🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $883 in Chanthaburi versus $1,017 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,425 in Chanthaburi versus $1,602 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,967 in Chanthaburi versus $2,188 in Medellin.
🙂Living in Chanthaburi costs roughly 13% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Chanthaburi34% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chanthaburi
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.20฿38.97
$5.95COP 20.8K
-79.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.42฿991
$33.33COP 116.3K
-8.73%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.28฿205
$7.23COP 25.2K
-13.14%
Cappuccino
$1.50฿48.82
$1.63COP 5,687
-7.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.41
$1.09COP 3,821
-51.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29฿9.54
$0.73COP 2,548
-60.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.80฿58.7
$1.74COP 6,065
3.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.93฿128
$3.23COP 11.3K
21.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chanthaburi
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.51฿49.31
$1.05COP 3,662
43.81%
White Bread(500g)
$1.38฿44.98
$1.29COP 4,515
6.98%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.95฿30.89
$1.32COP 4,617
-28.03%
Eggs
$2.20฿71.5
$2.27COP 7,927
-3.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.09฿589
$4.35COP 15.2K
315.86%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.96฿96.5
$5.88COP 20.5K
-49.66%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.55฿311
$8.61COP 30.0K
10.92%
Apples(1kg)
$3.50฿114
$2.25COP 7,844
55.56%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿56.1
$1.07COP 3,733
60.75%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.32฿75.4
$1.52COP 5,322
52.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.90฿61.8
$1.42COP 4,964
33.80%
Potato(1kg)
$1.18฿38.31
$1.17COP 4,084
0.85%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45฿47.16
$1.17COP 4,077
23.93%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿31.92
$0.89COP 3,096
10.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿15.95
$0.90COP 3,146
-45.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.32฿141
$2.25COP 7,837
92.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.42฿502
$11.04COP 38.5K
39.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81฿59.1
$1.14COP 3,977
58.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39฿110
$2.38COP 8,301
42.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Chanthaburi
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.96฿31.42
$0.84COP 2,916
14.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$30.16฿982
$41.95COP 146.4K
-28.10%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.09฿35.66
$1.41COP 4,912
-22.70%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.05฿34.05
$1.90COP 6,634
-44.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.98฿195
$7.75COP 27.0K
-22.84%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.25฿40.76
$1.01COP 3,509
23.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.5K฿1.2M
$17.6KCOP 61.4M
113.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4K฿794.3K
$26.5KCOP 92.5M
-7.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chanthaburi
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$89.2฿2,905
$83.7COP 292.1K
6.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.73฿122
$9.45COP 33.0K
-60.53%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.62฿346
$24.11COP 84.1K
-55.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chanthaburi
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.85฿1,591
$25.31COP 88.3K
93.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.13฿395
$19.14COP 66.8K
-36.62%
Cinema Ticket
$5.62฿183
$4.10COP 14.3K
37.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chanthaburi
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$595฿19.4K
$312COP 1.1M
90.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.3K฿434.5K
$5,993COP 20.9M
122.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chanthaburi
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$7.48฿243
$58.0COP 202.6K
-87.11%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.71฿1,196
$32.56COP 113.6K
12.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$69.7฿2,268
$99.6COP 347.7K
-30.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$21.93฿714
$109COP 378.8K
-79.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chanthaburi
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$429฿14.0K
$482COP 1.7M
-11.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$287฿9,359
$379COP 1.3M
-24.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$807฿26.3K
$837COP 2.9M
-3.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$651฿21.2K
$723COP 2.5M
-9.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,079฿67.7K
$2,840COP 9.9M
-26.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,274฿41.5K
$1,223COP 4.3M
4.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chanthaburi
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$541COP 1.9M
-
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 Chanthaburi: June 7, 2026
Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Chanthaburi and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $30.00 in Chanthaburi vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $190, 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
Chanthaburi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Chanthaburi and Medellin?
Chanthaburi and Medellin differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($883 vs $1,017 including rent). Chanthaburi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Chanthaburi compared to Medellin?
You'd need roughly $1,325 in Chanthaburi and $1,525 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 do apartment prices compare in Chanthaburi and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $429 in Chanthaburi versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Chanthaburi and Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Chanthaburi runs roughly 39% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Chanthaburi and Medellin?
Childcare runs $595 in Chanthaburi versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $883 in Chanthaburi versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chanthaburi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Chanthaburi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Chanthaburi 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 Chanthaburi or Medellin safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Chanthaburi 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: Chanthaburi or Medellin?
Expats usually find Chanthaburi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Chanthaburi vs other spots: cost of living compared