Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cha-am Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cha-am

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $941 in Cha-am.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,407 in Cha-am.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,873 in Cha-am.

Living in Medellin is roughly 8% more expensive than Cha-am, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Cha-am 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.07 ฿99.9

93.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.94 ฿715

51.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.92 ฿290

-18.95%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.01 ฿65.3

-18.91%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.69 ฿22.43

57.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.41 ฿13.34

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.52 ฿82.2

-30.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.69 ฿120

-12.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.68 ฿54.6

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.34 ฿43.79

-3.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.27 ฿41.43

3.94%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.83 ฿59.5

24.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.38 ฿436

-67.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.37 ฿110

74.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.11 ฿362

-22.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.14 ฿102

-28.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.29 ฿42.03

-17.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.80 ฿58.7

-15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.51 ฿49.28

-5.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.67 ฿54.3

-29.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.21 ฿39.28

-3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.24 ฿40.42

-28.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.45 ฿14.74

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.68 ฿152

-51.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$17.02 ฿554

-35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.81 ฿58.8

-37.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.48 ฿113

-31.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.91 ฿29.49

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.06 ฿34.38

33.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.74 ฿24.11

156.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.49 ฿114

122.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.35 ฿43.87

-25.19%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.8K ฿645.8K

-11.34%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.6K ฿672.3K

28.36%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$72.0 ฿2,345

16.22%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$13.31 ฿434

-29.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$18.65 ฿608

29.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$24.49 ฿798

3.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$12.30 ฿400

55.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.86 ฿256

-47.84%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$137 ฿4,452

128.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$9,101 ฿296.4K

-34.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$29.56 ฿963

96.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$19.80 ฿645

64.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$62.6 ฿2,040

59.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$44.00 ฿1,433

146.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$453 ฿14.8K

6.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$366 ฿11.9K

3.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$757 ฿24.7K

10.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$672 ฿21.9K

7.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$372 ฿12.1K

45.22%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cha-am: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $453 in Cha-am. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 45% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $22.00 in Cha-am. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $239, 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 Cha-am: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Cha-am differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $941 including rent). Cha-am is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 45% more on average, 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: $482 in Medellin versus $453 in Cha-am. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $137 in Cha-am. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cha-am – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $941 in Cha-am versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Cha-am 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 Cha-am gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.