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

Name: Koh Samui
Address: Koh Samui, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,241 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,231 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,221 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Medellin is about 17% cheaper than Koh Samui, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Koh Samui are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Koh Samui 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$4.60 ฿154

33.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$45.95 ฿1,543

-29.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.54 ฿287

-14.05%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$3.03 ฿102

-43.23%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$0.68 ฿22.96

54.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$0.36 ฿12.17

113.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

$2.52 ฿84.5

-32.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.79 ฿127

-16.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$2.23 ฿75.0

-52.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$1.83 ฿61.5

-28.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$2.27 ฿76.2

-38.33%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$2.24 ฿75.2

-3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$19.51 ฿655

-77.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.75 ฿126

56.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.49 ฿453

-35.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$3.36 ฿113

-32.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$1.68 ฿56.5

-33.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$2.31 ฿77.7

-33.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$2.08 ฿69.8

-35.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$1.59 ฿53.3

-28.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$1.50 ฿50.4

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$1.01 ฿33.95

-15.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$0.52 ฿17.59

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$4.33 ฿145

-45.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

$18.53 ฿622

-33.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$1.77 ฿59.5

-32.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

$2.81 ฿94.2

-11.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$1.42 ฿47.81

-40.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$45.97 ฿1,543

-11.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$3.17 ฿106

-55.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$1.05 ฿35.11

82.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$14.69 ฿493

-47.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$1.42 ฿47.71

-30.28%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$29.5K ฿991.0K

-38.92%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$35.0K ฿1.2M

-24.01%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$129 ฿4,331

-37.36%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$14.14 ฿475

-29.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$19.57 ฿657

23.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$63.5 ฿2,131

-60.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$17.73 ฿595

8.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.28 ฿311

-57.11%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$763 ฿25.6K

-60.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$17.2K ฿578.3K

-64.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$58.9 ฿1,976

-1.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$34.45 ฿1,156

-6.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$116 ฿3,896

-13.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$85.6 ฿2,875

25.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$515 ฿17.3K

-7.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$371 ฿12.5K

1.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,735 ฿58.2K

-51.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,278 ฿42.9K

-42.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,973 ฿99.8K

8.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,121 ฿71.2K

-35.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$392 ฿13.1K

57.52%

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 Samui: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $515 in Koh Samui. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 58% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $46.00 in Koh Samui. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $293 – 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 Samui: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $1,241 in Koh Samui – roughly 20% apart. Koh Samui costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,861 in Koh Samui. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Koh Samui, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $46.00 in Koh Samui. 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Koh Samui at $1,241. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Koh Samui it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Koh Samui has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $1,241 in Koh Samui. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Koh Samui makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.