😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $526 in Kampong Cham.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $825 in Kampong Cham.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,124 in Kampong Cham.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 220% more expensive than in Kampong Cham, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Kampong Cham is 62% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kampong Cham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.02COP 25.0K
$2.47៛9,982
224.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87COP 149.4K
$19.87៛80.4K
140.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.89COP 30.8K
$8.10៛32.8K
22.10%
Cappuccino
$3.13COP 9,767
$1.48៛5,980
111.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91COP 5,954
$0.48៛1,936
297.92%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51COP 4,712
$0.43៛1,724
251.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.12COP 9,747
$0.52៛2,085
500.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75COP 17.9K
$1.48៛5,981
288.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kampong Cham
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,509
$2.13៛8,610
-32.39%
White Bread(500g)
$2.49COP 7,759
$1.75៛7,087
42.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77COP 5,535
$1.05៛4,232
68.57%
Eggs
$2.96COP 9,235
$1.65៛6,664
79.39%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.07COP 31.4K
$14.03៛56.8K
-28.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.12COP 31.6K
$2.75៛11.1K
268.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.30COP 44.6K
$9.86៛39.9K
45.03%
Apples(1kg)
$4.14COP 12.9K
$4.30៛17.4K
-3.72%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61COP 5,019
$1.28៛5,179
25.78%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,007
$3.79៛15.3K
-40.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,028
$1.04៛4,217
116.35%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04COP 6,375
$1.33៛5,373
53.38%
Onion(1kg)
$1.54COP 4,790
$1.07៛4,328
43.93%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.17COP 3,651
$1.34៛5,434
-12.69%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31COP 4,077
$0.77៛3,129
70.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90COP 12.2K
$1.53៛6,198
154.90%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.7K
$7.56៛30.6K
85.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74COP 5,439
$0.98៛3,987
77.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87COP 8,956
$2.30៛9,298
24.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kampong Cham
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.22COP 3,792
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$80.5COP 251.1K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,084
$1.98៛8,020
-33.84%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.19COP 6,825
$1.02៛4,138
114.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.71COP 27.2K
$4.92៛19.9K
77.03%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.37COP 4,260
$1.28៛5,193
7.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8KCOP 86.9M
$24.9K៛100.8M
11.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8KCOP 111.6M
$22.3K៛90.4M
60.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kampong Cham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$177COP 553.2K
$106៛429.4K
67.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.88COP 43.3K
$5.78៛23.4K
140.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72COP 92.8K
$14.72៛59.6K
101.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kampong Cham
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.88COP 140.1K
$9.89៛40.0K
353.79%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12COP 53.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.7K
$4.97៛20.1K
33.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kampong Cham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$813COP 2.5M
$280៛1.1M
189.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,187COP 28.7M
$4,439៛18.0M
106.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kampong Cham
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5COP 279.3K
$26.31៛106.5K
240.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.0COP 184.0K
$13.25៛53.7K
345.06%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$138COP 431.2K
$69.1៛279.7K
100.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 318.7K
$44.38៛179.6K
130.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kampong Cham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,062COP 3.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$663COP 2.1M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,888COP 5.9M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,027COP 3.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,183COP 13.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,675COP 5.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kampong Cham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$678COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
9.2
18.91%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026
Last update for Kampong Cham: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $20.00 in Kampong Cham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $230 per month, with Kampong Cham 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 Kampong Cham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and in Kampong Cham?
Medellin and Kampong Cham differ by about 220% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $526 including rent). Kampong Cham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Kampong Cham?
You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $788 in Kampong Cham to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Kampong Cham?
All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $526 in Kampong Cham – a 220% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $526 in Kampong Cham versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kampong Cham but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kampong Cham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Kampong Cham?
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.
Is Medellin or Kampong Cham safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Kampong Cham are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Kampong Cham?
Expats usually find Kampong Cham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 220% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.