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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $822 in Pathein, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,469 in Pathein, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,117 in Pathein, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Pathein, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Pathein are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Pathein 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.47 MMK 3,074

319.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$17.57 MMK 36.8K

85.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.35 MMK 11.2K

37.20%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.46 MMK 3,061

17.81%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.48 MMK 996

118.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.51 MMK 1,070

50.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.98 MMK 2,048

72.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$0.98 MMK 2,047

223.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.90 MMK 3,984

-44.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.95 MMK 1,994

36.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.46 MMK 3,058

-4.11%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.43 MMK 2,990

51.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.57 MMK 15.8K

-42.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.16 MMK 12.9K

-4.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.78 MMK 16.3K

11.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$5.66 MMK 11.9K

-59.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.10 MMK 2,299

0.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.78 MMK 5,824

-44.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.21 MMK 6,721

-57.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.61 MMK 5,470

-56.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.60 MMK 3,342

-29.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.48 MMK 1,000

77.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.33 MMK 694

175.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.67 MMK 3,492

40.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$20.33 MMK 42.6K

-39.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.99 MMK 2,070

21.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.20 MMK 2,520

107.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.13 MMK 2,362

25.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.98 MMK 2,047

95.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.07 MMK 6,421

149.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.02 MMK 4,221

-50.99%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$31.8K MMK 66.5M

-43.26%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$32.1K MMK 67.3M

-17.18%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$53.8 MMK 112.7K

50.18%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$11.00 MMK 23.0K

-9.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$9.94 MMK 20.8K

143.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$74.2 MMK 155.3K

-66.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$1.95 MMK 4,091

104.10%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$319 MMK 667.2K

-4.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,747 MMK 9.9M

27.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$19.93 MMK 41.7K

191.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$15.10 MMK 31.6K

113.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$50.5 MMK 105.7K

99.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$60.1 MMK 125.8K

79.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$404 MMK 845.4K

18.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$304 MMK 637.1K

23.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,106 MMK 2.3M

-23.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$996 MMK 2.1M

-26.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.09%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Pathein: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $404 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Pathein. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $244 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 25%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,233 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $18.00 in Pathein. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% 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 $822, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.