Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Phuket costs about 25% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-21.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$32.86 COP 116.9K

38.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.09 COP 25.2K

18.90%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.71 COP 6,093

71.35%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.10 COP 3,910

-37.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.78 COP 2,771

-52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.68 COP 5,976

43.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.07 COP 10.9K

21.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.09 COP 3,892

104.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.26 COP 4,492

45.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.38 COP 4,905

57.25%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.19 COP 7,799

0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$4.40 COP 15.7K

348.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-35.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.89 COP 31.6K

52.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.34 COP 8,319

40.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.06 COP 3,764

51.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.50 COP 5,355

60.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.38 COP 4,906

50.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.15 COP 4,097

33.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.16 COP 4,141

27.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.89 COP 3,170

11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.84 COP 2,986

-39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.28 COP 8,116

93.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$10.64 COP 37.9K

82.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.20 COP 4,268

48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.47 COP 8,793

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.86 COP 3,045

59.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-72.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.47 COP 5,245

105.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.96 COP 6,984

-49.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$7.74 COP 27.5K

82.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.95 COP 3,397

43.16%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

55.55%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.5K COP 94.2M

24.22%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$82.3 COP 292.7K

47.96%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$9.50 COP 33.8K

42.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-24.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$25.89 COP 92.1K

132.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-9.79%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.93 COP 14.0K

121.12%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$309 COP 1.1M

124.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

162.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$58.7 COP 208.7K

1.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$32.35 COP 115.1K

7.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$103 COP 365.1K

11.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$108 COP 385.8K

-23.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$476 COP 1.7M

28.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$379 COP 1.3M

15.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$838 COP 3.0M

149.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$724 COP 2.6M

108.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

34.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

115.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

-0.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

13.43

-60.31%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket 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.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Medellin, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $188 – making Medellin 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

Phuket vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 25%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket 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 Medellin, 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 $45.00 in Phuket and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.