Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Paramaribo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Paramaribo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $999 in Paramaribo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,716 in Paramaribo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,433 in Paramaribo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 3% more than Paramaribo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Paramaribo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Paramaribo 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.27 SRD 310

-25.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$42.85 SRD 1,606

-23.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.58 SRD 397

-30.62%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.70 SRD 101

-36.30%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.24 SRD 46.36

-15.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.83 SRD 31.04

-7.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$3.07 SRD 115

-44.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.01 SRD 150

-20.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.72 SRD 64.6

-38.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.28 SRD 47.88

1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.67 SRD 62.6

-16.17%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.50 SRD 131

-38.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.35 SRD 463

-64.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.55 SRD 208

5.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.84 SRD 369

-12.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.44 SRD 167

-48.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.04 SRD 76.6

-45.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.13 SRD 117

-51.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$5.39 SRD 202

-74.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.28 SRD 48.16

-11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.08 SRD 78.1

-45.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.84 SRD 69.0

-53.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.48 SRD 55.6

-38.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.58 SRD 209

-58.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.92 SRD 297

56.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.28 SRD 85.3

-47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.32 SRD 124

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.46 SRD 17.19

82.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$89.4 SRD 3,352

-54.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.98 SRD 112

-52.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.54 SRD 95.3

-24.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.07 SRD 377

-23.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.10 SRD 41.23

-10.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.6K SRD 920.9K

-26.60%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$25.3K SRD 947.6K

5.35%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$39.43 SRD 1,478

104.95%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$26.19 SRD 982

-62.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$29.06 SRD 1,089

-16.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$12.67 SRD 475

97.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$19.82 SRD 743

-3.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.58 SRD 172

-13.10%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$61.8 SRD 2,317

393.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,950 SRD 73.1K

210.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$36.10 SRD 1,353

61.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$28.89 SRD 1,083

11.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$75.3 SRD 2,822

33.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$110 SRD 4,133

-2.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$503 SRD 18.9K

-5.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$217 SRD 8,128

73.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,091 SRD 40.9K

-22.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$568 SRD 21.3K

28.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$465 SRD 17.4K

590.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$407 SRD 15.2K

237.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$276 SRD 10.3K

123.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-16.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Paramaribo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $503 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 run about 124% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $43.00 in Paramaribo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $286 – 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

Medellin vs Paramaribo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,499 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $43.00 in Paramaribo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $999 in Paramaribo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paramaribo, where all-in costs run around $999, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Paramaribo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.