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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $828 in Pathein, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,508 in Pathein, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,188 in Pathein, rent included.

Medellin costs about 22% more than Pathein, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Pathein are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Pathein 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.46 MMK 3,065

310.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$17.36 MMK 36.4K

89.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.44 MMK 11.4K

30.33%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.53 MMK 3,214

11.76%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.52 MMK 1,093

111.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.52 MMK 1,084

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.02 MMK 2,142

64.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$0.98 MMK 2,043

213.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.91 MMK 3,994

-42.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.93 MMK 1,956

35.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.41 MMK 2,954

-2.13%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.42 MMK 2,977

54.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.39 MMK 15.5K

-40.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.08 MMK 12.7K

-7.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.90 MMK 16.5K

12.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$5.67 MMK 11.9K

-58.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.09 MMK 2,276

-2.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.76 MMK 5,775

-45.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$3.33 MMK 6,974

-58.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.57 MMK 5,378

-55.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.55 MMK 3,246

-25.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.52 MMK 1,089

71.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.33 MMK 693

154.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.63 MMK 3,403

39.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$20.02 MMK 41.9K

-46.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.93 MMK 1,950

29.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.19 MMK 2,499

107.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.07 MMK 2,242

37.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.98 MMK 2,059

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$3.02 MMK 6,332

156.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$2.05 MMK 4,289

-53.66%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$32.0K MMK 67.0M

-43.37%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$31.4K MMK 65.8M

-15.71%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$54.0 MMK 113.0K

52.40%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$11.40 MMK 23.9K

-16.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$9.92 MMK 20.8K

144.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$72.8 MMK 152.3K

-64.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.03 MMK 4,257

93.60%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$314 MMK 657.8K

-1.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,730 MMK 9.9M

26.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$20.05 MMK 42.0K

192.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$14.88 MMK 31.2K

117.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$49.10 MMK 102.8K

108.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$60.4 MMK 126.5K

79.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$392 MMK 821.5K

21.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$303 MMK 635.4K

24.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,111 MMK 2.3M

-24.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$995 MMK 2.1M

-27.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pathein: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $392 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 $17.00 in Pathein. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $242 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 22%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,243 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 $17.00 in Pathein. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% 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 $828, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.