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 $1,248 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,238 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,228 per month in Koh Samui vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Koh Samui costs about 23% 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-22.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,514

$32.86 COP 117.4K

41.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿283

$7.09 COP 25.3K

22.00%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ฿97.8

$1.71 COP 6,115

74.85%

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

$0.70 ฿22.72

$1.10 COP 3,924

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.81

$0.78 COP 2,781

-53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.68 COP 5,997

45.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ฿118

$3.07 COP 11.0K

17.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿72.5

$1.09 COP 3,906

103.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ฿61.6

$1.26 COP 4,508

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.8

$1.38 COP 4,922

59.42%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿75.3

$2.19 COP 7,827

5.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.75 ฿645

$4.40 COP 15.7K

348.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 ฿124

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-32.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ฿429

$8.89 COP 31.8K

47.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 ฿105

$2.34 COP 8,349

37.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.06 COP 3,777

54.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿77.6

$1.50 COP 5,374

58.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 ฿66.1

$1.38 COP 4,924

46.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.15 COP 4,111

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿49.42

$1.16 COP 4,155

30.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.20

$0.89 COP 3,182

11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.06

$0.84 COP 2,997

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿143

$2.28 COP 8,145

92.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 ฿635

$10.64 COP 38.0K

82.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.4

$1.20 COP 4,284

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ฿87.1

$2.47 COP 8,824

8.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.85

$0.86 COP 3,056

66.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.97 ฿1,501

$41.40 COP 147.9K

11.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ฿103

$1.47 COP 5,264

114.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.42

$1.96 COP 7,009

-44.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.42 ฿471

$7.74 COP 27.6K

86.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ฿45.23

$0.95 COP 3,409

46.32%

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

$29.6K ฿968.0K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

63.47%

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

$35.5K ฿1.2M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

33.85%

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

$126 ฿4,126

$82.3 COP 293.7K

53.58%

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

$14.56 ฿476

$9.50 COP 33.9K

53.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.37 ฿633

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-20.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.0 ฿2,089

$25.89 COP 92.4K

147.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 ฿581

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-6.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.43 ฿308

$3.93 COP 14.0K

139.95%

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

$767 ฿25.1K

$309 COP 1.1M

147.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ฿564.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

189.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ฿1,906

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.05 ฿1,145

$32.35 COP 115.5K

8.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ฿3,788

$103 COP 366.4K

13.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 ฿2,783

$108 COP 387.2K

-21.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$524 ฿17.1K

$476 COP 1.7M

10.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 ฿12.5K

$379 COP 1.4M

0.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 ฿56.8K

$838 COP 3.0M

107.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 ฿40.6K

$724 COP 2.6M

71.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,123 ฿102.0K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

11.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,263 ฿73.9K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

86.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$402 ฿13.1K

$512 COP 1.8M

-21.37%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $524 in Koh Samui versus $476 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 27% 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 $188 – 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: $1,248 in Koh Samui, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 23% apart. Koh Samui costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,872 per month in Koh Samui and $1,519 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 56% 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 $1,013, than in Koh Samui at $1,248. 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $1,248 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.