🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $646 in Battambang versus $1,013 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,001 in Battambang versus $1,602 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,356 in Battambang versus $2,192 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Battambang costs roughly 36% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Battambang52% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Battambang
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.45៛9,848
$5.99COP 21.4K
-59.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.89៛71.9K
$32.86COP 117.4K
-45.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.63៛22.6K
$7.09COP 25.3K
-20.59%
Cappuccino
$1.52៛6,126
$1.71COP 6,115
-11.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63៛2,542
$1.10COP 3,924
-42.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52៛2,097
$0.78COP 2,781
-33.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.78៛3,131
$1.68COP 5,997
-53.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48៛5,944
$3.07COP 11.0K
-51.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Battambang
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.07៛8,327
$1.09COP 3,906
89.91%
White Bread(500g)
$1.51៛6,087
$1.26COP 4,508
19.84%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.02៛4,090
$1.38COP 4,922
-26.09%
Eggs
$1.74៛7,014
$2.19COP 7,827
-20.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.75៛51.3K
$4.40COP 15.7K
189.77%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.12៛16.6K
$5.63COP 20.1K
-26.82%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.15៛40.8K
$8.89COP 31.8K
14.17%
Apples(1kg)
$2.55៛10.2K
$2.34COP 8,349
8.97%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61៛6,478
$1.06COP 3,777
51.89%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.37៛9,525
$1.50COP 5,374
58.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.46៛5,855
$1.38COP 4,924
5.80%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52៛6,117
$1.15COP 4,111
32.17%
Onion(1kg)
$1.19៛4,795
$1.16COP 4,155
2.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.43៛5,755
$0.89COP 3,182
60.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51៛2,054
$0.84COP 2,997
-39.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.97៛7,935
$2.28COP 8,145
-13.60%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.13៛48.8K
$10.64COP 38.0K
14.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.81៛3,253
$1.20COP 4,284
-32.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99៛3,963
$2.47COP 8,824
-59.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Battambang
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.86COP 3,056
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.40COP 147.9K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.97៛3,913
$1.47COP 5,264
-34.01%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02៛4,115
$1.96COP 7,009
-47.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.04៛16.2K
$7.74COP 27.6K
-47.80%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.12៛4,514
$0.95COP 3,409
17.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.1K៛197.6M
$18.1KCOP 64.7M
171.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.4K៛146.4M
$26.5KCOP 94.6M
37.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Battambang
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$53.1៛213.4K
$82.3COP 293.7K
-35.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.53៛6,163
$9.50COP 33.9K
-83.89%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.23៛93.4K
$24.23COP 86.5K
-4.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Battambang
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.41៛90.1K
$25.89COP 92.4K
-13.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.00COP 67.9K
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.37៛17.6K
$3.93COP 14.0K
11.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Battambang
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$90.0៛361.8K
$309COP 1.1M
-70.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,977៛16.0M
$5,965COP 21.3M
-33.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Battambang
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.77៛79.5K
$58.7COP 209.5K
-66.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.24៛89.4K
$32.35COP 115.5K
-31.25%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$44.13៛177.4K
$103COP 366.4K
-56.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$42.11៛169.3K
$108COP 387.2K
-61.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Battambang
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$252៛1.0M
$476COP 1.7M
-47.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$174៛700.0K
$379COP 1.4M
-54.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$472៛1.9M
$838COP 3.0M
-43.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$354៛1.4M
$724COP 2.6M
-51.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,791COP 10.0M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,211COP 4.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Battambang
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$203៛815.3K
$512COP 1.8M
-60.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8
13.43
-40.43%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Battambang: June 2, 2026
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $252 in Battambang and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 152% 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: $18.00 in Battambang vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $224 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
Battambang vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Battambang or Medellin?
Battambang wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Battambang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Battambang or Medellin?
On paper, Medellin earns 152% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Battambang vs Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $252 in Battambang versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Battambang and Medellin?
Childcare runs $90.0 in Battambang versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Battambang vs Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Battambang – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Battambang or Medellin?
At $646 in Battambang versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Battambang but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Battambang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Battambang or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Battambang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $646 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Battambang hard to pass up.
How safe is Battambang compared to Medellin?
Safety-wise, Battambang 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Battambang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Battambang vs other spots: cost of living compared