😐A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $900 in Phetchabun, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,450 in Phetchabun, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,000 in Phetchabun, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 11% more than Phetchabun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Medellin and Phetchabun are more affordable than the global median – Medellin25% lower, Phetchabun32% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Phetchabun
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.91COP 18.6K
$1.88฿62.8
214.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.96COP 103.8K
$27.54฿919
19.68%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.43COP 23.4K
$6.49฿217
14.48%
Cappuccino
$1.65COP 5,207
$1.26฿41.94
30.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,468
$0.68฿22.57
61.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,458
$0.24฿8.04
225.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72COP 5,412
$2.53฿84.2
-32.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18COP 10.0K
$3.65฿122
-12.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Phetchabun
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10COP 3,474
$1.76฿58.7
-37.50%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 3,962
$1.35฿45.02
-6.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,349
$1.28฿42.67
7.81%
Eggs
$2.18COP 6,858
$2.14฿71.3
1.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.49COP 14.1K
$18.80฿627
-76.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.79COP 18.2K
$2.95฿98.4
96.27%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.97COP 28.2K
$10.81฿361
-17.02%
Apples(1kg)
$2.32COP 7,308
$3.28฿109
-29.27%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,352
$1.24฿41.52
-14.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COP 4,774
$1.88฿62.6
-19.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.36COP 4,270
$1.60฿53.3
-15.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,552
$1.52฿50.7
-25.66%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 3,689
$1.21฿40.51
-3.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90COP 2,838
$0.99฿33.02
-9.09%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90COP 2,823
$0.48฿16.17
87.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.23COP 7,034
$4.33฿144
-48.50%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.12COP 38.2K
$18.06฿602
-32.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 3,743
$1.75฿58.3
-32.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48COP 7,815
$2.75฿91.6
-9.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Phetchabun
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.85COP 2,687
$0.95฿31.76
-10.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.62COP 131.0K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.42COP 4,459
$1.09฿36.50
30.28%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.95COP 6,141
$1.19฿39.60
63.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.89COP 24.8K
$6.12฿204
28.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.99COP 3,118
$1.23฿40.87
-19.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6KCOP 55.4M
$28.2K฿941.3K
-37.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 84.4M
$27.8K฿928.0K
-3.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Phetchabun
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0COP 261.4K
$75.8฿2,529
9.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.70COP 30.5K
$13.95฿465
-30.47%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52COP 74.1K
$18.84฿629
24.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Phetchabun
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.26COP 79.5K
$50.2฿1,673
-49.63%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10COP 60.1K
$12.00฿400
59.17%
Cinema Ticket
$3.95COP 12.4K
$7.14฿238
-44.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Phetchabun
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$316COP 994.2K
$304฿10.1K
3.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,975COP 18.8M
$9,592฿320.0K
-37.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Phetchabun
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0COP 188.9K
$33.82฿1,128
77.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 100.2K
$34.52฿1,151
-7.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102COP 320.1K
$99.9฿3,333
1.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 338.3K
$70.1฿2,339
53.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Phetchabun
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$475COP 1.5M
$430฿14.3K
10.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$374COP 1.2M
$283฿9,445
32.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$849COP 2.7M
$823฿27.4K
3.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$719COP 2.3M
$658฿21.9K
9.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,265COP 10.3M
$1,748฿58.3K
86.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,441COP 4.5M
$1,820฿60.7K
-20.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Phetchabun
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$624COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
5.45
146.42%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026
Last update for Phetchabun: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $430 in Phetchabun. 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 $28.00 in Phetchabun. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $255 in Phetchabun – 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 Phetchabun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phetchabun cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,350 in Phetchabun. 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 Phetchabun, 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 Phetchabun?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $28.00 in Phetchabun. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Phetchabun?
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.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Phetchabun?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Phetchabun, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Phetchabun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Phetchabun more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phetchabun – 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 Phetchabun?
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 Phetchabun. 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.