🙂A single person spends $970 per month in Koh Chang vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Koh Chang vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,185 per month in Koh Chang vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Koh Chang is about 42% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Koh Chang sits 29% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Koh Chang
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.56฿119
$8.02COP 25.0K
-55.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.87฿864
$47.87COP 149.4K
-45.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.08฿236
$9.89COP 30.8K
-28.41%
Cappuccino
$2.28฿76.1
$3.13COP 9,767
-27.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66฿22.16
$1.91COP 5,954
-65.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.04
$1.51COP 4,712
-74.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.89฿63.2
$3.12COP 9,747
-39.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07฿102
$5.75COP 17.9K
-46.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Koh Chang
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿54.6
$1.44COP 4,509
13.89%
White Bread(500g)
$1.30฿43.44
$2.49COP 7,759
-47.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.45฿48.46
$1.77COP 5,535
-18.08%
Eggs
$1.93฿64.4
$2.96COP 9,235
-34.80%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.45฿583
$10.07COP 31.4K
73.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.12฿104
$10.12COP 31.6K
-69.17%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.11฿338
$14.30COP 44.6K
-29.30%
Apples(1kg)
$2.58฿86.2
$4.14COP 12.9K
-37.68%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51฿50.4
$1.61COP 5,019
-6.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.02฿67.5
$2.25COP 7,007
-10.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.96฿65.5
$2.25COP 7,028
-12.89%
Potato(1kg)
$1.38฿46.11
$2.04COP 6,375
-32.35%
Onion(1kg)
$1.25฿41.77
$1.54COP 4,790
-18.83%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿34.01
$1.17COP 3,651
-12.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿17.08
$1.31COP 4,077
-61.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96฿132
$3.90COP 12.2K
1.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.56฿553
$14.01COP 43.7K
18.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60฿53.5
$1.74COP 5,439
-8.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55฿85.2
$2.87COP 8,956
-11.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Koh Chang
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.85฿61.9
$1.22COP 3,792
51.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$80.5COP 251.1K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.45฿81.8
$1.31COP 4,084
87.02%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.82฿27.52
$2.19COP 6,825
-62.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.16฿106
$8.71COP 27.2K
-63.72%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.15฿38.53
$1.37COP 4,260
-16.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K฿726.8K
$27.8KCOP 86.9M
-21.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.2K฿708.4K
$35.8KCOP 111.6M
-40.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Koh Chang
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$97.1฿3,242
$177COP 553.2K
-45.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.41฿347
$13.88COP 43.3K
-25.00%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.70฿557
$29.72COP 92.8K
-43.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Koh Chang
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.24฿1,510
$44.88COP 140.1K
0.80%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.55฿319
$17.12COP 53.4K
-44.22%
Cinema Ticket
$6.36฿212
$6.65COP 20.7K
-4.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Koh Chang
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$513฿17.1K
$813COP 2.5M
-36.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.4K฿347.0K
$9,187COP 28.7M
13.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Koh Chang
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.3฿2,014
$89.5COP 279.3K
-32.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.66฿923
$59.0COP 184.0K
-53.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.2฿3,111
$138COP 431.2K
-32.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.5฿2,788
$102COP 318.7K
-18.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Koh Chang
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$474฿15.8K
$1,062COP 3.3M
-55.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$323฿10.8K
$663COP 2.1M
-51.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,368฿45.7K
$1,888COP 5.9M
-27.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$803฿26.8K
$1,027COP 3.2M
-21.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,283฿76.2K
$4,183COP 13.1M
-45.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,679฿56.1K
$1,675COP 5.2M
0.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Koh Chang
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$678COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
10.94
-49.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Koh Chang: September 13, 2026
Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Koh Chang versus $1,062 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 $26.00 in Koh Chang versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $305 – making Koh Chang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Koh Chang vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Koh Chang and in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $970 in Koh Chang, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 73% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Koh Chang compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,455 per month in Koh Chang and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Koh Chang and Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Koh Chang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Koh Chang or Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $970 in Koh Chang and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Koh Chang and Medellin?
Kindergarten costs $513 per month in Koh Chang and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koh Chang, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Koh Chang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Koh Chang and Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $970 in Koh Chang to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Koh Chang or Medellin safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Koh Chang and Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Koh Chang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.