Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Siem Reap and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Siem Reap: $818 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Siem Reap, Cambodia
Medellin, Colombia
Siem Reap
🇰🇭 Cambodia
$818
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Siem Reap and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Siem Reap and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $818 per month in Siem Reap vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Siem Reap $818
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $1,338 per month in Siem Reap vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Siem Reap $1,338
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $1,858 per month in Siem Reap vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Siem Reap $1,858
  • Medellin $3,186

Siem Reap is about 50% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Siem Reap sits 40% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Siem Reap
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.51 ៛10.2K
$8.09 COP 26.1K
-68.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.83 ៛97.1K
$47.05 COP 151.7K
-49.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.06 ៛32.8K
$9.50 COP 30.6K
-15.16%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ៛6,788
$3.01 COP 9,722
-44.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 ៛2,889
$1.80 COP 5,801
-60.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ៛1,625
$1.41 COP 4,554
-71.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.03 ៛4,190
$3.18 COP 10.2K
-67.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 ៛8,078
$5.75 COP 18.5K
-65.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Siem Reap
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 ៛8,875
$1.51 COP 4,869
44.37%
White Bread (500g)
$1.74 ៛7,078
$2.38 COP 7,667
-26.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.94 ៛3,824
$1.77 COP 5,712
-46.89%
Eggs
$1.75 ៛7,119
$2.89 COP 9,320
-39.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.24 ៛62.1K
$10.19 COP 32.9K
49.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.95 ៛12.0K
$9.87 COP 31.8K
-70.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.07 ៛41.0K
$13.99 COP 45.1K
-28.02%
Apples (1kg)
$4.23 ៛17.2K
$3.97 COP 12.8K
6.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.28 ៛5,227
$1.55 COP 5,005
-17.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.83 ៛15.6K
$2.18 COP 7,039
75.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.05 ៛4,284
$2.18 COP 7,041
-51.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 ៛5,377
$1.96 COP 6,328
-32.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ៛4,528
$1.59 COP 5,125
-30.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.29 ៛5,264
$1.15 COP 3,694
12.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 ៛3,242
$1.24 COP 4,009
-35.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.42 ៛5,773
$3.96 COP 12.8K
-64.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.11 ៛33.1K
$13.68 COP 44.1K
-40.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 ៛4,070
$1.66 COP 5,352
-39.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 ៛9,450
$2.26 COP 7,281
2.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Siem Reap
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.03 ៛4,178
$1.17 COP 3,766
-11.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.11 ៛61.6K
$77.4 COP 249.5K
-80.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.01 ៛8,210
$1.27 COP 4,089
58.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ៛4,134
$2.05 COP 6,603
-50.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.08 ៛20.7K
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-40.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ៛5,065
$1.35 COP 4,343
-8.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.7K ៛100.6M
$34.1K COP 109.8M
-27.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.7K ៛92.5M
$34.7K COP 111.8M
-34.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Siem Reap
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$101 ៛410.7K
$170 COP 547.0K
-40.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.53 ៛22.5K
$13.55 COP 43.7K
-59.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.38 ៛62.7K
$28.07 COP 90.5K
-45.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Siem Reap
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.19 ៛135.3K
$43.70 COP 140.9K
-24.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.75 ៛56.0K
$17.19 COP 55.4K
-20.01%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 ៛20.9K
$6.91 COP 22.3K
-25.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Siem Reap
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$286 ៛1.2M
$797 COP 2.6M
-64.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,379 ៛17.8M
$9,112 COP 29.4M
-51.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Siem Reap
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.54 ៛108.2K
$84.7 COP 273.2K
-68.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$13.43 ៛54.7K
$58.0 COP 186.9K
-76.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.5 ៛274.8K
$135 COP 435.2K
-50.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$44.82 ៛182.6K
$97.9 COP 315.6K
-54.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Siem Reap
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$337 ៛1.4M
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-72.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$244 ៛993.1K
$642 COP 2.1M
-62.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$685 ៛2.8M
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-66.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$603 ៛2.5M
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-40.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,492 ៛10.2M
$4,170 COP 13.4M
-40.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,074 ៛4.4M
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-43.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Siem Reap
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$234 ៛952.9K
$657 COP 2.1M
-64.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.2
10.94
-15.90%

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

Last update for Siem Reap: October 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Siem Reap
$244
Medellin
$642 163% $398
Groceries & Markets
Siem Reap
$237
Medellin
$297 25.5% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Siem Reap
$122
Medellin
$211 73.6% $90
Eating Out
Siem Reap
$78
Medellin
$170 118% $92
Clothing & Footwear
Siem Reap
$69
Medellin
$169 147% $100
Sport & Entertainment
Siem Reap
$43
Medellin
$58 32.3% $14
Getting Around
Siem Reap
$26
Medellin
$94 256% $67

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $337 in Siem Reap versus $1,208 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 in Medellin are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Siem Reap versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $297 – making Siem Reap the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇭 Siem Reap
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
15:27 3:27 PM
03:27 3:27 AM
12 h behind Siem Reap
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
171,800
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to KHR – Cambodian Riel Converter

Cambodian Riel exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 4,075 KHR (10,000 KHR = 2.45 USD). 1 EUR = 4,550 KHR (10,000 KHR = 2.2 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Siem Reap Medellin 17,830 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Siem Reap
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Siem Reap vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Siem Reap cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 100%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,227 per month in Siem Reap and $2,459 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 Siem Reap, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $337 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Siem Reap or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Siem Reap and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Siem Reap and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $818 in Siem Reap and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Siem Reap about 50% cheaper.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in Siem Reap or in Medellin?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $818 in Siem Reap and $1,639 in Medellin. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Siem Reap or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Siem Reap – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Siem Reap. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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