Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cam Ranh Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cam Ranh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $732 in Cam Ranh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,132 in Cam Ranh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,532 in Cam Ranh.

Living in Medellin is roughly 39% more expensive than Cam Ranh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Cam Ranh 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.11 ₫81.6K

91.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$20.98 ₫550.6K

58.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.79 ₫99.5K

90.77%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.75 ₫46.0K

-6.86%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.41 ₫10.9K

165.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.24 ₫6,314

204.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$0.61 ₫16.0K

185.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.14 ₫29.8K

183.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.29 ₫33.9K

-18.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.45 ₫11.8K

186.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.57 ₫41.1K

-15.92%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.36 ₫35.7K

66.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$18.31 ₫480.5K

-76.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.15 ₫82.8K

86.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.13 ₫292.1K

-22.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.81 ₫47.5K

24.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.78 ₫20.5K

37.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.48 ₫12.5K

216.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.94 ₫24.7K

51.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.66 ₫17.3K

77.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.66 ₫17.2K

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.59 ₫15.6K

50.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.36 ₫9,539

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.49 ₫39.1K

51.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$11.59 ₫304.2K

-4.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.57 ₫15.0K

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.42 ₫37.4K

67.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.32 ₫8,301

162.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$6.70 ₫175.9K

526.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.37 ₫9,622

281.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.58 ₫15.1K

227.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.85 ₫74.9K

171.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.86 ₫22.5K

17.44%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.9K ₫549.4M

-16.01%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$40.1K ₫1.1B

-33.89%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$82.2 ₫2.2M

1.75%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$5.78 ₫151.7K

63.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$9.02 ₫236.9K

167.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$21.23 ₫557.2K

19.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$7.66 ₫201.0K

149.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.92 ₫76.5K

40.41%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$289 ₫7.6M

7.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$11.6K ₫303.7M

-48.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$34.11 ₫895.5K

70.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$30.51 ₫800.9K

6.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$84.9 ₫2.2M

17.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$74.9 ₫2.0M

44.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$353 ₫9.3M

36.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$251 ₫6.6M

51.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$695 ₫18.2M

20.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$475 ₫12.5M

52.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$3,875 ₫101.7M

-26.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,523 ₫40.0M

-19.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.1

47.58%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cam Ranh: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $353 in Cam Ranh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $21.00 in Cam Ranh. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $192, 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 Cam Ranh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cam Ranh wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cam Ranh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,098 in Cam Ranh 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $353 in Cam Ranh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $732 in Cam Ranh – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cam Ranh runs roughly 526% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $732 in Cam Ranh versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cam Ranh but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cam Ranh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cam Ranh delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $732 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cam Ranh hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Cam Ranh 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 Cam Ranh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.