Why limit yourself to one city when the whole planet is open for business? This cost of living comparison 2025 looks at five international cities where you can live better for less: Pattaya, Medellín, Phnom Penh, Tbilisi, and Mexico City.

In 2025, you can plant yourself in places where the weather is better, the food is fresher, the people are friendlier, and your money stretches so far you might forget what a budget even feels like. The best part? You can do it without giving up comfort.

We’re about to take you inside five world-class cities where you can choose your own adventure. Run lean and mobile on a streamlined budget, live the good life in a comfortable sweet spot, or go full throttle in luxury that would turn heads anywhere.

And because it’s always more fun to rub it in, we’ll drop in quick comparisons to the cost of life in major U.S. cities, just so you can see how much more you can get for your money abroad. This isn’t penny-pinching. This is about maximizing freedom, lifestyle, and fun wherever you decide to land.

Vibe Check:
Beaches, extremely wild nightlife, and a laid-back daytime rhythm. Every day here is saturday and it can get out of hand if you don’t have any discipline. Of course, there are more relaxed parts of the city. Mornings are spent by the sea, afternoons exploring markets or lounging at a café, and nights can be anything from a quiet dinner to a wild stroll down Soi Buakhao. Weekends could be cruising over to nearby islands like Koh Larn or a quick 2 hour ride to Bangkok. Everything is very affordable in Pattaya but your budget will definitely get stretched out if your primary focus is on women. They are very skilled at separating you from your money so bear that in mind if you think you could be susceptible.

Check out Two Days in Pattaya: A Passport Bro’s Spiritual Journey Gone Sideways

Budget Bro: Modern studio a short walk from the beach, street food feasts, and a monthly motorbike rental.

• Housing: ฿8,000/month (~$250) for a clean local-style studio in a safe neighborhood
• Food: Street meals ฿50–฿80 ($1.50–$2.50), monthly spend around ฿6,000 (~$190)
• Transport: Public buses or songthaews (~฿855/$27 per month), occasional motorbike rental
• Lifestyle: Gym ~฿1,368/month ($43), local bars with beers at ฿60–฿90 ($2–$3)

Comfort Mode: 1-bedroom condo in a prime location, mix of Thai and international dining, gym membership, and weekend island trips.

• Housing: ฿16,000/month (~$500)
• Food: Mix of local lunches and sit-down dinners (฿300–฿500), monthly spend ฿12,000 ($375)
• Transport: Motorbike rental ฿3,500/month ($110), taxis for evenings out
• Lifestyle: Club entry with drinks ~฿1,000/night, trips to Koh Larn for ฿60 ferry rides

Full Send — Lifestyle:

• VIP bottle service at upscale nightlife venues: ฿2,000–฿3,000/night (~$60–$90) +
• Private yacht day trip (half/full): ฿30,000+ (~$900+)
• Luxury spa or similar upscale experiences: estimate ฿3,000–฿5,000 (~$90–$150) remains reasonable if we assume premium services.
• Monthly Lifestyle Spend Estimate: Combining nightclubbing, a weekly yacht trip, and spa indulgences, monthly luxury lifestyle budget comes in around ฿100,000+ (~$3,000+).

Visa Basics:
Most nationalities receive 30 days visa-free or on arrival, extendable by another 30 days. Longer stays are possible with tourist visas, education visas, or the Long-Term Resident Visa for eligible professionals.

A beachfront luxury condo here costs less than a cramped 1-bedroom in Manhattan. You can live in a high-rise with a pool for ฿50,000/month ($1,600) — the same money in New York might get you a studio with a view of a brick wall.

For more on living in Thailand, check out our Living in Thailand as an American Man (2025 Guide).

See the latest Pattaya cost of living data on Numbeo for real-time prices.

Vibe Check:
Spring weather year-round, mountain views in every direction, a metro system that actually makes commuting enjoyable, and a nightlife scene that goes from salsa clubs to rooftop cocktail bars. Medellín blends big-city energy with laid-back Latin warmth.

Cost Breakdown — Budget to Ballin:

Budget Bro: Studio apartment in a safe local neighborhood, cooking at home, and exploring the city on foot and by metro.

• Housing: COP $1,200,000/month (~$300)
• Food: Menu del día lunches for COP $15,000 ($3.50), monthly spend COP $600,000 ($150)
• Transport: Metro fares COP $3,900 per ride (~$0.93), monthly spend COP $100,000 ($25)
• Lifestyle: Gym membership COP $148,000/month ($37), beers at a local bar COP $8,600 ($2)

Comfort Mode: 1-bedroom in El Poblado, eating out a few times a week, and occasional weekend trips.

