Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mawlamyine

For one person, living is cheaper in Mawlamyine: $650 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Mawlamyine, Myanmar
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Mawlamyine
🇲🇲 Myanmar
$650
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Mawlamyine

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Mawlamyine actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $650 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Mawlamyine $650

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $954 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Mawlamyine $954

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,259 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Mawlamyine $1,259

Medellin costs about 152% more than Mawlamyine, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Mawlamyine is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Mawlamyine
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.6K
$1.96 MMK 4,097
312.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.9K
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$4.96 MMK 10.4K
91.53%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,540
$0.98 MMK 2,044
207.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,693
$0.51 MMK 1,070
252.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,469
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.0K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.2K
$1.52 MMK 3,175
278.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Mawlamyine
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,778
$0.92 MMK 1,934
64.13%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,524
$0.48 MMK 1,009
395.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,606
-
-
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,146
$3.06 MMK 6,404
-5.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.2K
$8.30 MMK 17.4K
22.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.2K
$2.15 MMK 4,504
359.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.3K
$3.67 MMK 7,688
281.20%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.6K
$1.62 MMK 3,396
145.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,911
$0.86 MMK 1,802
80.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,907
$1.76 MMK 3,686
23.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,910
$2.84 MMK 5,949
-23.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,210
$1.46 MMK 3,060
34.25%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,029
$0.37 MMK 766
329.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,625
$1.56 MMK 3,261
-26.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,934
$0.19 MMK 406
552.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.3K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,252
$1.17 MMK 2,448
41.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,145
$1.75 MMK 3,669
29.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Mawlamyine
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,696
$1.54 MMK 3,230
-24.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 244.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,013
$1.99 MMK 4,164
-36.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,480
$2.54 MMK 5,308
-19.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.1K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,262
$1.79 MMK 3,742
-24.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.8M
$49.2K MMK 103.1M
-30.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.7M
$34.7K MMK 72.6M
0.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Mawlamyine
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 536.8K
$75.6 MMK 158.2K
124.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.9K
$25.05 MMK 52.4K
-45.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.8K
$49.89 MMK 104.4K
-43.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Mawlamyine
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 138.3K
$118 MMK 247.6K
-63.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.4K
$4.89 MMK 10.2K
251.53%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.9K
$9.92 MMK 20.8K
-30.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Mawlamyine
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$507 MMK 1.1M
57.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.8M
$9,031 MMK 18.9M
0.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Mawlamyine
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 268.1K
$38.26 MMK 80.1K
121.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 183.4K
$36.36 MMK 76.1K
59.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 427.1K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 309.7K
$23.53 MMK 49.3K
315.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Mawlamyine
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$251 MMK 526.1K
380.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$118 MMK 247.5K
442.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$604 MMK 1.3M
235.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$254 MMK 532.4K
297.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.2M
$788 MMK 1.7M
429.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$507 MMK 1.1M
276.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Mawlamyine
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
5
118.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mawlamyine: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Mawlamyine
$118 81.6% $523
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Mawlamyine
$131 * 56.1% $166
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Mawlamyine
$150 28.8% $61
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Mawlamyine
$47 * 72.1% $122
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Mawlamyine
$44 * 73.9% $125
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Mawlamyine
$21 * 77.7% $73
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Mawlamyine
$138 140% $81

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $251 in Mawlamyine. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇲🇲 Mawlamyine
🕒 Local time
22:09 10:09 PM
09:39 9:39 AM
11 h 30 min ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
300,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MMK, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

Myanmar Kyat exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 2,094 MMK (10,000 MMK = 4.78 USD). 1 EUR = 2,331 MMK (10,000 MMK = 4.29 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Mawlamyine 17,380 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Mawlamyine

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mawlamyine: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Mawlamyine?
Medellin costs about 152% more than Mawlamyine, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin and in Mawlamyine?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $974 in Mawlamyine. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Medellin or Mawlamyine?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mawlamyine, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $251 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Mawlamyine?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $650 in Mawlamyine. That makes Mawlamyine about 60% cheaper.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or in Mawlamyine?
Groceries cost about 128% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Medellin or in Mawlamyine?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Mawlamyine, where all-in costs run around $650, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Mawlamyine it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Mawlamyine – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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