😐A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $840 in Songkhla, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,358 in Songkhla, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,875 in Songkhla, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 95% more than Songkhla, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Songkhla is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Songkhla
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04COP 24.8K
$1.78฿58.7
351.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29COP 148.9K
$22.16฿732
117.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42COP 29.1K
$4.93฿163
91.08%
Cappuccino
$2.94COP 9,056
$1.59฿52.7
84.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86COP 5,745
$0.68฿22.59
173.53%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,487
$0.23฿7.58
534.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21COP 9,899
$1.86฿61.4
72.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71COP 17.6K
$4.90฿162
16.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Songkhla
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,436
$1.63฿53.9
-11.66%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,401
$0.93฿30.72
158.06%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,237
$1.77฿58.6
-3.95%
Eggs
$2.89COP 8,911
$1.41฿46.53
104.96%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.06COP 31.0K
$16.37฿541
-38.55%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.97COP 30.7K
$2.62฿86.5
280.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.20COP 43.8K
$10.37฿343
36.93%
Apples(1kg)
$3.98COP 12.3K
$3.14฿104
26.75%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58COP 4,886
$1.80฿59.5
-12.22%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15COP 6,635
$2.16฿71.4
-0.46%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,090
$1.29฿42.51
78.29%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00COP 6,179
$1.52฿50.1
31.58%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,654
$1.74฿57.6
-13.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20COP 3,707
$1.13฿37.31
6.19%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28COP 3,953
$0.97฿31.97
31.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84COP 11.8K
$4.48฿148
-14.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.2K
$13.77฿455
1.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71COP 5,265
$1.58฿52.3
8.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74COP 8,454
$4.68฿155
-41.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Songkhla
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25COP 3,840
$0.95฿31.41
31.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9COP 240.2K
$62.0฿2,049
25.65%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,023
$1.27฿41.86
3.15%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17COP 6,692
$0.78฿25.79
178.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29COP 25.6K
$3.96฿131
109.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,179
$1.23฿40.54
10.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KCOP 84.7M
$27.1K฿893.9K
1.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5KCOP 112.6M
$31.8K฿1.1M
14.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Songkhla
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169COP 520.1K
$87.3฿2,883
93.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57COP 41.8K
$12.89฿426
5.28%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32COP 87.3K
$18.38฿607
54.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Songkhla
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.71COP 140.9K
$48.44฿1,601
-5.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22COP 53.1K
$14.70฿486
17.14%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.5K
$6.06฿200
9.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Songkhla
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$803COP 2.5M
$566฿18.7K
41.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,190COP 28.3M
$10.8K฿358.5K
-15.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Songkhla
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4COP 269.3K
$52.4฿1,731
66.78%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4COP 183.0K
$34.24฿1,131
73.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139COP 428.2K
$68.8฿2,273
101.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 314.6K
$77.3฿2,555
31.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Songkhla
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,071COP 3.3M
$246฿8,114
336.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653COP 2.0M
$177฿5,846
269.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,925COP 5.9M
$603฿19.9K
219.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,048COP 3.2M
$426฿14.1K
146.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,123COP 12.7M
$2,124฿70.2K
94.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,697COP 5.2M
$1,581฿52.2K
7.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Songkhla
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$655COP 2.0M
$801฿26.5K
-18.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
9.33
17.26%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Last update for Songkhla: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $246 in Songkhla. 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 22% higher in Songkhla, 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 $22.00 in Songkhla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $242 – making Songkhla 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 Songkhla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Songkhla cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 95%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,261 in Songkhla. 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 Songkhla, 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 Songkhla?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $22.00 in Songkhla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Songkhla?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $840 in Songkhla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Songkhla?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Songkhla, where all-in costs run around $840, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Songkhla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Songkhla more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Songkhla – 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 Songkhla?
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 Songkhla. 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.