😐A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $921 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,498 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,076 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 12% more than Maha Sarakham, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Medellin and Maha Sarakham are more affordable than the global median – Medellin23% lower, Maha Sarakham31% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.00COP 20.6K
$3.15฿103
90.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.84COP 112.9K
$26.88฿881
22.17%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.42COP 25.5K
$6.13฿201
21.04%
Cappuccino
$1.65COP 5,675
$2.10฿68.7
-21.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07COP 3,673
$0.71฿23.41
50.70%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76COP 2,614
$0.27฿8.72
181.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72COP 5,925
$2.51฿82.3
-31.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20COP 11.0K
$3.73฿122
-14.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05COP 3,607
$1.67฿54.7
-37.13%
White Bread(500g)
$1.31COP 4,492
$1.39฿45.40
-5.76%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.34COP 4,604
$1.28฿41.80
4.69%
Eggs
$2.19COP 7,543
$2.22฿72.7
-1.35%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.41COP 15.2K
$18.62฿610
-76.32%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.69COP 19.6K
$2.95฿96.7
92.88%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.52COP 29.3K
$10.66฿349
-20.08%
Apples(1kg)
$2.34COP 8,046
$3.16฿103
-25.95%
Banana(1kg)
$1.11COP 3,815
$1.21฿39.69
-8.26%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COP 5,225
$1.90฿62.2
-20.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,694
$1.55฿50.7
-11.61%
Potato(1kg)
$1.15COP 3,962
$1.49฿48.70
-22.82%
Onion(1kg)
$1.18COP 4,055
$1.20฿39.16
-1.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.84COP 2,893
$1.01฿33.25
-16.83%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86COP 2,940
$0.52฿17.02
65.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.26COP 7,776
$4.32฿142
-47.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.60COP 39.9K
$14.88฿488
-22.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20COP 4,121
$1.82฿59.5
-34.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48COP 8,508
$2.80฿91.8
-11.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Maha Sarakham
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,729
$0.93฿30.61
-15.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$40.83COP 140.4K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.47COP 5,038
$1.06฿34.65
38.68%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.92COP 6,587
$1.14฿37.36
68.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.77COP 26.7K
$6.23฿204
24.72%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.01COP 3,474
$1.28฿42.07
-21.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.7KCOP 60.7M
$27.6K฿903.3K
-35.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5KCOP 90.9M
$27.9K฿915.5K
-5.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.1COP 278.8K
$75.2฿2,463
7.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.43COP 32.4K
$13.95฿457
-32.40%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.86COP 82.0K
$18.43฿604
29.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.99COP 89.4K
$49.91฿1,635
-47.93%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.71COP 64.3K
$11.96฿392
56.44%
Cinema Ticket
$4.09COP 14.1K
$7.01฿230
-41.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$315COP 1.1M
$294฿9,628
7.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,022COP 20.7M
$9,607฿314.8K
-37.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.7COP 205.2K
$34.07฿1,116
75.23%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.97COP 109.9K
$34.19฿1,120
-6.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101COP 347.9K
$100฿3,288
0.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105COP 361.3K
$71.3฿2,336
47.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Maha Sarakham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$485COP 1.7M
$418฿13.7K
16.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$365COP 1.3M
$286฿9,365
27.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$827COP 2.8M
$806฿26.4K
2.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$730COP 2.5M
$658฿21.6K
10.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,992COP 10.3M
$2,221฿72.8K
34.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,314COP 4.5M
$1,446฿47.4K
-9.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$551COP 1.9M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
5.45
146.42%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026
Last update for Maha Sarakham: June 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $418 in Maha Sarakham. 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 $27.00 in Maha Sarakham. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $247 in Maha Sarakham – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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 Maha Sarakham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and in Maha Sarakham compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,028 in Medellin, $921 in Maha Sarakham – roughly 12% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Maha Sarakham?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,381 in Maha Sarakham. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Maha Sarakham?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Maha Sarakham, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $27.00 in Maha Sarakham. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 30% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maha Sarakham, where all-in costs run around $921, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Maha Sarakham it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Maha Sarakham?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $921 in Maha Sarakham to $1,028 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Medellin or Maha Sarakham safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Medellin and Maha Sarakham?
If budget matters most, go with Maha Sarakham. 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.