• Housing: COP $2,400,000/month (~$600)
• Food: Mix of home cooking and dining out (COP $40,000–$50,000 dinners), monthly spend COP $1,200,000 ($300)
• Transport: Mix of metro, buses, and rideshare, monthly spend COP $300,000 ($75)
• Lifestyle: Nights out in El Poblado at COP $150,000 (~$37) each, weekend getaway to Guatapé ~COP $200,000 ($50)

Full Send: Penthouse with rooftop jacuzzi, fine dining, private driver, and regular trips to Cartagena.

• Housing: COP $5,000,000+/month (~$1,250+)
• Food: Gourmet restaurants (COP $150,000+ per meal), monthly spend COP $2,000,000 ($500)
• Transport: Private driver or Uber Black, monthly spend COP $1,500,000 ($375)
• Lifestyle: Bottle service nights COP $400,000+ ($100), Cartagena weekends under COP $1,000,000 ($250)

Visa Basics:
90-day tourist visa, extendable to 180 days per year. Digital Nomad Visa available for 2 years with proof of ~$684/month income.

A luxury penthouse in El Poblado for COP $5,000,000 ($1,250) is about the same as a cramped shithole studio in San Francisco.

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Check current Medellín cost of living data on Numbeo for live updates.

Vibe Check:
Colonial-era charm meets a rapidly modernizing cityscape. The Mekong riverfront offers café culture, bustling markets, and sunset cruises, while the rest of the city is an energetic mix of Khmer tradition and expat convenience.

Cost Breakdown — Budget to Ballin:

Budget Bro: Central studio in a safe neighborhood, street food meals, and a trusty motorbike for zipping around.

• Housing: KHR 1,300,000/month (~$330)
• Food: Street eats KHR 6,000–8,000 ($1.50–$2), monthly spend KHR 600,000 ($150)
• Transport: City bus pass KHR 58,400/month (~$14) or motorbike rental ~$100/month
• Lifestyle: Basic gym KHR 200,000/month ($50), local beer at a bar KHR 6,000 (~$1.50)

Comfort Mode: Stylish 1-bedroom in BKK1 or Tonle Bassac, mixing Khmer and Western dining, and weekend trips to Kampot or Siem Reap.

• Housing: KHR 2,100,000/month (~$520)
• Food: Mid-tier restaurants KHR 40,000–60,000 per meal ($10–$15), monthly spend KHR 1,200,000 ($300)
• Transport: Motorbike rental ~$120/month plus occasional tuk-tuks, monthly spend KHR 480,000 ($120)
• Lifestyle: Rooftop bar nights at KHR 18,000/cocktail ($4.50), weekend Kampot trip ~$100 total

Full Send: Riverside luxury condo, fine dining every night, private driver, and regional travel on demand.

• Housing: KHR 3,700,000+/month (~$920+)
• Food: Fine dining KHR 160,000+ per meal (~$40+), monthly spend KHR 2,000,000 ($500)
• Transport: Dedicated driver ~$600/month or frequent taxi use, monthly spend KHR 2,400,000 ($600)
• Lifestyle: VIP nightlife $100+/night, private Mekong cruises ~$200, weekend flights to Bangkok from ~$150 round-trip

Visa Basics:
30-day tourist visa on arrival (~$36) extendable by 30 days. Ordinary (EB) business visa can be extended for 6–12 months without work permit requirement, making long-term stays easy.

A luxury riverside condo here costs less than a parking spot in Boston.

Check out Digital Nomad Income Guide: Make Money Online Without Skills

Get current Phnom Penh cost of living data on Numbeo.

Vibe Check:
Cobbled Old Town streets, wine country views, and a café culture that feels both European and uniquely Georgian. Tbilisi blends history with a creative edge, making it one of the most livable capitals in the region.

Cost Breakdown — Budget to Ballin:

Budget Bro: Basic but safe apartment in an older building outside the city center, eating market produce and local street food, and using public transit daily.

• Housing: ₾900/month (~$330)
• Food: Street snacks ₾5–₾8 ($2–$3), monthly spend ₾500 ($185)
• Transport: Metro/bus pass ₾40/month (~$15)
• Lifestyle: Local gym ₾90/month ($33), wine in a bar ₾8 ($3)

Comfort Mode: Renovated 1-bedroom in Vake or Vera, dining out a few times per week, and taking weekend trips to the mountains or wine country.

