😐A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $772 in Nakhon Ratchasima, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,256 in Nakhon Ratchasima, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,740 in Nakhon Ratchasima, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 34% more than Nakhon Ratchasima, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Medellin and Nakhon Ratchasima are more affordable than the global median – Medellin23% lower, Nakhon Ratchasima42% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$2.99฿97.6
97.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$27.60฿902
18.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$6.13฿200
17.46%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$2.07฿67.6
-17.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$0.55฿18.08
100.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$0.35฿11.43
105.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
$1.86฿60.9
-10.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
$2.51฿81.9
23.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$1.66฿54.4
-36.14%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$1.30฿42.48
-3.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$1.26฿41.13
10.32%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$1.56฿51.0
44.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$15.50฿507
-72.06%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$3.44฿112
69.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$11.17฿365
-20.95%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$3.19฿104
-29.78%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$1.29฿42.17
-16.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$1.99฿65.0
-23.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$1.39฿45.53
-1.44%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$1.48฿48.39
-23.65%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$1.21฿39.58
-7.44%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$1.37฿44.92
-37.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$0.39฿12.64
133.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$2.86฿93.6
-18.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
$18.79฿614
-40.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
$1.77฿57.8
-32.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
$2.29฿75.0
3.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$0.48฿15.65
64.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
$20.39฿667
101.72%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$1.05฿34.45
37.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
$1.29฿42.31
48.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$7.71฿252
4.02%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$1.25฿40.95
-24.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$82.6K฿2.7M
-78.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$27.6K฿904.0K
-3.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$77.2฿2,524
8.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$13.57฿444
-29.26%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$18.53฿606
30.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$48.00฿1,570
-46.08%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
$15.28฿500
24.61%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$4.94฿162
-20.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$186฿6,082
64.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$9,278฿303.4K
-36.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$29.87฿977
93.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$19.72฿645
61.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$80.0฿2,617
24.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$43.78฿1,432
144.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$213฿6,976
128.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$165฿5,400
122.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$509฿16.7K
62.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$433฿14.1K
65.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
$3,382฿110.6K
-13.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
$1,757฿57.5K
-19.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Nakhon Ratchasima
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$632฿20.7K
-13.68%
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Nakhon Ratchasima: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $213 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 16% higher in Nakhon Ratchasima, 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 $28.00 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $245 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 34%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,158 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 Nakhon Ratchasima?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $28.00 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 vs Nakhon Ratchasima?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $772 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 Medellin or Nakhon Ratchasima?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nakhon Ratchasima, where all-in costs run around $772, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.