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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $941 in Cha-am.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,439 in Cha-am.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,937 in Cha-am.

Living in Medellin is roughly 7% more expensive than in Cha-am, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Cha-am 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.03 ฿101

95.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$21.54 ฿718

53.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$9.01 ฿301

-17.54%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.04 ฿68.0

-19.12%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.69 ฿23.01

59.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.42 ฿13.90

85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.44 ฿81.3

-29.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.67 ฿123

-13.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.68 ฿56.0

-34.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.35 ฿45.10

-6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.26 ฿41.97

9.52%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.89 ฿63.0

15.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$13.17 ฿439

-65.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.37 ฿112

71.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.89 ฿363

-17.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.01 ฿100

-22.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.33 ฿44.32

-20.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.87 ฿62.4

-18.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.51 ฿50.4

-9.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.67 ฿55.7

-32.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.21 ฿40.43

-3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.20 ฿39.87

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.43 ฿14.34

109.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.64 ฿155

-51.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$17.52 ฿584

-30.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.82 ฿60.6

-34.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.56 ฿119

-30.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.91 ฿30.28

-6.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.11 ฿36.92

27.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.71 ฿23.85

174.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.33 ฿111

136.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.30 ฿43.34

-23.85%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$20.0K ฿665.7K

-11.80%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.9K ฿697.6K

28.16%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$73.4 ฿2,449

13.08%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$13.14 ฿438

-26.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$18.65 ฿622

26.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$25.05 ฿836

0.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$12.26 ฿409

55.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.66 ฿255

-48.43%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$137 ฿4,567

130.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$9,355 ฿312.1K

-36.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$30.53 ฿1,018

96.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$19.74 ฿658

61.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$60.8 ฿2,028

67.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$43.63 ฿1,455

146.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$453 ฿15.1K

4.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$375 ฿12.5K

-0.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$776 ฿25.9K

9.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$672 ฿22.4K

7.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$361 ฿12.1K

72.83%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cha-am: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $453 in Cha-am. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 73% 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 $193 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 7% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $941 including rent). Cha-am is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 73% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $453 in Cha-am. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 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 $1,003 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 7% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.