Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chaiyaphum Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chaiyaphum

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $861 in Chaiyaphum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,423 in Chaiyaphum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,984 in Chaiyaphum.

Living in Medellin is roughly 18% more expensive than Chaiyaphum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Chaiyaphum 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.21 ฿39.47

391.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$31.12 ฿1,014

7.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.22 ฿203

16.24%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.25 ฿40.76

30.40%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.47 ฿15.43

131.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.27 ฿8.71

170.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.41 ฿78.6

-27.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.01 ฿131

-19.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.87 ฿60.8

-43.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.40 ฿45.44

-7.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.40 ฿45.50

-5.71%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.62 ฿52.8

40.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$18.28 ฿595

-76.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.09 ฿101

90.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.15 ฿298

-5.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.44 ฿112

-34.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.64 ฿20.69

67.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.29 ฿74.6

-33.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.86 ฿60.6

-23.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.67 ฿54.2

-29.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.48 ฿48.33

-20.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.97 ฿31.63

-8.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.30 ฿9.61

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.40 ฿143

-48.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$15.31 ฿499

-27.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.77 ฿57.6

-35.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.35 ฿109

-28.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.89 ฿29.14

-5.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.06 ฿34.57

33.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.15 ฿37.51

65.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.29 ฿205

23.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.11 ฿36.25

-9.01%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$37.4K ฿1.2M

-52.95%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.6K ฿931.3K

-7.34%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$45.50 ฿1,482

83.91%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$11.60 ฿378

-18.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$12.37 ฿403

94.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$48.33 ฿1,574

-47.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$12.27 ฿400

55.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.89 ฿257

-48.04%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$591 ฿19.2K

-47.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$13.2K ฿431.0K

-54.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$57.7 ฿1,880

0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$38.50 ฿1,254

-15.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$106 ฿3,445

-5.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$93.6 ฿3,050

15.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$428 ฿14.0K

12.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$287 ฿9,358

32.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$810 ฿26.4K

3.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$664 ฿21.6K

8.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,008 ฿65.4K

41.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,326 ฿43.2K

-7.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$455 ฿14.8K

18.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.84

129.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chaiyaphum: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $428 in Chaiyaphum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 19% 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 $31.00 in Chaiyaphum. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $243, 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 Chaiyaphum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chaiyaphum is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 19% 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 $428 in Chaiyaphum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $591 in Chaiyaphum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chaiyaphum – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $861 in Chaiyaphum versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chaiyaphum but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Chaiyaphum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chaiyaphum is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Chaiyaphum 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 Chaiyaphum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.