Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cha-am

For one person, living is cheaper in Cha-am: $871 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Cha-am
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Cha-am Living Index

Jump to prices

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Cha-am

🇹🇭 Thailand

$871

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Cha-am

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 Cha-am actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $871 in Cha-am.

Medellin $1,639
Cha-am $871

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $1,405 in Cha-am.

Medellin $2,413
Cha-am $1,405

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $1,940 in Cha-am.

Medellin $3,186
Cha-am $1,940

Living in Medellin is roughly 88% more expensive than in Cha-am, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Cha-am is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

$2.98 ฿101

171.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.9K

$22.18 ฿748

112.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

$7.35 ฿248

29.25%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,735

$2.01 ฿68.0

49.75%

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

$1.80 COP 5,809

$0.69 ฿23.33

160.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,561

$0.35 ฿11.68

302.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$2.44 ฿82.3

30.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.6K

$2.93 ฿98.9

96.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,876

$1.74 ฿58.6

-13.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,678

$1.47 ฿49.73

61.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,720

$1.33 ฿44.92

33.08%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,333

$1.87 ฿63.2

54.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

$12.37 ฿418

-17.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.9K

$2.53 ฿85.2

290.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.2K

$9.97 ฿336

40.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

$3.37 ฿114

17.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,012

$1.21 ฿40.99

28.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,048

$1.90 ฿64.0

14.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,051

$1.81 ฿61.1

20.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,337

$1.74 ฿58.7

12.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,132

$1.08 ฿36.60

47.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,699

$1.20 ฿40.51

-4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,014

$0.44 ฿14.80

181.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

$4.26 ฿144

-7.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.2K

$17.95 ฿606

-23.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,359

$1.67 ฿56.4

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,291

$2.86 ฿96.5

-20.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,771

$0.91 ฿30.60

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.8K

$22.60 ฿763

242.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,094

$1.34 ฿45.26

-5.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,612

$1.08 ฿36.47

89.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

$3.61 ฿122

136.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,349

$1.37 ฿46.38

-1.46%

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

$34.1K COP 110.0M

$16.3K ฿551.3K

108.57%

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

$34.7K COP 111.9M

$26.5K ฿892.8K

31.06%

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

$170 COP 547.8K

$80.9 ฿2,731

109.68%

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

$13.55 COP 43.8K

$11.74 ฿396

15.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.6K

$23.19 ฿783

21.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 141.1K

$23.97 ฿809

82.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.5K

$5.88 ฿198

192.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

$6.70 ฿226

3.13%

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

$797 COP 2.6M

$615 ฿20.8K

29.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

$10.6K ฿358.6K

-14.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.5K

$51.0 ฿1,721

66.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 187.2K

$28.67 ฿968

102.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.8K

$72.2 ฿2,437

86.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 316.0K

$53.1 ฿1,790

84.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

$368 ฿12.4K

228.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

$267 ฿9,015

140.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

$752 ฿25.4K

169.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

$651 ฿22.0K

55.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$362 ฿12.2K

81.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.96

83.56%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Cha-am: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Cha-am

$267 30.7% 58.4% $374

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Cha-am

$233 26.7% 21.6% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Cha-am

$116 13.3% 45.2% $95

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Cha-am

$92 10.6% 45.6% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Cha-am

$92 10.6% 45.4% $77

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Cha-am

$33 3.8% 64.8% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Cha-am

$37 4.3% 35% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $368 in Cha-am. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 82% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $22 in Cha-am for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $233 per month, with Cha-am cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇹🇭 Cha-am

🕒 Local time

01:09 1:09 AM

13:09 1:09 PM

12 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

31,354

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Medellin Cha-am 17,840 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Cha-am

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 Cha-am: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $871 in Cha-am, so Cha-am is about 47% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 82% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Medellin versus $368 in Cha-am. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,639 per month in Medellin versus $871 in Cha-am – Cha-am is about 47% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Cha-am runs roughly 71% less than in Medellin. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $871 in Cha-am versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Cha-am but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cha-am 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.

Expats usually find Cha-am gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.