Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hua Hin Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hua Hin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $873 in Hua Hin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,418 in Hua Hin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,962 in Hua Hin, rent included.

Medellin costs about 16% more than Hua Hin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Hua Hin are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Hua Hin 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.04 ฿99.4

97.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$20.10 ฿657

63.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.74 ฿286

-18.88%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.08 ฿67.9

-17.79%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.65 ฿21.23

69.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.50 ฿16.47

56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.97 ฿64.4

-14.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.71 ฿121

-17.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.48 ฿48.46

-26.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.92 ฿62.7

-34.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.12 ฿36.68

23.21%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.91 ฿62.5

14.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$13.46 ฿440

-67.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.80 ฿91.5

101.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$14.51 ฿474

-38.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.62 ฿85.6

-10.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.79 ฿25.86

34.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.87 ฿61.0

-19.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.56 ฿51.1

-11.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.67 ฿54.5

-31.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.25 ฿40.98

-7.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.76 ฿24.78

17.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.45 ฿14.79

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.71 ฿154

-51.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$14.74 ฿481

-27.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.65 ฿54.0

-27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.51 ฿115

-29.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.47 ฿15.45

82.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$12.35 ฿403

235.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.06 ฿34.48

38.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.75 ฿24.63

161.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.25 ฿172

47.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.29 ฿42.29

-26.36%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$20.3K ฿662.3K

-10.59%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$21.2K ฿692.1K

24.99%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$72.2 ฿2,356

14.00%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$12.99 ฿424

-26.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$22.69 ฿741

6.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$46.95 ฿1,534

-44.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$5.38 ฿176

253.16%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.58 ฿248

-48.15%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$140 ฿4,581

120.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$19.8K ฿645.1K

-69.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$19.33 ฿631

203.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$24.16 ฿789

33.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$62.7 ฿2,047

63.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$57.9 ฿1,891

87.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$401 ฿13.1K

18.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$293 ฿9,566

29.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,017 ฿33.2K

-17.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$666 ฿21.7K

8.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,897 ฿62.0K

47.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,470 ฿48.0K

-17.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$478 ฿15.6K

6.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.17

117.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hua Hin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $401 in Hua Hin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Hua Hin. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $238 in Hua Hin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Hua Hin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 16% more than Hua Hin, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,310 in Hua Hin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hua Hin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $873 in Hua Hin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 235% less in Hua Hin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hua Hin, where all-in costs run around $873, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Hua Hin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hua Hin costs $873 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hua Hin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.