Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Khon Kaen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Khon Kaen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $737 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,239 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,741 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 36% more than Khon Kaen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Khon Kaen are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Khon Kaen 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.57 ฿52.3

276.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$30.39 ฿1,014

8.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.30 ฿210

17.94%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.62 ฿54.0

1.85%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.61 ฿20.25

80.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.29 ฿9.58

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.86 ฿62.1

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$5.58 ฿186

-43.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.72 ฿57.2

-36.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.26 ฿42.16

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.90 ฿29.99

53.33%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.61 ฿87.1

-16.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$18.65 ฿622

-75.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.08 ฿103

87.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.93 ฿365

-17.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.24 ฿108

-28.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.96 ฿32.17

10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.51 ฿50.5

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.22 ฿40.58

11.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.81 ฿60.4

-37.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.24 ฿41.24

-5.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.89 ฿29.60

1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.48 ฿16.01

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.41 ฿147

-49.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.78 ฿59.4

-33.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.41 ฿80.3

2.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.91 ฿30.35

-6.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.11 ฿36.87

27.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.19 ฿39.74

63.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.33 ฿211

24.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.25 ฿41.68

-20.80%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$46.6K ฿1.6M

-62.27%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.4K ฿913.6K

-2.15%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$66.2 ฿2,210

25.32%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$22.69 ฿757

-57.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$23.06 ฿769

1.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$62.7 ฿2,091

-59.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$11.98 ฿400

59.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.28 ฿210

-37.10%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$303 ฿10.1K

4.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$9,313 ฿310.7K

-35.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$30.90 ฿1,031

94.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$41.76 ฿1,393

-23.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$77.1 ฿2,571

31.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$65.5 ฿2,184

64.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$251 ฿8,368

89.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$168 ฿5,602

122.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$777 ฿25.9K

9.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$432 ฿14.4K

66.49%

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

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 Khon Kaen: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $251 in Khon Kaen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Khon Kaen. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $213 in Khon Kaen – 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 Khon Kaen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,105 in Khon Kaen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Khon Kaen, 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $737 in Khon Kaen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $303 in Khon Kaen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Khon Kaen, where all-in costs run around $737, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Khon Kaen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Khon Kaen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Khon Kaen. 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.