Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sakon Nakhon Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sakon Nakhon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $878 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,396 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,914 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

Medellin costs about 92% more than Sakon Nakhon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Sakon Nakhon is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$1.55 ฿51.6

417.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$15.31 ฿509

212.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$3.03 ฿101

226.40%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.48 ฿49.06

111.49%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.74 ฿24.66

158.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.27 ฿9.03

459.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.12 ฿70.6

47.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.09 ฿69.5

175.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$2.48 ฿82.5

-41.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.33 ฿44.32

87.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.55 ฿51.4

14.19%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.12 ฿70.5

39.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$10.80 ฿359

-6.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$2.49 ฿82.9

306.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$10.38 ฿345

37.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.21 ฿107

28.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.23 ฿40.75

30.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.14 ฿71.3

5.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.92 ฿64.0

17.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.47 ฿48.80

38.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.45 ฿48.22

6.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.51 ฿16.96

129.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.49 ฿16.32

167.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.29 ฿142

-9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$16.37 ฿544

-14.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.69 ฿56.2

2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.78 ฿92.3

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.89 ฿29.63

37.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.54 ฿51.0

-14.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$1.02 ฿34.03

114.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$4.71 ฿157

84.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.33 ฿44.23

3.01%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$26.8K ฿892.2K

3.74%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$30.2K ฿1.0M

18.45%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$83.0 ฿2,761

113.51%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$9.96 ฿331

39.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$15.87 ฿528

87.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$46.66 ฿1,551

-3.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$14.00 ฿466

22.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$3.70 ฿123

79.73%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$487 ฿16.2K

66.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$9,693 ฿322.3K

-5.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$19.92 ฿662

349.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$6.89 ฿229

755.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$122 ฿4,067

12.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$74.1 ฿2,465

37.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$450 ฿15.0K

135.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$299 ฿9,927

122.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,216 ฿40.4K

55.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$646 ฿21.5K

59.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$1,882 ฿62.6K

122.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,761 ฿58.6K

-4.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$745 ฿24.8K

-9.06%

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 Sakon Nakhon: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $450 in Sakon Nakhon. 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 10% higher in Sakon Nakhon, 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 $15.00 in Sakon Nakhon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $232 – making Sakon Nakhon 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 Sakon Nakhon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 92%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,316 in Sakon Nakhon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sakon Nakhon, 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 $15.00 in Sakon Nakhon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sakon Nakhon, where all-in costs run around $878, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Sakon Nakhon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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.

If budget matters most, go with Sakon Nakhon. 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.