• Housing: ₾1,900/month (~$700)
• Food: Mid-tier restaurants ₾50–₾75 per meal ($18–$28), monthly spend ₾850 ($315)
• Transport: Mix of metro, Bolt taxis, and car rentals for trips, monthly spend ₾150 ($55)
• Lifestyle: Nights out ₾50–₾80 ($18–$30), day trips to Kakheti wine region ₾150 ($55)

Full Send: Luxury loft or penthouse in the best districts, fine dining often, driver on call, and frequent regional adventures.

• Housing: ₾5,000+/month (~$1,850+)
• Food: Fine dining ₾150–₾200 per meal ($55–$75), monthly spend ₾1,500 ($550)
• Transport: Private driver or frequent taxis, monthly spend ₾300 ($110)
• Lifestyle: High-end nightlife ₾200+ per evening ($75+), ski weekends in Gudauri ~$150 all-in, Batumi getaways by train ₾47 each way ($18)

Visa Basics:
Visa-free entry for 365 days for citizens of 90+ countries. Quick border run renews another year. No digital nomad visa needed — long stays are straightforward.

A ₾5,000/month ($1,850) luxury penthouse here costs the same as a basic studio in Los Angeles

Check out Passport Bros Explained: Freedom, Adventure and Intentional Living

View current Tbilisi cost of living data on Numbeo.

Vibe Check:
One of the world’s great capitals, Mexico City offers vibrant neighborhoods, world-class food, a deep cultural calendar, and energy that never quits. From street taco stands to Michelin-starred restaurants, the city gives you whatever lifestyle you’re ready to live.

Cost Breakdown — Budget to Ballin:

Budget Bro: Modest apartment in a safe local neighborhood, eating street tacos and cooking at home, and getting around by metro.

• Housing: MX$8,000/month (~$430)
• Food: Street tacos MX$13–MX$20 ($0.70–$1) each, monthly spend MX$4,000 ($220)
• Transport: Metro/bus MX$5 per ride (~$0.27), monthly spend MX$300 ($16)
• Lifestyle: Basic gym MX$800/month ($45), beers at a cantina MX$50 ($2.70)

Comfort Mode: 1-bedroom in Roma or Condesa, dining out several times a week, and mixing public transit with ride-hailing.

• Housing: MX$18,000–MX$20,000/month (~$1,000+)
• Food: Mid-tier restaurants MX$200–MX$300 per meal ($11–$16), monthly spend MX$8,000 ($440)
• Transport: Mix of metro, Uber, and taxis, monthly spend MX$1,000 ($55)
• Lifestyle: Nights out MX$800 (~$45), cultural events MX$250–MX$500 ($14–$28)

Full Send: Penthouse in Polanco or Lomas, fine dining often, private driver, and frequent domestic flights.

• Housing: MX$40,000–MX$60,000+/month (~$2,150–$3,200+)
• Food: Fine dining MX$800–MX$1,000 per meal ($45–$55), monthly spend MX$15,000 ($820)
• Transport: Private driver or Uber Black, monthly spend MX$3,000 ($165)
• Lifestyle: VIP nightlife MX$5,000+ per night (~$270+), weekend flights to Cancun from ~$150

Visa Basics:
180-day tourist permit (FMM) for many nationalities. Temporary Resident Visa available for 1–4 years with proof of income or savings.

Average rent in Roma/Condesa is MX$22,000 ($1,300), about the same as a tiny Brooklyn studio — except here, you get a leafy neighborhood, better weather, and some of the best food in the world just steps away.

Check out Digital Nomad Visa: The 2025 Guide for Americans

View current Mexico City cost of living data on Numbeo.

(Single person — rent, food, utilities, transport, entertainment, healthcare, and extras. Not counting girlfriend or heavy partying.)

City	Budget Bro	Comfort Mode	Full Send
Pattaya	฿33,000 (~$1,000)	฿40,000 (~$1,250)	฿47,000+ (~$1,460+)
Medellín	COP 3.5 M (~$875)	COP 5.6 M (~$1,400)	COP 6.74 M (~$1,650+)
Phnom Penh	$900–$1,000	$1,100–$1,200	$1,200+
Tbilisi	$1,470	$1,566	$2,271+
Mexico City	$700	$1,000	$1,500+

In the right city, the same budget that barely covers the basics back home can unlock a life of better food, better weather, and better stories. Whether you’re chasing the sun in Pattaya, the rhythm of Medellín, the charm of Phnom Penh, the wine of Tbilisi, or the energy of Mexico City, the playbook is the same: live well, spend smart, and let the savings fuel more freedom.

Before you book your ticket, get your hands on the free Passport Bros Field Guide. It’s packed with insider tips, visa hacks, and lifestyle strategies to help you hit the ground running in any of these cities.