$25.89 COP 93.0K

108.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.68 ฿351

$19.00 COP 68.3K

-43.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ฿259

$3.93 COP 14.1K

101.02%

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

$601 ฿19.7K

$309 COP 1.1M

94.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿434.6K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

122.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ฿1,871

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-2.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 ฿1,256

$32.35 COP 116.2K

18.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ฿3,392

$103 COP 368.7K

0.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ฿3,117

$108 COP 389.6K

-12.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿22.0K

$476 COP 1.7M

40.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ฿10.7K

$379 COP 1.4M

-13.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ฿61.6K

$838 COP 3.0M

123.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 ฿27.7K

$724 COP 2.6M

16.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,307 ฿206.9K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

126.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,371 ฿110.6K

$1,211 COP 4.4M

178.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 ฿24.5K

$512 COP 1.8M

46.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

13.43

-56.52%

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

Last update for Bangkok: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Bangkok and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 46% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Bangkok vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 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

Bangkok vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Medellin differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bangkok pays 46% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $669 in Bangkok versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $30.00 in Bangkok. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,068 per month in Bangkok versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,068 in Bangkok, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Bangkok 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.