Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Thung Song Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Thung Song

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $928 in Thung Song, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,489 in Thung Song, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,050 in Thung Song, rent included.

Medellin costs about 9% more than Thung Song, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Thung Song are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Thung Song 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$4.60 ฿150

30.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$18.60 ฿607

76.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$8.56 ฿280

-17.17%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$2.36 ฿76.9

-27.54%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.68 ฿22.36

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.32 ฿10.60

143.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$2.40 ฿78.4

-30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.74 ฿122

-17.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$2.22 ฿72.5

-50.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.88 ฿61.3

-32.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$2.16 ฿70.5

-36.11%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$2.26 ฿73.9

-3.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$19.83 ฿648

-77.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$3.73 ฿122

50.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$13.29 ฿434

-33.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$3.35 ฿109

-30.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.70 ฿55.5

-37.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$0.65 ฿21.37

130.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$2.08 ฿67.9

-33.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$1.61 ฿52.6

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$1.50 ฿49.08

-22.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$1.03 ฿33.49

-13.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.52 ฿16.98

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$4.38 ฿143

-47.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$19.39 ฿633

-45.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$1.80 ฿58.7

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$2.28 ฿74.5

8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.89 ฿29.09

-3.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$2.26 ฿73.9

-34.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$1.04 ฿34.11

88.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$13.96 ฿456

-44.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.16 ฿38.02

-18.10%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$28.0K ฿913.6K

-35.18%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-20.77%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$30.26 ฿988

171.81%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$6.05 ฿198

57.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$13.98 ฿457

73.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$49.96 ฿1,632

-48.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$12.28 ฿401

54.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$9.17 ฿299

-57.14%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$696 ฿22.7K

-55.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$16.0K ฿523.1K

-62.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$28.08 ฿917

108.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$18.77 ฿613

72.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$115 ฿3,753

-10.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$85.5 ฿2,793

26.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$416 ฿13.6K

14.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$287 ฿9,384

31.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$820 ฿26.8K

2.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$665 ฿21.7K

8.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,757 ฿57.4K

58.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,606 ฿52.5K

-24.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

168.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Thung Song: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $416 in Thung Song. 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 $19.00 in Thung Song. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $287 in Thung Song – 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 Thung Song: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,392 in Thung Song. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thung Song, 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 $19.00 in Thung Song. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 52% 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 Thung Song, where all-in costs run around $928, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Thung Song it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Thung Song – 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 Thung Song. 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.