🙂A single person spends $889 per month in Ranong vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,536 per month in Ranong vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,184 per month in Ranong vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Ranong is about 12% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Ranong and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ranong34% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ranong
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.50฿147
$5.99COP 21.3K
-24.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.30฿1,480
$32.86COP 116.9K
37.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.60฿281
$7.09COP 25.2K
21.30%
Cappuccino
$3.02฿98.7
$1.71COP 6,093
76.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.49
$1.10COP 3,910
-37.27%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿12.80
$0.78COP 2,771
-50.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.47฿80.8
$1.68COP 5,976
47.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67฿120
$3.07COP 10.9K
19.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ranong
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.3
$1.09COP 3,892
100.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.34฿43.87
$1.26COP 4,492
6.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.23฿72.7
$1.38COP 4,905
61.59%
Eggs
$2.26฿73.9
$2.19COP 7,799
3.20%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.48฿636
$4.40COP 15.7K
342.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$1.38฿45.01
$5.63COP 20.0K
-75.49%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.21฿431
$8.89COP 31.6K
48.59%
Apples(1kg)
$3.25฿106
$2.34COP 8,319
38.89%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.5
$1.06COP 3,764
54.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29฿74.7
$1.50COP 5,355
52.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.93฿30.46
$1.38COP 4,906
-32.61%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.84
$1.15COP 4,097
33.04%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51฿49.31
$1.16COP 4,141
30.17%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿33.11
$0.89COP 3,170
13.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.09
$0.84COP 2,986
-38.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29฿140
$2.28COP 8,116
88.16%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.37฿632
$10.64COP 37.9K
82.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.3
$1.20COP 4,268
48.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿90.0
$2.47COP 8,793
11.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Ranong
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.95฿30.89
$0.86COP 3,045
10.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.40COP 147.3K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.07฿34.80
$1.47COP 5,245
-27.21%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.81
$1.96COP 6,984
-46.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.66฿446
$7.74COP 27.5K
76.49%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.15฿37.58
$0.95COP 3,397
21.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K฿900.5K
$18.1KCOP 64.5M
52.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K฿1.1M
$26.5KCOP 94.2M
27.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ranong
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$36.92฿1,206
$82.3COP 292.7K
-55.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.70฿448
$9.50COP 33.8K
44.21%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.51฿409
$24.23COP 86.2K
-48.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ranong
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.88฿1,629
$25.89COP 92.1K
92.66%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.13฿396
$19.00COP 67.6K
-36.16%
Cinema Ticket
$8.88฿290
$3.93COP 14.0K
125.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ranong
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$699฿22.8K
$309COP 1.1M
125.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1K฿524.9K
$5,965COP 21.2M
169.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ranong
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.62฿902
$58.7COP 208.7K
-52.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$15.26฿498
$32.35COP 115.1K
-52.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,705
$103COP 365.1K
10.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$37.28฿1,217
$108COP 385.8K
-65.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ranong
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$426฿13.9K
$476COP 1.7M
-10.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$290฿9,463
$379COP 1.3M
-23.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$829฿27.1K
$838COP 3.0M
-1.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$649฿21.2K
$724COP 2.6M
-10.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,058฿67.2K
$2,791COP 9.9M
-26.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,399฿45.7K
$1,211COP 4.3M
15.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ranong
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$512COP 1.8M
-
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 Ranong: June 2, 2026
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Ranong 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 $45.00 in Ranong versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 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
Ranong vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Ranong?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,333 per month in Ranong and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ranong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Ranong or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Ranong and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Ranong and Medellin?
Interestingly, groceries are about 43% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Ranong or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ranong, where all-in costs run around $889, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Ranong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ranong or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ranong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Ranong or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ranong. 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.