Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sur Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,142 in Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,655 in Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,168 in Sur, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% more than Sur, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Sur is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.9K

$3.81 OMR 1.47

111.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.7K

$25.90 OMR 9.97

86.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.2K

$7.83 OMR 3.01

20.31%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,105

$4.97 OMR 1.91

-40.85%

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

$1.86 COP 5,776

$0.75 OMR 0.29

148.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,511

$0.27 OMR 0.10

440.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,953

$12.88 OMR 4.96

-75.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$13.09 OMR 5.04

-56.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,460

$1.60 OMR 0.61

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,442

$1.29 OMR 0.50

86.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,265

$1.70 OMR 0.66

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,960

$2.00 OMR 0.77

44.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

$7.68 OMR 2.96

30.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.9K

$6.63 OMR 2.55

50.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.0K

$9.19 OMR 3.54

54.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.31 OMR 0.89

72.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,913

$1.27 OMR 0.49

24.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,671

$1.06 OMR 0.41

102.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,129

$0.74 OMR 0.29

210.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,213

$0.80 OMR 0.31

150.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,679

$0.51 OMR 0.19

196.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,727

$1.52 OMR 0.58

-21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,974

$0.50 OMR 0.19

156.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$6.30 OMR 2.43

-39.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.4K

$15.73 OMR 6.06

-10.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,294

$5.66 OMR 2.18

-69.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,500

$8.73 OMR 3.36

-68.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,861

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,045

$3.19 OMR 1.23

-58.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,728

$2.66 OMR 1.02

-18.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.7K

$8.01 OMR 3.08

3.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,202

$0.58 OMR 0.22

134.48%

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

$27.5K COP 85.2M

$25.3K OMR 9,753

8.45%

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

$36.5K COP 113.2M

$22.6K OMR 8,693

61.83%

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

$169 COP 523.0K

$78.9 OMR 30.39

113.73%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$23.85 OMR 9.18

-43.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.8K

$70.3 OMR 27.06

-59.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.7K

$86.5 OMR 33.30

-47.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$10.25 OMR 3.94

-35.12%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$292 OMR 112

175.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

$6,501 OMR 2,503

41.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 270.8K

$55.5 OMR 21.38

57.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.0K

$42.74 OMR 16.46

38.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 430.5K

$91.0 OMR 35.05

52.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.3K

$94.9 OMR 36.54

7.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$262 OMR 101

308.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$268 OMR 103

143.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$475 OMR 183

305.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$387 OMR 149

170.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

$568 OMR 219

625.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$520 OMR 200

226.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$2,671 OMR 1,028

-75.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.25

108.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sur: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $262 in Sur. 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 308% higher in Sur, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $247 – making Sur 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 Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,713 in Sur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sur, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in Sur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,142, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Sur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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.

If budget matters most, go with Sur. 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.