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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,022 per month in Pathein vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,827 per month in Pathein vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,632 per month in Pathein vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Pathein is about 38% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Pathein sits 26% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.53 MMK 3,201

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-80.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.97 MMK 41.8K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-58.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 MMK 16.9K

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-14.12%

Cappuccino

$1.52 MMK 3,189

$2.94 COP 9,040

-48.30%

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

$0.52 MMK 1,079

$1.86 COP 5,735

-72.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 MMK 1,082

$1.46 COP 4,479

-64.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 MMK 3,198

$3.21 COP 9,882

-52.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 MMK 2,154

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-81.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 MMK 3,114

$2.40 COP 7,389

-37.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 MMK 6,175

$1.70 COP 5,228

73.53%

Eggs

$2.45 MMK 5,124

$2.89 COP 8,896

-15.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$40.13 MMK 84.0K

$10.06 COP 30.9K

298.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 MMK 12.5K

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-40.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.11 MMK 17.0K

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-42.89%

Apples (1kg)

$10.08 MMK 21.1K

$3.98 COP 12.3K

153.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

Oranges (1kg)

$9.97 MMK 20.9K

$2.15 COP 6,624

363.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 MMK 10.6K

$2.30 COP 7,078

120.87%

Potato (1kg)

$4.06 MMK 8,507

$2.00 COP 6,169

103.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MMK 4,217

$1.51 COP 4,646

33.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 MMK 1,014

$1.20 COP 3,701

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 MMK 6,108

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-23.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.69 MMK 41.2K

$14.01 COP 43.1K

40.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 MMK 3,110

$1.71 COP 5,256

-12.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 MMK 4,099

$2.74 COP 8,440

-28.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MMK 2,064

$2.17 COP 6,680

-54.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 MMK 6,395

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-63.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 MMK 4,276

$1.36 COP 4,172

50.00%

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

$31.6K MMK 66.2M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

15.17%

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

$31.4K MMK 65.7M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-14.15%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

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

$19.76 MMK 41.4K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

45.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.89 MMK 20.7K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-65.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$149 MMK 312.3K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

226.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$2.03 MMK 4,245

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-69.47%

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

$404 MMK 846.1K

$803 COP 2.5M

-49.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,755 MMK 10.0M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-48.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.77 MMK 41.4K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-77.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.28 MMK 32.0K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-74.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.3 MMK 105.3K

$139 COP 427.5K

-63.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.2 MMK 126.0K

$102 COP 314.0K

-41.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 MMK 835.9K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-62.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 MMK 625.9K

$653 COP 2.0M

-54.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 MMK 2.3M

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-43.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 MMK 2.1M

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-2.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Pathein: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pathein versus $1,071 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 $20.00 in Pathein versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $396 in Pathein vs $300 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 61%, 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 $1,532 per month in Pathein and $2,462 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 $20.00 in Pathein and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 32% 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 $1,022, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.