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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $967 in Koh Lanta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,719 in Koh Lanta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,471 in Koh Lanta.

Living in Medellin is roughly 7% more expensive than in Koh Lanta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Koh Lanta 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.78 ฿127

62.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$36.38 ฿1,223

-10.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.07 ฿238

3.82%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.43 ฿81.7

-29.22%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.55 ฿18.38

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.29 ฿9.74

165.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.01 ฿67.5

-15.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.04 ฿102

4.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.04 ฿68.5

-48.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.69 ฿56.9

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.02 ฿67.8

-30.69%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.07 ฿69.7

4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$17.93 ฿603

-75.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.41 ฿115

72.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.79 ฿397

-26.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.89 ฿97.3

-21.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.46 ฿48.97

-23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.06 ฿69.4

-25.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.89 ฿63.7

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.44 ฿48.46

-21.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.31 ฿43.99

-13.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.94 ฿31.63

-9.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.46 ฿15.52

97.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.92 ฿132

-40.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$16.71 ฿562

-25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.61 ฿54.3

-25.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.49 ฿83.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.08 ฿36.44

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.42 ฿81.5

-41.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.81 ฿27.07

137.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$11.31 ฿380

-32.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.07 ฿36.04

-7.48%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$22.5K ฿755.1K

-19.70%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.7K ฿897.1K

-0.19%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$116 ฿3,904

-30.38%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$12.87 ฿433

-22.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$17.34 ฿583

39.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$52.0 ฿1,750

-51.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$14.33 ฿482

33.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.50 ฿252

-46.93%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$617 ฿20.8K

-50.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$14.5K ฿488.6K

-58.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$56.1 ฿1,887

3.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$32.84 ฿1,104

-1.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$110 ฿3,691

-8.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$79.7 ฿2,681

35.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$375 ฿12.6K

27.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$265 ฿8,901

42.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,233 ฿41.5K

-31.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$892 ฿30.0K

-18.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,098 ฿70.6K

53.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,518 ฿51.1K

-9.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 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 12, 2026

Last update for Koh Lanta: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $375 in Koh Lanta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in Koh Lanta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $263 per month, with Medellin 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 Koh Lanta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Koh Lanta differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $967 including rent). Koh Lanta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,450 in Koh Lanta 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $375 in Koh Lanta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $617 in Koh Lanta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Koh Lanta – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $967 in Koh Lanta versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Koh Lanta but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Koh Lanta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Koh Lanta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Koh Lanta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.