Cost of Living Comparison Between Pathein and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Pathein and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $828 per month in Pathein vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,508 per month in Pathein vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Pathein vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Pathein is about 18% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pathein and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Pathein 38% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.46 MMK 3,065

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-75.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.36 MMK 36.4K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-47.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 MMK 11.4K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-23.27%

Cappuccino

$1.53 MMK 3,214

$1.71 COP 6,115

-10.53%

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

$0.52 MMK 1,093

$1.10 COP 3,924

-52.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 MMK 1,084

$0.78 COP 2,781

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 MMK 2,142

$1.68 COP 5,997

-39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 MMK 2,043

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-68.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MMK 3,994

$1.09 COP 3,906

75.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MMK 1,956

$1.26 COP 4,508

-26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 MMK 2,954

$1.38 COP 4,922

2.17%

Eggs

$1.42 MMK 2,977

$2.19 COP 7,827

-35.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 MMK 15.5K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

67.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 MMK 12.7K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

7.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 MMK 16.5K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-11.14%

Apples (1kg)

$5.67 MMK 11.9K

$2.34 COP 8,349

142.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 MMK 2,276

$1.06 COP 3,777

2.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 MMK 5,775

$1.50 COP 5,374

84.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 MMK 6,974

$1.38 COP 4,924

141.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 MMK 5,378

$1.15 COP 4,111

123.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 MMK 3,246

$1.16 COP 4,155

33.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 MMK 1,089

$0.89 COP 3,182

-41.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 MMK 693

$0.84 COP 2,997

-60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.63 MMK 3,403

$2.28 COP 8,145

-28.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.02 MMK 41.9K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

88.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MMK 1,950

$1.20 COP 4,284

-22.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 MMK 2,499

$2.47 COP 8,824

-51.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 MMK 2,242

$1.47 COP 5,264

-27.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MMK 2,059

$1.96 COP 7,009

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 MMK 6,332

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-60.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 MMK 4,289

$0.95 COP 3,409

115.79%

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

$32.0K MMK 67.0M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

76.57%

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

$31.4K MMK 65.8M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

18.64%

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

$54.0 MMK 113.0K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-34.38%

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

$11.40 MMK 23.9K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

20.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.92 MMK 20.8K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-59.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.8 MMK 152.3K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

181.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$2.03 MMK 4,257

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-48.35%

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

$314 MMK 657.8K

$309 COP 1.1M

1.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,730 MMK 9.9M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-20.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.05 MMK 42.0K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-65.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.88 MMK 31.2K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-54.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.10 MMK 102.8K

$103 COP 366.4K

-52.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.4 MMK 126.5K

$108 COP 387.2K

-44.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MMK 821.5K

$476 COP 1.7M

-17.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 MMK 635.4K

$379 COP 1.4M

-19.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 MMK 2.3M

$838 COP 3.0M

32.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$995 MMK 2.1M

$724 COP 2.6M

37.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-18.09%

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

Last update for Pathein: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Pathein versus $476 in Medellin. 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 $17.00 in Pathein versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Pathein vs $188 in Medellin – 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

Pathein vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,243 per month in Pathein and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pathein, 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 $17.00 in Pathein and $33.00 in Medellin. 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pathein, where all-in costs run around $828, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Pathein it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pathein – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Pathein. 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.