Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Koh Chang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Koh Chang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $992 in Koh Chang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,762 in Koh Chang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,532 in Koh Chang, rent included.

Medellin costs about 1% more than Koh Chang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Koh Chang are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Koh Chang 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.80 ฿127

55.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$37.57 ฿1,253

-12.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.83 ฿228

8.78%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.35 ฿78.5

-29.79%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.58 ฿19.40

89.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.31 ฿10.49

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.94 ฿64.6

-11.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.03 ฿101

4.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.95 ฿65.0

-43.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.65 ฿54.9

-23.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.94 ฿64.6

-28.87%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.02 ฿67.3

7.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$17.84 ฿595

-74.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.38 ฿113

71.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.82 ฿394

-24.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.03 ฿101

-23.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.46 ฿48.66

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.11 ฿70.3

-27.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.80 ฿60.0

-24.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.44 ฿48.20

-21.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.29 ฿43.07

-9.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.94 ฿31.31

-4.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.47 ฿15.51

91.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.99 ฿133

-44.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$16.37 ฿546

-25.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.60 ฿53.5

-25.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.42 ฿80.9

2.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.13 ฿37.86

-24.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.40 ฿80.2

-40.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.80 ฿26.63

143.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$11.07 ฿369

-28.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.03 ฿34.32

-3.88%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$22.6K ฿754.6K

-22.18%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$26.5K ฿884.3K

1.10%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$118 ฿3,926

-29.47%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$12.82 ฿428

-24.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$17.42 ฿581

35.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$51.1 ฿1,704

-50.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$14.15 ฿472

34.98%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.38 ฿246

-46.48%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$631 ฿21.1K

-49.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$14.2K ฿473.0K

-57.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$55.8 ฿1,862

7.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$33.54 ฿1,119

-5.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$109 ฿3,636

-6.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$82.0 ฿2,735

31.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$393 ฿13.1K

20.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$286 ฿9,531

30.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,312 ฿43.8K

-35.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$949 ฿31.7K

-24.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,313 ฿77.2K

41.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,630 ฿54.4K

-11.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.33

151.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Koh Chang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $393 in Koh Chang. 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 $38.00 in Koh Chang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $261 – making Medellin 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 Koh Chang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,003 in Medellin, $992 in Koh Chang – roughly 1% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,487 in Koh Chang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Koh Chang, 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 $992 in Koh Chang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $631 in Koh Chang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koh Chang, where all-in costs run around $992, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Koh Chang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $992 in Koh Chang to $1,003 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Koh Chang. 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.