😐A single person spends $1,913 per month in Koh Phi Phi vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $3,716 per month in Koh Phi Phi vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $5,518 per month in Koh Phi Phi vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.
😐Koh Phi Phi costs about 88% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Koh Phi Phi sits 42% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.01฿228
$5.95COP 20.8K
17.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.5฿2,297
$33.33COP 116.3K
111.61%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.81฿417
$7.23COP 25.2K
77.18%
Cappuccino
$4.63฿151
$1.63COP 5,687
184.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09฿35.49
$1.09COP 3,821
-
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58฿19.02
$0.73COP 2,548
-20.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.62฿118
$1.74COP 6,065
108.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.62฿183
$3.23COP 11.3K
73.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.69฿87.5
$1.05COP 3,662
156.19%
White Bread(500g)
$2.25฿73.2
$1.29COP 4,515
74.42%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.71฿88.3
$1.32COP 4,617
105.30%
Eggs
$2.66฿86.6
$2.27COP 7,927
17.18%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$23.59฿768
$4.35COP 15.2K
442.30%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.41฿144
$5.88COP 20.5K
-25.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.65฿510
$8.61COP 30.0K
81.77%
Apples(1kg)
$3.99฿130
$2.25COP 7,844
77.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.95฿63.6
$1.07COP 3,733
82.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.89฿94.0
$1.52COP 5,322
90.13%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$1.42COP 4,964
68.31%
Potato(1kg)
$1.91฿62.1
$1.17COP 4,084
63.25%
Onion(1kg)
$1.73฿56.4
$1.17COP 4,077
47.86%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.18฿38.34
$0.89COP 3,096
32.58%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61฿19.92
$0.90COP 3,146
-32.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.09฿166
$2.25COP 7,837
126.22%
Wine(Bottle)
$23.06฿751
$11.04COP 38.5K
108.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.11฿68.7
$1.14COP 3,977
85.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25฿106
$2.38COP 8,301
36.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.98฿64.4
$0.84COP 2,916
135.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.95COP 146.4K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.41฿144
$1.41COP 4,912
212.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.45฿47.15
$1.90COP 6,634
-23.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.54฿636
$7.75COP 27.0K
152.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.83฿59.7
$1.01COP 3,509
81.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.4K฿1.3M
$17.6KCOP 61.4M
118.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.1K฿1.5M
$26.5KCOP 92.5M
73.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$136฿4,419
$83.7COP 292.1K
62.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.31฿499
$9.45COP 33.0K
62.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.16฿657
$24.11COP 84.1K
-16.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$72.0฿2,345
$25.31COP 88.3K
184.51%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.34฿663
$19.14COP 66.8K
6.27%
Cinema Ticket
$10.76฿350
$4.10COP 14.3K
162.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$819฿26.7K
$312COP 1.1M
162.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$19.0K฿617.3K
$5,993COP 20.9M
216.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.9฿1,982
$58.0COP 202.6K
4.86%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.87฿1,201
$32.56COP 113.6K
13.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$119฿3,878
$99.6COP 347.7K
19.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.3฿2,842
$109COP 378.8K
-19.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,333฿43.4K
$482COP 1.7M
176.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$987฿32.1K
$379COP 1.3M
160.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$4,472฿145.7K
$837COP 2.9M
434.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$3,321฿108.2K
$723COP 2.5M
359.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,079฿263.1K
$2,840COP 9.9M
184.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,792฿188.7K
$1,223COP 4.3M
373.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Koh Phi Phi
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$541COP 1.9M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
13.43
-60.31%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Koh Phi Phi: June 7, 2026
Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,333 in Koh Phi Phi versus $482 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 $71.0 in Koh Phi Phi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $190 – 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 Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,913 in Koh Phi Phi, $1,017 in Medellin – roughly 88% apart. Koh Phi Phi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Koh Phi Phi compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,870 per month in Koh Phi Phi and $1,525 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 $1,913 in Koh Phi Phi and $1,017 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 $819 per month in Koh Phi Phi and $312 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 $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Koh Phi Phi at $1,913. 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 $1,017 in Medellin to $1,913 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