Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Samui and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Samui and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,241 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,231 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,221 per month in Koh Samui vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Koh Samui costs about 20% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Koh Samui and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Koh Samui 7% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 ฿154

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-25.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.95 ฿1,543

$32.60 COP 106.0K

40.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 ฿287

$7.34 COP 23.9K

16.35%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿102

$1.72 COP 5,592

76.16%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ฿22.96

$1.05 COP 3,416

-35.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿12.17

$0.77 COP 2,511

-53.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿84.5

$1.69 COP 5,480

49.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.17 COP 10.3K

19.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿75.0

$1.05 COP 3,418

112.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿61.5

$1.30 COP 4,230

40.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ฿76.2

$1.40 COP 4,538

62.14%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.2

$2.16 COP 7,037

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿655

$4.39 COP 14.3K

344.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 ฿126

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-36.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ฿453

$8.64 COP 28.1K

56.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿113

$2.28 COP 7,415

47.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.5

$1.11 COP 3,599

51.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿77.7

$1.53 COP 4,976

50.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿69.8

$1.35 COP 4,405

54.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$1.13 COP 3,669

40.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$1.13 COP 3,687

32.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.95

$0.85 COP 2,749

18.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.59

$0.91 COP 2,971

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$2.34 COP 7,619

85.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.53 ฿622

$12.37 COP 40.2K

49.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

$1.20 COP 3,904

47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿94.2

$2.49 COP 8,094

12.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.81

$0.84 COP 2,724

69.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.97 ฿1,543

$40.57 COP 131.9K

13.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.42 COP 4,617

123.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿35.11

$1.92 COP 6,227

-45.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.69 ฿493

$7.66 COP 24.9K

91.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ฿47.71

$0.99 COP 3,219

43.43%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.5K ฿991.0K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

63.73%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.0K ฿1.2M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

31.60%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$129 ฿4,331

$80.8 COP 262.7K

59.65%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.14 ฿475

$9.95 COP 32.3K

42.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.57 ฿657

$24.18 COP 78.6K

-19.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.5 ฿2,131

$25.08 COP 81.5K

153.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.73 ฿595

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-7.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.28 ฿311

$3.98 COP 13.0K

133.17%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$763 ฿25.6K

$305 COP 992.2K

150.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ฿578.3K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

184.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ฿1,976

$58.1 COP 189.0K

1.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.45 ฿1,156

$32.20 COP 104.7K

6.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ฿3,896

$101 COP 327.5K

15.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 ฿2,875

$108 COP 350.3K

-20.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿17.3K

$477 COP 1.5M

8.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 ฿12.5K

$376 COP 1.2M

-1.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 ฿58.2K

$845 COP 2.7M

105.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 ฿42.9K

$730 COP 2.4M

75.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,973 ฿99.8K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-7.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,121 ฿71.2K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

54.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$392 ฿13.1K

$617 COP 2.0M

-36.51%

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 Samui: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Koh Samui versus $477 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 58% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Koh Samui versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $193 – 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 Samui vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,241 in Koh Samui, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 20% apart. Koh Samui costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,861 per month in Koh Samui and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Koh Samui, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Koh Samui and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Koh Samui at $1,241. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Koh Samui it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Koh Samui has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $1,241 in Koh Samui. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Koh Samui makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.