Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buriram Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buriram

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $900 in Buriram, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,486 in Buriram, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,072 in Buriram, rent included.

Medellin costs about 87% more than Buriram, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Buriram is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$1.48 ฿49.30

441.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$21.58 ฿718

121.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$8.39 ฿279

17.88%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.33 ฿44.23

135.34%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.44 ฿14.58

334.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.27 ฿9.06

459.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.83 ฿60.8

70.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$4.11 ฿137

39.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.89 ฿63.0

-23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.61 ฿53.6

54.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.37 ฿45.55

29.20%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.35 ฿78.2

25.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$16.56 ฿551

-39.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$2.58 ฿85.9

292.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$9.68 ฿322

47.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.71 ฿90.4

52.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.95 ฿31.55

69.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.05 ฿68.4

9.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.96 ฿65.3

14.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.54 ฿51.4

32.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.10 ฿36.58

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.06 ฿35.23

10.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.55 ฿18.27

138.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$4.29 ฿143

-9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$17.09 ฿569

-18.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.77 ฿59.1

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$3.05 ฿102

-5.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.88 ฿29.24

38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$1.10 ฿36.65

19.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.95 ฿31.78

130.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$5.69 ฿189

53.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.26 ฿42.07

8.73%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$26.9K ฿897.0K

3.31%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$28.6K ฿952.4K

25.04%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$89.2 ฿2,970

98.72%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$10.98 ฿366

26.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$17.54 ฿584

69.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$45.12 ฿1,502

-0.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$15.22 ฿507

12.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$5.85 ฿195

13.68%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$560 ฿18.6K

45.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$10.7K ฿355.1K

-13.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$46.73 ฿1,556

91.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$26.23 ฿873

124.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$82.0 ฿2,730

68.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$78.5 ฿2,614

30.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$451 ฿15.0K

135.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$294 ฿9,772

125.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,248 ฿41.5K

51.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$709 ฿23.6K

44.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,776 ฿59.1K

135.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,618 ฿53.9K

3.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.57

96.41%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Buriram: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $451 in Buriram. 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Buriram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $246 – making Buriram 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

Medellin vs Buriram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 87%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,350 in Buriram. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buriram, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $900 in Buriram. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $560 in Buriram. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Buriram, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Buriram it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Buriram – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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