Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Koh Phan Ghan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Koh Phan Ghan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,058 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,895 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,732 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 5% less than in Koh Phan Ghan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Koh Phan Ghan 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$4.10 ฿137

44.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$40.89 ฿1,368

-19.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$7.94 ฿266

-6.42%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.78 ฿93.1

-40.65%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.66 ฿21.99

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.32 ฿10.83

143.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.27 ฿75.9

-24.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$3.40 ฿114

-6.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$2.11 ฿70.6

-47.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.75 ฿58.5

-28.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$2.05 ฿68.6

-32.68%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.22 ฿74.2

-1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$18.38 ฿615

-75.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.59 ฿120

61.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$12.55 ฿420

-28.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$3.12 ฿104

-25.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.60 ฿53.6

-33.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$2.19 ฿73.4

-30.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.95 ฿65.3

-30.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.47 ฿49.28

-23.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.38 ฿46.13

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.96 ฿32.15

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.49 ฿16.41

83.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$4.10 ฿137

-45.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$17.82 ฿596

-31.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.75 ฿58.4

-32.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.61 ฿87.3

-4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$1.29 ฿43.04

-34.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$2.75 ฿92.0

-48.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.94 ฿31.61

107.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$12.68 ฿424

-37.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.22 ฿40.83

-18.85%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$24.6K ฿823.0K

-28.46%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$30.0K ฿1.0M

-10.71%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$123 ฿4,107

-32.40%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$13.42 ฿449

-27.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$18.66 ฿624

26.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$60.3 ฿2,018

-58.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$16.83 ฿563

13.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$8.73 ฿292

-54.75%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$690 ฿23.1K

-54.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$16.0K ฿535.5K

-62.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$59.2 ฿1,979

1.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$35.21 ฿1,178

-9.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$116 ฿3,890

-12.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$85.7 ฿2,866

25.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$428 ฿14.3K

10.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$310 ฿10.4K

20.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,418 ฿47.4K

-40.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,043 ฿34.9K

-31.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$2,415 ฿80.8K

35.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,770 ฿59.2K

-18.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$707 ฿23.7K

-11.69%

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 Phan Ghan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $428 in Koh Phan Ghan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Koh Phan Ghan pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $41.00 in Koh Phan Ghan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $277 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 Phan Ghan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Koh Phan Ghan differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $1,058 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Koh Phan Ghan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $428 in Koh Phan Ghan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Koh Phan Ghan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,058 in Koh Phan Ghan – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,058 in Koh Phan Ghan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Koh Phan Ghan. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Phan Ghan 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Koh Phan Ghan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.