😐A single person spends $2,019 per month in Koh Phi Phi vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $3,360 per month in Koh Phi Phi vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $4,701 per month in Koh Phi Phi vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.
😐Koh Phi Phi costs about 23% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Koh Phi Phi and Medellin sit above the global median – Koh Phi Phi by 46%, Medellin by 19%.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.95฿230
$8.04COP 24.8K
-13.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.96฿1,651
$48.29COP 148.6K
3.46%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.17฿435
$9.42COP 29.0K
39.81%
Cappuccino
$4.41฿146
$2.94COP 9,040
50.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26฿41.54
$1.86COP 5,735
-32.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.65
$1.46COP 4,479
-52.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.59฿119
$3.21COP 9,882
11.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.80฿192
$5.71COP 17.6K
1.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.17฿71.8
$1.44COP 4,428
50.69%
White Bread(500g)
$1.72฿56.7
$2.40COP 7,389
-28.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.92฿63.6
$1.70COP 5,228
12.94%
Eggs
$2.69฿88.8
$2.89COP 8,896
-6.92%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$23.72฿784
$10.06COP 30.9K
135.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.10฿135
$9.97COP 30.7K
-58.88%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.45฿444
$14.20COP 43.7K
-5.28%
Apples(1kg)
$3.48฿115
$3.98COP 12.3K
-12.56%
Banana(1kg)
$2.01฿66.3
$1.58COP 4,878
27.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.74฿90.6
$2.15COP 6,624
27.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.64฿87.1
$2.30COP 7,078
14.78%
Potato(1kg)
$1.85฿61.2
$2.00COP 6,169
-7.50%
Onion(1kg)
$1.63฿54.0
$1.51COP 4,646
7.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.31฿43.22
$1.20COP 3,701
9.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70฿23.09
$1.28COP 3,946
-45.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.23฿173
$3.84COP 11.8K
36.20%
Wine(Bottle)
$22.78฿753
$14.01COP 43.1K
62.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.23฿73.8
$1.71COP 5,256
30.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57฿118
$2.74COP 8,440
30.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.10฿102
$1.25COP 3,834
148.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$77.9COP 239.7K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.38฿145
$1.31COP 4,016
234.35%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.51฿49.89
$2.17COP 6,680
-30.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.52฿182
$8.29COP 25.5K
-33.41%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.07฿68.4
$1.36COP 4,172
52.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.0K฿1.3M
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
41.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K฿1.3M
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
5.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$113฿3,723
$169COP 519.2K
-33.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.14฿401
$13.57COP 41.8K
-10.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.56฿646
$28.32COP 87.2K
-30.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$64.7฿2,136
$45.71COP 140.7K
41.46%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.28฿439
$17.22COP 53.0K
-22.88%
Cinema Ticket
$9.10฿301
$6.65COP 20.5K
36.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$686฿22.7K
$803COP 2.5M
-14.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.3K฿472.9K
$9,190COP 28.3M
55.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8฿2,241
$87.4COP 268.8K
-22.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.34฿1,002
$59.4COP 182.7K
-48.90%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103฿3,414
$139COP 427.5K
-25.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.3฿3,149
$102COP 314.0K
-6.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,652฿54.6K
$1,071COP 3.3M
54.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,082฿35.8K
$653COP 2.0M
65.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$4,617฿152.5K
$1,925COP 5.9M
139.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,737฿90.4K
$1,048COP 3.2M
161.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,967฿263.2K
$4,123COP 12.7M
93.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,686฿187.9K
$1,697COP 5.2M
234.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$655COP 2.0M
-
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 Phi Phi: September 6, 2026
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,652 in Koh Phi Phi versus $1,071 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 $50.0 in Koh Phi Phi versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $300 – making Medellin 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 Phi Phi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Koh Phi Phi and in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,019 in Koh Phi Phi, $1,641 in Medellin – roughly 23% apart. Koh Phi Phi costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Koh Phi Phi compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,028 per month in Koh Phi Phi and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Koh Phi Phi and Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 Phi Phi or Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,019 in Koh Phi Phi and $1,641 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 Phi Phi and Medellin?
Kindergarten costs $686 per month in Koh Phi Phi and $803 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 $2,500 per month?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Koh Phi Phi at $2,019. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Koh Phi Phi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Koh Phi Phi and Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,641 in Medellin to $2,019 in Koh Phi Phi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Koh Phi Phi 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 Phi Phi and Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Koh Phi Phi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Koh Phi Phi vs other spots: cost of living compared