Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bang Kruai

For one person, living is cheaper in Bang Kruai: $905 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Bang Kruai, Thailand
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Bang Kruai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$905
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Bang Kruai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Bang Kruai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Medellin versus $905 in Bang Kruai.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Bang Kruai $905

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,471 in Medellin versus $1,477 in Bang Kruai.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Bang Kruai $1,477

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Medellin versus $2,049 in Bang Kruai.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Bang Kruai $2,049

Living in Medellin is roughly 87% more expensive than in Bang Kruai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Bang Kruai is 33% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Bang Kruai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 27.0K
$3.01 ฿102
177.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.9K
$36.12 ฿1,218
28.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.7K
$7.31 ฿247
29.55%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.2K
$2.76 ฿93.1
13.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,728
$0.69 ฿23.42
156.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,620
$0.35 ฿11.93
305.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$2.12 ฿71.4
48.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.5K
$4.25 ฿143
34.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Bang Kruai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,971
$1.45 ฿48.91
5.52%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,431
$1.32 ฿44.49
73.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,308
$1.28 ฿43.06
51.56%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,945
$1.86 ฿62.8
65.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.4K
$12.55 ฿423
-20.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.9K
$2.52 ฿84.8
314.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.3K
$10.38 ฿350
34.49%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$3.60 ฿122
12.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,957
$1.01 ฿34.05
51.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,825
$2.37 ฿79.8
-11.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,439
$1.64 ฿55.3
39.63%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,841
$1.70 ฿57.4
24.12%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,543
$1.03 ฿34.85
66.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,795
$0.82 ฿27.66
42.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,125
$0.45 ฿15.21
251.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.7K
$4.41 ฿149
-11.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.6K
$14.24 ฿480
-1.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,714
$1.68 ฿56.7
4.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,796
$1.79 ฿60.3
51.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Bang Kruai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,826
$0.83 ฿27.86
42.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 247.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,860
$1.02 ฿34.34
77.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,906
$1.16 ฿39.02
83.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.4K
$6.00 ฿203
35.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,136
$1.44 ฿48.64
-11.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.7M
$16.4K ฿553.6K
109.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.7M
$26.5K ฿894.0K
28.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Bang Kruai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 576.4K
$83.5 ฿2,817
112.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 45.0K
$9.43 ฿318
47.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.7K
$18.12 ฿611
69.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Bang Kruai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 136.0K
$52.0 ฿1,752
-19.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.5K
$13.22 ฿446
27.08%
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.2K
$6.56 ฿221
13.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Bang Kruai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$725 ฿24.5K
8.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.9M
$15.6K ฿526.3K
-21.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Bang Kruai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 280.0K
$6.02 ฿203
1334.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 192.2K
$34.89 ฿1,177
69.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 448.7K
$72.2 ฿2,434
91.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 320.5K
$53.4 ฿1,801
85.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Bang Kruai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$463 ฿15.6K
189.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$322 ฿10.8K
107.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$1,154 ฿38.9K
71.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$720 ฿24.3K
43.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.3M
$1,928 ฿65.0K
112.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$1,755 ฿59.2K
10.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Bang Kruai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
5.25
108.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Bang Kruai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Bang Kruai
$322 51.8% $346
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Bang Kruai
$220 28.5% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Bang Kruai
$111 50% $111
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Bang Kruai
$102 40.7% $70
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Bang Kruai
$75 56.5% $97
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Bang Kruai
$10 * 89.2% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Bang Kruai
$65 14.4% $8.2

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,341 in Medellin and $463 in Bang Kruai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $36 in Bang Kruai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $220 per month, with Bang Kruai cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇹🇭 Bang Kruai
🕒 Local time
06:23 6:23 AM
18:23 6:23 PM
12 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
43,453
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,243 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,636 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Bang Kruai 17,740 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Bang Kruai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bang Kruai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bang Kruai cheaper than Medellin?
Bang Kruai is about 47% cheaper overall, especially in clothing, groceries, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,538 in Medellin and $1,357 in Bang Kruai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Bang Kruai?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,341 in Medellin versus $463 in Bang Kruai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $790 in Medellin versus $725 in Bang Kruai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Bang Kruai?
Dining out is cheaper in Bang Kruai – a meal for two runs $36 versus $47 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Bang Kruai?
At $905 in Bang Kruai versus $1,692 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bang Kruai but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bang Kruai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Bang Kruai?
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.

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