😐A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $614 in Kampong Thom, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,002 in Kampong Thom, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,390 in Kampong Thom, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 167% more than Kampong Thom, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Kampong Thom is 55% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kampong Thom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04COP 24.8K
$3.69៛14.9K
117.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29COP 148.6K
$40.15៛162.6K
20.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42COP 29.0K
$6.89៛27.9K
36.72%
Cappuccino
$2.94COP 9,040
$2.92៛11.8K
0.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86COP 5,735
$1.85៛7,502
0.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,479
$0.68៛2,759
114.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21COP 9,882
$1.46៛5,909
119.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71COP 17.6K
$2.98៛12.1K
91.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kampong Thom
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,428
$2.20៛8,912
-34.55%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,389
$1.66៛6,715
44.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,228
$1.09៛4,432
55.96%
Eggs
$2.89COP 8,896
$1.76៛7,125
64.20%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.06COP 30.9K
$14.73៛59.6K
-31.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.97COP 30.7K
$4.29៛17.4K
132.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.20COP 43.7K
$9.34៛37.8K
52.03%
Apples(1kg)
$3.98COP 12.3K
$4.06៛16.4K
-1.97%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58COP 4,878
$1.78៛7,199
-11.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15COP 6,624
$4.11៛16.6K
-47.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,078
$2.16៛8,764
6.48%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00COP 6,169
$1.62៛6,567
23.46%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,646
$1.21៛4,891
24.79%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20COP 3,701
$1.15៛4,664
4.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28COP 3,946
$0.76៛3,080
68.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84COP 11.8K
$1.92៛7,787
100.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.1K
$10.92៛44.2K
28.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71COP 5,256
$1.00៛4,055
71.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74COP 8,440
$1.80៛7,269
52.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kampong Thom
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25COP 3,834
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9COP 239.7K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,016
$1.09៛4,411
20.18%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17COP 6,680
$0.98៛3,982
121.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29COP 25.5K
$5.16៛20.9K
60.66%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,172
$1.37៛5,548
-0.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
$34.8K៛140.7M
-20.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
$43.7K៛177.1M
-16.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kampong Thom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169COP 519.2K
$111៛450.8K
51.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57COP 41.8K
$7.42៛30.0K
82.88%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32COP 87.2K
$25.65៛103.9K
10.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kampong Thom
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.71COP 140.7K
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22COP 53.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.5K
$4.96៛20.1K
34.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kampong Thom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$803COP 2.5M
$670៛2.7M
19.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,190COP 28.3M
$10.9K៛44.1M
-15.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kampong Thom
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4COP 268.8K
$28.18៛114.1K
210.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4COP 182.7K
$24.28៛98.3K
144.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139COP 427.5K
$91.2៛369.2K
52.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 314.0K
$58.5៛237.0K
74.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kampong Thom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,071COP 3.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653COP 2.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,925COP 5.9M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,048COP 3.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,123COP 12.7M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,697COP 5.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kampong Thom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$655COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
8.07
35.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Last update for Kampong Thom: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Kampong Thom. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $253 – making Kampong Thom the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Thom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kampong Thom cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 167%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $921 in Kampong Thom. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Kampong Thom?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $614 in Kampong Thom. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $670 in Kampong Thom. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Kampong Thom?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kampong Thom, where all-in costs run around $614, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Kampong Thom it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Kampong Thom more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kampong Thom – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Kampong Thom?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kampong Thom. 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.