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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $877 in Cha-am.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,430 in Cha-am.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,983 in Cha-am.

Living in Medellin is roughly 92% more expensive than in Cha-am, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Cha-am is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.20 ฿107

150.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$22.11 ฿738

116.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.34 ฿245

34.74%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.02 ฿67.6

54.95%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.74 ฿24.61

158.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.32 ฿10.55

371.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.48 ฿82.7

25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.81 ฿93.7

104.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.80 ฿59.9

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.43 ฿47.73

74.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.36 ฿45.42

30.15%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.96 ฿65.5

51.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$12.64 ฿422

-20.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.57 ฿85.9

293.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$10.10 ฿337

41.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.41 ฿114

21.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.22 ฿40.74

31.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.86 ฿62.1

20.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.79 ฿59.9

25.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.85 ฿61.9

10.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.09 ฿36.43

41.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.22 ฿40.77

-4.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.45 ฿14.95

191.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.31 ฿144

-9.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$18.37 ฿613

-23.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.70 ฿56.7

2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.96 ฿98.7

-3.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.88 ฿29.30

38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$22.70 ฿758

254.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.39 ฿46.26

-5.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.12 ฿37.53

95.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$3.69 ฿123

136.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.38 ฿46.21

-0.72%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$16.5K ฿550.3K

68.84%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$27.2K ฿907.2K

31.63%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$84.9 ฿2,834

108.86%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$11.79 ฿394

17.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$22.72 ฿758

30.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$24.47 ฿817

83.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$6.13 ฿205

179.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$6.82 ฿227

-2.49%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$617 ฿20.6K

31.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$11.0K ฿365.8K

-16.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$51.6 ฿1,721

73.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$29.85 ฿996

97.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$71.4 ฿2,384

93.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$54.3 ฿1,812

88.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$373 ฿12.5K

184.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$273 ฿9,128

142.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$738 ฿24.6K

155.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$649 ฿21.7K

58.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$361 ฿12.0K

87.90%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cha-am: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $373 in Cha-am. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 88% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $22.00 in Cha-am for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $237 per month, with Cha-am cheaper across the board.

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 92% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $877 including rent). Cha-am is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 88% 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $373 in Cha-am. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $877 in Cha-am – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cha-am runs roughly 255% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $877 in Cha-am versus $1,681 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 92% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.