Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ao Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ao Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $913 in Ao Nang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,521 in Ao Nang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,130 in Ao Nang.

Living in Medellin is roughly 11% more expensive than Ao Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Ao Nang 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.37 ฿77.5

152.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$25.61 ฿837

28.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.08 ฿329

-29.66%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.07 ฿35.12

59.81%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.68 ฿22.36

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.35 ฿11.33

122.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.89 ฿94.3

-41.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.60 ฿118

-14.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.68 ฿87.6

-59.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.54 ฿50.3

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.33 ฿43.40

3.76%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.82 ฿92.2

-22.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$18.57 ฿607

-76.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.99 ฿97.9

88.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.86 ฿355

-18.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.26 ฿106

-28.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.21 ฿39.45

-12.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.89 ฿61.8

-20.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.52 ฿49.73

-9.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.54 ฿50.4

-25.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.21 ฿39.47

-4.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.02 ฿33.20

-12.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.51 ฿16.69

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.49 ฿147

-49.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$15.12 ฿494

-29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.81 ฿59.2

-33.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.71 ฿88.6

-8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.94 ฿30.58

-8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$36.46 ฿1,192

13.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.06 ฿34.58

38.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.20 ฿39.13

63.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.07 ฿198

27.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.27 ฿41.61

-25.20%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$28.2K ฿921.7K

-35.70%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$27.0K ฿882.7K

-1.91%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$77.2 ฿2,524

6.51%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.66 ฿283

9.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$18.61 ฿608

30.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$48.30 ฿1,579

-46.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$11.96 ฿391

58.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.90 ฿225

-43.04%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$304 ฿9,933

1.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$9,772 ฿319.4K

-38.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$33.18 ฿1,085

76.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$34.17 ฿1,117

-5.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$97.6 ฿3,191

5.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$71.3 ฿2,330

52.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$418 ฿13.7K

13.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$249 ฿8,154

51.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$604 ฿19.7K

38.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$655 ฿21.4K

10.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,117 ฿69.2K

31.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,372 ฿44.9K

-11.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,304 ฿42.6K

-60.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.45

146.42%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ao Nang: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $418 in Ao Nang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ao Nang pays 155% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Ao Nang. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $263, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Medellin vs Ao Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Ao Nang differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $913 including rent). Ao Nang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ao Nang earns 155% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $418 in Ao Nang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ao Nang – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $913 in Ao Nang – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $913 in Ao Nang versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ao Nang but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ao Nang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Ao Nang are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ao Nang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.