🙂A single person spends $790 per month in Saraburi vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,436 per month in Saraburi vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,081 per month in Saraburi vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Saraburi is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Saraburi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Saraburi41% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saraburi
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.06฿103
$5.93COP 19.0K
-48.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.46฿927
$33.12COP 106.0K
-17.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.86฿232
$7.12COP 22.8K
-3.65%
Cappuccino
$2.28฿77.1
$1.71COP 5,457
33.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿23.22
$1.05COP 3,356
-34.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25฿8.38
$0.72COP 2,311
-65.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.95฿65.8
$1.72COP 5,502
13.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17฿107
$3.17COP 10.2K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saraburi
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.56฿52.8
$1.06COP 3,408
47.17%
White Bread(500g)
$1.11฿37.36
$1.31COP 4,192
-15.27%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.30฿43.99
$1.33COP 4,256
-2.26%
Eggs
$2.23฿75.1
$2.28COP 7,298
-2.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.19฿614
$4.42COP 14.1K
311.54%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.08฿104
$5.92COP 18.9K
-47.97%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86฿366
$8.64COP 27.7K
25.69%
Apples(1kg)
$5.12฿173
$2.34COP 7,504
118.80%
Banana(1kg)
$1.84฿61.9
$1.10COP 3,527
67.27%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.91฿64.5
$1.47COP 4,698
29.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.54฿52.0
$1.38COP 4,415
11.59%
Potato(1kg)
$1.49฿50.2
$1.17COP 3,754
27.35%
Onion(1kg)
$1.25฿42.07
$1.17COP 3,744
6.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿34.27
$0.90COP 2,890
13.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$0.84COP 2,693
-38.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30฿145
$2.33COP 7,449
84.55%
Wine(Bottle)
$20.48฿691
$11.92COP 38.1K
71.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73฿58.3
$1.15COP 3,673
50.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80฿94.5
$2.42COP 7,749
15.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Saraburi
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.94฿31.73
$0.84COP 2,687
11.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$40.83COP 130.7K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.10฿37.04
$1.41COP 4,517
-21.99%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.18฿39.98
$1.91COP 6,127
-38.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.27฿211
$7.83COP 25.0K
-19.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.28฿43.24
$0.94COP 3,020
36.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K฿927.5K
$17.8KCOP 57.0M
54.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿912.2K
$27.1KCOP 86.7M
-0.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saraburi
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$77.1฿2,603
$83.3COP 266.4K
-7.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.56฿458
$9.66COP 30.9K
40.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.47฿590
$24.22COP 77.5K
-27.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saraburi
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.47฿1,636
$25.22COP 80.7K
92.19%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.41฿419
$19.33COP 61.9K
-35.80%
Cinema Ticket
$7.18฿242
$4.07COP 13.0K
76.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saraburi
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$302฿10.2K
$307COP 981.2K
-1.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,830฿230.5K
$5,981COP 19.1M
14.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saraburi
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.07฿1,116
$60.0COP 191.9K
-44.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.89฿1,178
$32.65COP 104.5K
6.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101฿3,394
$101COP 323.5K
-0.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1฿2,365
$108COP 345.7K
-35.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saraburi
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$415฿14.0K
$476COP 1.5M
-12.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$129฿4,349
$379COP 1.2M
-65.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$818฿27.6K
$816COP 2.6M
0.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$650฿21.9K
$707COP 2.3M
-8.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,130฿71.9K
$3,190COP 10.2M
-33.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,340฿45.2K
$1,446COP 4.6M
-7.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saraburi
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$439฿14.8K
$622COP 2.0M
-29.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.45
13.43
-59.42%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Saraburi: July 21, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $415 in Saraburi 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 42% 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 $27.00 in Saraburi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Saraburi vs $192 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
Saraburi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Saraburi?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 29%, 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 $1,185 per month in Saraburi and $1,527 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 Saraburi, 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 Saraburi or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Saraburi 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 Saraburi and in Medellin?
Interestingly, groceries are about 39% 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 living in Saraburi or in Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saraburi, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Saraburi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Saraburi or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Saraburi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Saraburi 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 Saraburi. 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.