😐A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $925 in Roi Et, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,493 in Roi Et, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,060 in Roi Et, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 82% more than Roi Et, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Roi Et is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Roi Et
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.02COP 25.0K
$1.93฿64.6
315.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87COP 149.4K
$18.29฿611
161.73%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.89COP 30.8K
$7.84฿262
26.15%
Cappuccino
$3.13COP 9,767
$2.10฿70.0
49.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91COP 5,954
$0.78฿26.05
144.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51COP 4,712
$0.26฿8.57
480.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.12COP 9,747
$2.10฿70.0
48.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75COP 17.9K
$3.10฿104
85.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Roi Et
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,509
$1.66฿55.5
-13.25%
White Bread(500g)
$2.49COP 7,759
$1.52฿50.8
63.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77COP 5,535
$1.25฿41.79
41.60%
Eggs
$2.96COP 9,235
$1.99฿66.3
48.74%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.07COP 31.4K
$16.22฿541
-37.92%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.12COP 31.6K
$2.25฿75.2
349.78%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.30COP 44.6K
$10.43฿348
37.10%
Apples(1kg)
$4.14COP 12.9K
$3.20฿107
29.37%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61COP 5,019
$1.11฿37.14
45.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,007
$1.86฿62.0
20.97%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,028
$1.60฿53.4
40.62%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04COP 6,375
$1.33฿44.31
53.38%
Onion(1kg)
$1.54COP 4,790
$0.98฿32.74
57.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.17COP 3,651
$1.14฿38.06
2.63%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31COP 4,077
$0.53฿17.68
147.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90COP 12.2K
$4.39฿147
-11.16%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.7K
$15.45฿516
-9.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74COP 5,439
$1.64฿54.6
6.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87COP 8,956
$2.85฿95.1
0.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Roi Et
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.22COP 3,792
$0.88฿29.33
38.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$80.5COP 251.1K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,084
$1.29฿43.00
1.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.19COP 6,825
$1.11฿37.07
97.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.71COP 27.2K
$3.81฿127
128.61%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.37COP 4,260
$1.24฿41.31
10.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8KCOP 86.9M
$27.2K฿906.4K
2.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8KCOP 111.6M
$27.2K฿907.1K
31.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Roi Et
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$177COP 553.2K
$82.8฿2,762
114.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.88COP 43.3K
$11.67฿390
18.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72COP 92.8K
$19.51฿651
52.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Roi Et
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.88COP 140.1K
$48.32฿1,613
-7.12%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12COP 53.4K
$14.02฿468
22.11%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.7K
$6.87฿229
-3.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Roi Et
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$813COP 2.5M
$569฿19.0K
42.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,187COP 28.7M
$11.3K฿376.6K
-18.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Roi Et
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5COP 279.3K
$67.9฿2,267
31.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.0COP 184.0K
$30.30฿1,011
94.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$138COP 431.2K
$61.6฿2,057
124.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 318.7K
$76.8฿2,563
33.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Roi Et
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,062COP 3.3M
$460฿15.4K
130.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$663COP 2.1M
$303฿10.1K
118.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,888COP 5.9M
$1,435฿47.9K
31.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,027COP 3.2M
$750฿25.0K
36.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,183COP 13.1M
$1,956฿65.3K
113.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,675COP 5.2M
$1,580฿52.7K
5.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Roi Et
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$678COP 2.1M
$896฿29.9K
-24.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
5.57
96.41%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026
Last update for Roi Et: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $460 in Roi Et. 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 32% higher in Roi Et, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Roi Et. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $236 – making Roi Et the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Roi Et: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roi Et cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 82%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,388 in Roi Et. 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 Roi Et, 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 Roi Et?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $18.00 in Roi Et. 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 Roi Et?
Groceries cost about 29% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Roi Et?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Roi Et, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Roi Et it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Roi Et more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Roi Et – 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 Roi Et?
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 Roi Et. 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.