Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pathein Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pathein

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,022 in Pathein, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,827 in Pathein, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,632 in Pathein, rent included.

Medellin costs about 61% more than Pathein, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Pathein is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$1.53 MMK 3,201

425.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$19.97 MMK 41.8K

141.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$8.09 MMK 16.9K

16.44%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.52 MMK 3,189

93.42%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.52 MMK 1,079

257.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.52 MMK 1,082

180.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.53 MMK 3,198

109.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.03 MMK 2,154

454.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.49 MMK 3,114

61.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$2.95 MMK 6,175

-42.37%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.45 MMK 5,124

17.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$40.13 MMK 84.0K

-74.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$5.96 MMK 12.5K

67.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$8.11 MMK 17.0K

75.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$10.08 MMK 21.1K

-60.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$9.97 MMK 20.9K

-78.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$5.08 MMK 10.6K

-54.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$4.06 MMK 8,507

-50.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.01 MMK 4,217

-24.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.48 MMK 1,014

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.92 MMK 6,108

31.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$19.69 MMK 41.2K

-28.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.49 MMK 3,110

14.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.96 MMK 4,099

39.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.99 MMK 2,064

119.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$3.05 MMK 6,395

171.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$2.04 MMK 4,276

-33.33%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$31.6K MMK 66.2M

-13.17%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$31.4K MMK 65.7M

16.49%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$19.76 MMK 41.4K

-31.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$9.89 MMK 20.7K

186.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$149 MMK 312.3K

-69.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$2.03 MMK 4,245

227.59%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$404 MMK 846.1K

98.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$4,755 MMK 10.0M

93.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$19.77 MMK 41.4K

341.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$15.28 MMK 32.0K

288.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$50.3 MMK 105.3K

176.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$60.2 MMK 126.0K

69.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$399 MMK 835.9K

168.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$299 MMK 625.9K

118.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,087 MMK 2.3M

77.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,018 MMK 2.1M

2.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Pathein: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $399 in Pathein. 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Pathein. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $396 in Pathein – 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 Pathein: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 61%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,532 in Pathein. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $20.00 in Pathein. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 32% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pathein, where all-in costs run around $1,022, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Pathein it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pathein – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Pathein. 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.