Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saraburi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saraburi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $790 in Saraburi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,436 in Saraburi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $2,081 in Saraburi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 29% more than Saraburi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Saraburi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Saraburi 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.0K

$3.06 ฿103

93.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.0K

$27.46 ฿927

20.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.8K

$6.86 ฿232

3.79%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,457

$2.28 ฿77.1

-25.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,356

$0.69 ฿23.22

52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,311

$0.25 ฿8.38

188.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,502

$1.95 ฿65.8

-11.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.17 ฿107

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,408

$1.56 ฿52.8

-32.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,192

$1.11 ฿37.36

18.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,256

$1.30 ฿43.99

2.31%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,298

$2.23 ฿75.1

2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$18.19 ฿614

-75.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 18.9K

$3.08 ฿104

92.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.7K

$10.86 ฿366

-20.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,504

$5.12 ฿173

-54.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,527

$1.84 ฿61.9

-40.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,698

$1.91 ฿64.5

-23.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,415

$1.54 ฿52.0

-10.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,754

$1.49 ฿50.2

-21.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,744

$1.25 ฿42.07

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,890

$1.02 ฿34.27

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,693

$0.52 ฿17.39

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,449

$4.30 ฿145

-45.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.1K

$20.48 ฿691

-41.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,673

$1.73 ฿58.3

-33.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,749

$2.80 ฿94.5

-13.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,687

$0.94 ฿31.73

-10.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,517

$1.10 ฿37.04

28.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

$1.18 ฿39.98

61.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

$6.27 ฿211

24.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,020

$1.28 ฿43.24

-26.56%

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

$17.8K COP 57.0M

$27.5K ฿927.5K

-35.16%

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

$27.1K COP 86.7M

$27.0K ฿912.2K

0.20%

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

$83.3 COP 266.4K

$77.1 ฿2,603

7.95%

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

$9.66 COP 30.9K

$13.56 ฿458

-28.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.5K

$17.47 ฿590

38.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

$48.47 ฿1,636

-47.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

$12.41 ฿419

55.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$7.18 ฿242

-43.31%

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

$307 COP 981.2K

$302 ฿10.2K

1.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

$6,830 ฿230.5K

-12.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.9K

$33.07 ฿1,116

81.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.5K

$34.89 ฿1,178

-6.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.5K

$101 ฿3,394

0.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.7K

$70.1 ฿2,365

54.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$415 ฿14.0K

14.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$129 ฿4,349

193.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$818 ฿27.6K

-0.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$650 ฿21.9K

8.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$2,130 ฿71.9K

49.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$1,340 ฿45.2K

7.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$439 ฿14.8K

41.79%

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 Saraburi: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $415 in Saraburi. 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 42% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Saraburi. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Medellin vs $268 in Saraburi – 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 Saraburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 29%, 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 $1,185 in Saraburi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saraburi, 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 $27.00 in Saraburi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 39% 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 Saraburi, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Saraburi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saraburi – 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 Saraburi. 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.