Cost of Living Comparison Between Cha-am and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cha-am and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $941 in Cha-am versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,439 in Cha-am versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,937 in Cha-am versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Cha-am costs roughly 6% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cha-am 29% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ฿101

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-48.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.54 ฿718

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-34.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 ฿301

$7.43 COP 23.4K

21.27%

Cappuccino

$2.04 ฿68.0

$1.65 COP 5,207

23.64%

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

$0.69 ฿23.01

$1.10 COP 3,468

-37.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ฿13.90

$0.78 COP 2,458

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿81.3

$1.72 COP 5,412

41.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.18 COP 10.0K

15.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.10 COP 3,474

52.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 ฿45.10

$1.26 COP 3,962

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿41.97

$1.38 COP 4,349

-8.70%

Eggs

$1.89 ฿63.0

$2.18 COP 6,858

-13.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 ฿439

$4.49 COP 14.1K

193.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ฿112

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-41.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.89 ฿363

$8.97 COP 28.2K

21.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ฿100

$2.32 COP 7,308

29.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.32

$1.06 COP 3,352

25.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ฿62.4

$1.52 COP 4,774

23.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.36 COP 4,270

11.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 ฿55.7

$1.13 COP 3,552

47.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.43

$1.17 COP 3,689

3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ฿39.87

$0.90 COP 2,838

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ฿14.34

$0.90 COP 2,823

-52.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿155

$2.23 COP 7,034

108.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿584

$12.12 COP 38.2K

44.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.19 COP 3,743

52.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ฿119

$2.48 COP 7,815

43.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.28

$0.85 COP 2,687

7.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 ฿36.92

$1.42 COP 4,459

-21.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 ฿23.85

$1.95 COP 6,141

-63.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 ฿111

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-57.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿43.34

$0.99 COP 3,118

31.31%

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

$20.0K ฿665.7K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

13.37%

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

$20.9K ฿697.6K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-21.97%

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

$73.4 ฿2,449

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-11.56%

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

$13.14 ฿438

$9.70 COP 30.5K

35.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.65 ฿622

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-20.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.05 ฿836

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-0.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.26 ฿409

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-35.81%

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 ฿255

$3.95 COP 12.4K

93.92%

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

$137 ฿4,567

$316 COP 994.2K

-56.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,355 ฿312.1K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

56.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.53 ฿1,018

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-49.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.74 ฿658

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-37.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.8 ฿2,028

$102 COP 320.1K

-40.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.63 ฿1,455

$107 COP 338.3K

-59.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ฿15.1K

$475 COP 1.5M

-4.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 ฿12.5K

$374 COP 1.2M

0.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ฿25.9K

$849 COP 2.7M

-8.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 ฿22.4K

$719 COP 2.3M

-6.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$361 ฿12.1K

$624 COP 2.0M

-42.14%

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 Cha-am: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Cha-am and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 73% 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: $22.00 in Cha-am vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $239 vs $193, 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

Cha-am vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cha-am and Medellin differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($941 vs $1,003 including rent). Cha-am is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 73% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $453 in Cha-am versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $137 in Cha-am versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cha-am – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $941 in Cha-am versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cha-am but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cha-am 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, Cha-am 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 Cha-am gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.