Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Samut Prakan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Samut Prakan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $812 in Samut Prakan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,421 in Samut Prakan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,030 in Samut Prakan, rent included.

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

Both Medellin and Samut Prakan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Samut Prakan 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.05 ฿99.7

96.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$15.28 ฿499

115.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.72 ฿252

-8.16%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.31 ฿42.91

30.53%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.62 ฿20.38

77.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.29 ฿9.63

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.84 ฿60.1

-8.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.81 ฿124

-19.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.43 ฿46.89

-23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.01 ฿33.07

24.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.12 ฿36.52

23.21%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.80 ฿58.8

21.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$13.43 ฿439

-67.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.83 ฿92.5

98.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.76 ฿352

-17.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.83 ฿60.0

27.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.75 ฿24.66

41.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.81 ฿59.2

-17.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.37 ฿44.89

0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.63 ฿53.3

-29.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.10 ฿35.99

5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.78 ฿25.61

14.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.43 ฿13.93

95.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.76 ฿155

-52.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$12.09 ฿395

-11.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.51 ฿49.42

-20.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.21 ฿72.3

11.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.52 ฿16.90

65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$31.10 ฿1,017

33.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.11 ฿36.29

32.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.71 ฿23.18

176.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.26 ฿172

47.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.29 ฿42.19

-26.36%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$12.3K ฿402.9K

47.12%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$21.1K ฿689.5K

25.57%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$73.2 ฿2,392

12.38%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.91 ฿357

-12.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$17.11 ฿559

41.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$46.92 ฿1,534

-44.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$12.05 ฿394

57.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.07 ฿198

-35.26%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$383 ฿12.5K

-19.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,856 ฿224.1K

-13.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$19.33 ฿632

203.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$34.17 ฿1,117

-5.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$61.4 ฿2,006

67.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$58.0 ฿1,895

87.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$486 ฿15.9K

-2.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$245 ฿8,013

54.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$803 ฿26.2K

4.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$832 ฿27.2K

-12.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,755 ฿57.4K

58.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,487 ฿48.6K

-18.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$651 ฿21.3K

-21.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

347.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Samut Prakan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $486 in Samut Prakan. 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 27% higher in Samut Prakan, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in Samut Prakan. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $202 in Samut Prakan – 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 Samut Prakan: 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,218 in Samut Prakan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $812 in Samut Prakan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Samut Prakan, where all-in costs run around $812, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Samut Prakan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samut Prakan – 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 Samut Prakan. 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.