😐A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $767 in Nakhon Ratchasima, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,259 in Nakhon Ratchasima, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,752 in Nakhon Ratchasima, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 31% more than Nakhon Ratchasima, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Medellin and Nakhon Ratchasima are more affordable than the global median – Medellin25% lower, Nakhon Ratchasima42% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.91COP 18.9K
$3.04฿102
94.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.96COP 105.2K
$26.96฿902
22.26%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.43COP 23.7K
$6.48฿217
14.66%
Cappuccino
$1.65COP 5,276
$2.07฿69.2
-20.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,514
$0.59฿19.70
86.44%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,491
$0.37฿12.48
110.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72COP 5,484
$1.87฿62.5
-8.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18COP 10.1K
$2.47฿82.7
28.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10COP 3,521
$1.65฿55.1
-33.33%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 4,015
$1.30฿43.47
-3.08%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,407
$1.26฿42.14
9.52%
Eggs
$2.18COP 6,950
$1.50฿50.1
45.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.49COP 14.3K
$15.41฿515
-70.86%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.79COP 18.5K
$3.26฿109
77.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.97COP 28.6K
$11.26฿377
-20.34%
Apples(1kg)
$2.32COP 7,405
$3.23฿108
-28.17%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,397
$1.33฿44.64
-20.30%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COP 4,838
$1.89฿63.4
-19.58%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.36COP 4,327
$1.39฿46.62
-2.16%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,599
$1.47฿49.24
-23.13%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 3,738
$1.22฿40.88
-4.10%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90COP 2,876
$1.36฿45.36
-33.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90COP 2,861
$0.38฿12.79
136.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.23COP 7,128
$3.00฿100
-25.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.12COP 38.7K
$18.09฿605
-33.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 3,793
$1.75฿58.7
-32.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48COP 7,920
$2.28฿76.3
8.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.85COP 2,723
$0.47฿15.83
80.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.62COP 132.8K
$20.14฿674
106.65%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.42COP 4,518
$1.10฿36.69
29.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.95COP 6,223
$1.29฿43.03
51.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.89COP 25.2K
$7.48฿250
5.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.99COP 3,160
$1.20฿40.17
-17.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6KCOP 56.2M
$82.4K฿2.8M
-78.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 85.5M
$26.9K฿899.6K
-0.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0COP 264.9K
$78.9฿2,638
5.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.70COP 30.9K
$13.63฿456
-28.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52COP 75.0K
$18.64฿623
26.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.26COP 80.6K
$49.16฿1,644
-48.62%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10COP 60.9K
$15.66฿524
21.97%
Cinema Ticket
$3.95COP 12.6K
$4.85฿162
-18.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$316COP 1.0M
$188฿6,295
67.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,975COP 19.1M
$9,283฿310.5K
-35.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0COP 191.4K
$29.46฿985
103.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 101.5K
$19.96฿668
59.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102COP 324.4K
$78.8฿2,635
29.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 342.8K
$43.30฿1,448
148.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$475COP 1.5M
$217฿7,246
119.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$374COP 1.2M
$161฿5,401
131.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$849COP 2.7M
$507฿17.0K
67.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$719COP 2.3M
$438฿14.6K
64.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,265COP 10.4M
$3,294฿110.2K
-0.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,441COP 4.6M
$1,693฿56.6K
-14.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$624COP 2.0M
$605฿20.2K
3.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
5.1
163.33%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026
Last update for Nakhon Ratchasima: July 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $217 in Nakhon Ratchasima. 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 3% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $242 in Nakhon Ratchasima – 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 Nakhon Ratchasima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nakhon Ratchasima cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,150 in Nakhon Ratchasima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nakhon Ratchasima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Nakhon Ratchasima?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $27.00 in Nakhon Ratchasima. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Nakhon Ratchasima?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $767 in Nakhon Ratchasima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Nakhon Ratchasima?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nakhon Ratchasima, where all-in costs run around $767, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Nakhon Ratchasima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Nakhon Ratchasima more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nakhon Ratchasima – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Nakhon Ratchasima?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nakhon Ratchasima. 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.