Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ubon Ratchathani Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ubon Ratchathani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $790 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $1,425 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $2,060 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

Medellin costs about 28% more than Ubon Ratchathani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Ubon Ratchathani are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Ubon Ratchathani 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$3.01 ฿96.6

103.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$24.29 ฿779

36.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$6.39 ฿205

14.55%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$1.86 ฿59.5

-10.75%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$1.06 ฿34.00

3.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$0.49 ฿15.82

59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$2.53 ฿81.1

-32.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$2.84 ฿91.2

11.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$1.74 ฿55.9

-36.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$1.33 ฿42.61

-1.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$1.31 ฿42.15

5.34%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$2.16 ฿69.2

2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$18.38 ฿589

-76.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$3.09 ฿99.0

87.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$10.60 ฿340

-15.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$3.10 ฿99.4

-27.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$1.26 ฿40.55

-11.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$1.89 ฿60.6

-22.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$1.59 ฿50.9

-13.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$1.48 ฿47.30

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$1.21 ฿38.65

-4.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$1.03 ฿32.96

-13.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$0.48 ฿15.34

81.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$4.19 ฿134

-43.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$13.98 ฿448

-22.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$1.72 ฿55.1

-30.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$2.67 ฿85.6

-7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$0.95 ฿30.51

-16.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$1.11 ฿35.49

27.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$1.15 ฿36.74

66.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$6.17 ฿198

23.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$1.28 ฿41.11

-24.22%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$27.7K ฿888.5K

-34.70%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$27.0K ฿865.8K

-2.58%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$75.9 ฿2,432

7.18%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$13.05 ฿418

-26.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$15.08 ฿483

61.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$49.50 ฿1,587

-47.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$12.28 ฿394

54.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$6.91 ฿222

-43.70%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$294 ฿9,438

3.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$9,474 ฿303.7K

-37.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$33.84 ฿1,085

73.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$34.40 ฿1,103

-5.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$97.4 ฿3,122

4.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$70.6 ฿2,264

53.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$242 ฿7,750

96.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$166 ฿5,307

124.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$809 ฿25.9K

4.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$652 ฿20.9K

9.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$2,288 ฿73.4K

25.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$1,520 ฿48.7K

-9.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$400 ฿12.8K

35.49%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Ubon Ratchathani: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $242 in Ubon Ratchathani. 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 35% 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 in Medellin versus $24 in Ubon Ratchathani. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $244 in Ubon Ratchathani – 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 Ubon Ratchathani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 28%, 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 $1,522 per month in Medellin and $1,185 in Ubon Ratchathani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubon Ratchathani, 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 $24.00 in Ubon Ratchathani. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% 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 Ubon Ratchathani, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Medellin at $1,014. In Ubon Ratchathani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubon Ratchathani – 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 Ubon Ratchathani. 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.