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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $882 in Samut Sakhon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,412 in Samut Sakhon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $1,942 in Samut Sakhon, rent included.

Medellin costs about 15% more than Samut Sakhon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Samut Sakhon are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Samut Sakhon 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.0K

$1.81 ฿61.2

227.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.0K

$18.22 ฿615

81.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.8K

$6.11 ฿206

16.53%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,457

$1.25 ฿42.34

36.80%

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

$1.05 COP 3,356

$0.36 ฿12.10

191.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,311

$0.32 ฿10.87

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,502

$1.90 ฿64.0

-9.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$2.47 ฿83.4

28.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,408

$1.68 ฿56.7

-36.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,192

$1.35 ฿45.66

-2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,256

$1.33 ฿44.81

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,298

$2.28 ฿77.0

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$15.49 ฿523

-71.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 18.9K

$3.37 ฿114

75.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.7K

$11.09 ฿374

-22.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,504

$3.25 ฿110

-28.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,527

$1.34 ฿45.26

-17.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,698

$1.88 ฿63.5

-21.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,415

$1.39 ฿47.00

-0.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,754

$1.52 ฿51.2

-23.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,744

$1.21 ฿40.98

-3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,890

$1.71 ฿57.6

-47.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,693

$0.58 ฿19.44

44.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,449

$4.67 ฿158

-50.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.1K

$16.14 ฿545

-26.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,673

$1.84 ฿62.0

-37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,749

$2.32 ฿78.2

4.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,687

$0.37 ฿12.54

127.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,517

$1.06 ฿35.74

33.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

$1.23 ฿41.49

55.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

$3.35 ฿113

133.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,020

$1.24 ฿41.93

-24.19%

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

$17.8K COP 57.0M

$26.3K ฿887.1K

-32.21%

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

$27.1K COP 86.7M

$27.3K ฿919.7K

-0.62%

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

$83.3 COP 266.4K

$79.7 ฿2,689

4.51%

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

$9.66 COP 30.9K

$14.05 ฿474

-31.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.5K

$18.73 ฿632

29.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

$48.68 ฿1,643

-48.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

$12.26 ฿414

57.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$7.61 ฿257

-46.52%

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

$307 COP 981.2K

$298 ฿10.0K

3.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

$9,287 ฿313.4K

-35.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.9K

$29.93 ฿1,010

100.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.5K

$19.67 ฿664

65.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.5K

$101 ฿3,407

0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.7K

$43.67 ฿1,474

147.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$425 ฿14.3K

12.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$289 ฿9,738

31.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$827 ฿27.9K

-1.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$661 ฿22.3K

6.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$1,908 ฿64.4K

67.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$1,439 ฿48.6K

0.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 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 20, 2026

Last update for Samut Sakhon: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $425 in Samut Sakhon. 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 $18.00 in Samut Sakhon. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Medellin vs $247 in Samut Sakhon – 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 Sakhon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,323 in Samut Sakhon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samut Sakhon, 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 $18.00 in Samut Sakhon. 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Samut Sakhon, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Samut Sakhon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samut Sakhon – 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 Sakhon. 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.