🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $730 in Cam Ranh versus $1,641 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Cam Ranh versus $2,447 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,669 in Cam Ranh versus $3,253 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Cam Ranh costs roughly 55% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Cam Ranh is 47% below, Medellin is 19% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cam Ranh
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.62₫68.0K
$8.04COP 24.8K
-67.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.76₫590.0K
$48.29COP 148.7K
-52.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.59₫119.0K
$9.42COP 29.0K
-51.27%
Cappuccino
$1.69₫43.9K
$2.94COP 9,045
-42.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39₫10.2K
$1.86COP 5,738
-79.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.21₫5,425
$1.46COP 4,481
-85.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.62₫16.1K
$3.21COP 9,887
-80.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26₫32.7K
$5.71COP 17.6K
-77.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cam Ranh
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.42₫36.9K
$1.44COP 4,431
-1.39%
White Bread(500g)
$0.47₫12.3K
$2.40COP 7,393
-80.42%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.02₫26.5K
$1.70COP 5,230
-40.00%
Eggs
$1.37₫35.6K
$2.89COP 8,901
-52.60%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.87₫307.6K
$10.06COP 31.0K
17.99%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.07₫79.5K
$9.97COP 30.7K
-69.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.33₫293.6K
$14.20COP 43.7K
-20.21%
Apples(1kg)
$1.90₫49.3K
$3.98COP 12.3K
-52.26%
Banana(1kg)
$0.85₫21.9K
$1.58COP 4,880
-46.20%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.11₫28.7K
$2.15COP 6,627
-48.37%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.19₫30.8K
$2.30COP 7,082
-48.26%
Potato(1kg)
$0.78₫20.3K
$2.00COP 6,172
-61.00%
Onion(1kg)
$0.71₫18.3K
$1.51COP 4,648
-52.98%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.74₫19.2K
$1.20COP 3,703
-38.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39₫10.0K
$1.28COP 3,948
-69.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.50₫38.9K
$3.84COP 11.8K
-60.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.46₫297.1K
$14.01COP 43.1K
-18.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.57₫14.9K
$1.71COP 5,259
-66.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79₫46.5K
$2.74COP 8,444
-34.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Cam Ranh
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.36₫9,406
$1.25COP 3,836
-71.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$6.06₫157.1K
$77.9COP 239.9K
-92.22%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.57₫14.7K
$1.31COP 4,018
-56.49%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.59₫15.4K
$2.17COP 6,684
-72.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.35₫60.8K
$8.29COP 25.5K
-71.65%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.83₫21.4K
$1.36COP 4,174
-38.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K₫801.0M
$27.5KCOP 84.6M
12.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K₫708.2M
$36.5KCOP 112.5M
-25.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cam Ranh
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$77.1₫2.0M
$169COP 519.5K
-54.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.50₫168.5K
$13.57COP 41.8K
-52.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.22₫239.0K
$28.32COP 87.2K
-67.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cam Ranh
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$23.41₫606.8K
$45.71COP 140.8K
-48.79%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.06₫183.0K
$17.22COP 53.0K
-59.00%
Cinema Ticket
$1.89₫49.1K
$6.65COP 20.5K
-71.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cam Ranh
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$214₫5.5M
$803COP 2.5M
-73.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,907₫101.3M
$9,190COP 28.3M
-57.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cam Ranh
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.16₫1.1M
$87.4COP 269.0K
-51.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.18₫600.8K
$59.4COP 182.8K
-60.96%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$49.12₫1.3M
$139COP 427.7K
-64.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.6₫2.4M
$102COP 314.2K
-8.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cam Ranh
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$438₫11.3M
$1,071COP 3.3M
-59.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$236₫6.1M
$653COP 2.0M
-63.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$652₫16.9M
$1,925COP 5.9M
-66.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$561₫14.5M
$1,048COP 3.2M
-46.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,693₫69.8M
$4,123COP 12.7M
-34.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,313₫34.0M
$1,697COP 5.2M
-22.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cam Ranh
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$655COP 2.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.55
10.94
-21.85%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cam Ranh: September 5, 2026
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Cam Ranh and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $23.00 in Cam Ranh vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $300 per month, with Cam Ranh 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
Cam Ranh vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cam Ranh or Medellin?
Cam Ranh wins on cost – living expenses run 125% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cam Ranh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cam Ranh and in Medellin?
You'd need roughly $1,096 in Cam Ranh and $2,462 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Cam Ranh compared to Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $438 in Cam Ranh versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Cam Ranh compared to Medellin?
All in, you'll spend $730 per month in Cam Ranh versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 125% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Cam Ranh compared to Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Cam Ranh runs roughly 1185% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Cam Ranh or in Medellin?
At $730 in Cam Ranh versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cam Ranh but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cam Ranh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cam Ranh or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Cam Ranh delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $730 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cam Ranh hard to pass up.
How safe is Cam Ranh compared to Medellin?
Safety-wise, Cam Ranh 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 Cam Ranh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.