Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Paramaribo

For one person, living is cheaper in Paramaribo: $1,035 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Paramaribo
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Paramaribo Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Paramaribo

🇸🇷 Suriname

$1,035

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Paramaribo

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

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,035 in Paramaribo, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
Paramaribo $1,035

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,707 in Paramaribo, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
Paramaribo $1,707

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $2,379 in Paramaribo, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
Paramaribo $2,379

Medellin costs about 58% more than Paramaribo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Paramaribo is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

$13.36 SRD 499

-39.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.9K

$52.9 SRD 1,976

-10.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

$11.21 SRD 419

-15.25%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,735

$2.80 SRD 105

7.50%

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

$1.80 COP 5,809

$1.36 SRD 50.7

32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,561

$0.85 SRD 31.94

65.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$2.64 SRD 98.7

20.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.6K

$3.95 SRD 148

45.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,876

$1.75 SRD 65.4

-13.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,678

$1.39 SRD 52.0

71.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,720

$1.68 SRD 62.7

5.36%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,333

$3.03 SRD 113

-4.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

$11.70 SRD 437

-12.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.9K

$6.21 SRD 232

58.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.2K

$10.17 SRD 380

37.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

$4.82 SRD 180

-17.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,012

$3.09 SRD 116

-49.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,048

$3.77 SRD 141

-42.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,051

$6.13 SRD 229

-64.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,337

$1.32 SRD 49.22

48.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,132

$2.01 SRD 75.1

-20.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,699

$1.54 SRD 57.5

-25.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,014

$1.52 SRD 57.0

-18.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

$5.65 SRD 211

-29.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.2K

$7.90 SRD 295

73.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,359

$2.02 SRD 75.7

-17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,291

$3.68 SRD 138

-38.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,771

$0.55 SRD 20.47

112.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.8K

$31.71 SRD 1,186

143.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,094

$2.14 SRD 79.9

-40.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,612

$1.50 SRD 56.0

36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

$7.19 SRD 269

18.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,349

$1.17 SRD 43.92

15.38%

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

$34.1K COP 110.0M

$25.5K SRD 952.9K

33.68%

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

$34.7K COP 111.9M

$24.8K SRD 928.0K

39.70%

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

$170 COP 547.8K

$37.77 SRD 1,412

349.17%

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

$13.55 COP 43.8K

$25.57 SRD 956

-47.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.6K

$30.52 SRD 1,141

-8.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 141.1K

$13.67 SRD 511

219.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.5K

$20.29 SRD 758

-15.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

$5.04 SRD 188

37.10%

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

$797 COP 2.6M

$63.8 SRD 2,386

1148.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

$1,758 SRD 65.7K

418.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.5K

$33.13 SRD 1,239

155.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 187.2K

$20.78 SRD 777

178.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.8K

$66.7 SRD 2,493

102.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 316.0K

$102 SRD 3,810

-3.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

$478 SRD 17.9K

152.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

$268 SRD 10.0K

139.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

$937 SRD 35.0K

116.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

$501 SRD 18.7K

101.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.5M

$474 SRD 17.7K

780.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

$405 SRD 15.2K

371.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$277 SRD 10.4K

137.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-31.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Paramaribo: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Paramaribo

$268 25.9% 58.2% $373

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Paramaribo

$301 29.1% 1.3% $3.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Paramaribo

$94 9.1% 55.6% $117

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Paramaribo

$204 19.7% 20.3% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Paramaribo

$100 9.7% 40.8% $69

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Paramaribo

$44 4.2% 53.5% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Paramaribo

$24 2.3% 58.7% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $478 in Paramaribo. 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 2.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $53 in Paramaribo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $301 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇸🇷 Paramaribo

🕒 Local time

00:20 12:20 AM

02:20 2:20 AM

2 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

242,946 Capital

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Surinamese Dollar SRD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

100 SRD = 2.67 USD

100 SRD = 2.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SRD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Surinamese Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 37.39 SRD (100 SRD = 2.67 USD). 1 EUR = 41.75 SRD (100 SRD = 2.4 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Paramaribo 2,260 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Paramaribo

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

Medellin vs Paramaribo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 58%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,552 in Paramaribo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paramaribo, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $478 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $53 in Paramaribo. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Paramaribo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,639 in Medellin and $1,035 in Paramaribo. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Paramaribo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Paramaribo. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.