Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Khon Kaen and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Khon Kaen: $608 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Khon Kaen, Thailand
Medellin, Colombia
Khon Kaen
🇹🇭 Thailand
$608
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Khon Kaen and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Khon Kaen and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $608 per month in Khon Kaen vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Khon Kaen $608
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $1,024 per month in Khon Kaen vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Khon Kaen $1,024
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $1,440 per month in Khon Kaen vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Khon Kaen $1,440
  • Medellin $3,186

Khon Kaen is about 63% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Khon Kaen sits 55% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Khon Kaen
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.04 ฿103
$8.09 COP 26.1K
-62.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.92 ฿1,010
$47.05 COP 151.9K
-36.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.93 ฿200
$9.50 COP 30.7K
-37.58%
Cappuccino
$1.46 ฿49.36
$3.01 COP 9,735
-51.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ฿19.82
$1.80 COP 5,809
-67.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ฿9.82
$1.41 COP 4,561
-79.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.72 ฿58.0
$3.18 COP 10.3K
-45.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.73 ฿227
$5.75 COP 18.6K
17.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Khon Kaen
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$1.51 COP 4,876
-
White Bread (500g)
-
$2.38 COP 7,678
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.86 ฿29.14
$1.77 COP 5,720
-51.41%
Eggs
$2.47 ฿83.5
$2.89 COP 9,333
-14.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$9.87 COP 31.9K
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$13.99 COP 45.2K
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-
Banana (1kg)
$0.87 ฿29.33
$1.55 COP 5,012
-43.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$2.18 COP 7,048
-31.19%
Tomato (1kg)
-
$2.18 COP 7,051
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$1.96 COP 6,337
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$1.59 COP 5,132
-5.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.62 ฿20.84
$1.15 COP 3,699
-46.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.70
$1.24 COP 4,014
-58.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.96 COP 12.8K
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 ฿55.5
$1.66 COP 5,359
-0.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.26 COP 7,291
-
🚌 Getting Around
Khon Kaen
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.17 COP 3,771
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.27 COP 4,094
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 ฿40.57
$2.05 COP 6,612
-41.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 ฿44.67
$1.35 COP 4,349
-2.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.6K ฿1.5M
$34.1K COP 110.0M
30.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿895.7K
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-23.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Khon Kaen
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.7 ฿3,195
$170 COP 547.8K
-44.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.99 ฿607
$13.55 COP 43.8K
32.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.73 ฿1,003
$28.07 COP 90.6K
5.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Khon Kaen
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$59.5 ฿2,008
$43.70 COP 141.1K
36.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.85 ฿197
$6.91 COP 22.3K
-15.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Khon Kaen
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$797 COP 2.6M
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,970 ฿302.7K
$9,112 COP 29.4M
-1.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Khon Kaen
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$30.04 ฿1,014
$84.7 COP 273.5K
-64.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.83 ฿1,176
$58.0 COP 187.2K
-39.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.8 ฿2,489
$135 COP 435.8K
-45.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.5 ฿3,055
$97.9 COP 316.0K
-7.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Khon Kaen
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$280 ฿9,445
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-76.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$156 ฿5,264
$642 COP 2.1M
-75.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$730 ฿24.6K
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-63.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$480 ฿16.2K
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-52.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Khon Kaen
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$657 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
10.94
-

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

Last update for Khon Kaen: October 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Khon Kaen
–
Medellin
$642
Groceries & Markets
Khon Kaen
–
Medellin
$297
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Khon Kaen
–
Medellin
$211
Eating Out
Khon Kaen
–
Medellin
$170
Clothing & Footwear
Khon Kaen
–
Medellin
$169
Getting Around
Khon Kaen
–
Medellin
$94
Sport & Entertainment
Khon Kaen
–
Medellin
$58

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Khon Kaen versus $1,208 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Khon Kaen versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $45 vs $297 – making Khon Kaen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Khon Kaen
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
23:50 11:50 PM
11:50 11:50 AM
12 h behind Khon Kaen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
114,459
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Khon Kaen Medellin 17,490 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Khon Kaen
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Khon Kaen vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Khon Kaen cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 169%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $913 per month in Khon Kaen and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Khon Kaen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $280 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
How do food prices compare in Khon Kaen and in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 567% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Khon Kaen or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Khon Kaen and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Khon Kaen or in Medellin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Khon Kaen, where all-in costs run around $608, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Khon Kaen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Khon Kaen or in Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $608 in Khon Kaen to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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