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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $630 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,052 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,473 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 167% more than Khon Kaen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Khon Kaen is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$3.04 ฿101

163.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$30.43 ฿1,012

57.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$5.96 ฿198

65.94%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.52 ฿50.7

105.92%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.63 ฿21.06

203.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.28 ฿9.16

439.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.82 ฿60.7

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$6.60 ฿219

-12.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$0.89 ฿29.57

98.88%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.47 ฿82.1

19.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$0.92 ฿30.63

75.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.50 ฿49.79

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.54 ฿51.2

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.61 ฿20.39

91.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.49 ฿16.42

167.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.69 ฿56.3

2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$1.17 ฿39.04

87.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.26 ฿41.94

8.73%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$45.6K ฿1.5M

-38.91%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$27.2K ฿905.8K

31.32%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$95.3 ฿3,168

86.12%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$18.02 ฿599

-22.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$30.08 ฿1,000

-1.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$60.8 ฿2,022

-26.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$6.11 ฿203

8.84%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$8,895 ฿295.7K

3.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$29.89 ฿994

199.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$35.66 ฿1,186

65.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$76.7 ฿2,551

80.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$91.9 ฿3,055

11.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$287 ฿9,529

270.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$160 ฿5,316

314.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$750 ฿24.9K

151.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$491 ฿16.3K

109.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Khon Kaen: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $287 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Khon Kaen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $45.00 – making Khon Kaen 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 Khon Kaen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 167%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $945 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.

Groceries cost about 579% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $30.00 in Khon Kaen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Khon Kaen, where all-in costs run around $630, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.