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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,105 in Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,581 in Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,056 in Sur, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Sur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Sur are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sur 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$3.86 OMR 1.49

55.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$25.74 OMR 9.91

27.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$7.74 OMR 2.98

-8.40%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$4.85 OMR 1.87

-64.74%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.72 OMR 0.28

52.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.27 OMR 0.10

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$12.16 OMR 4.68

-86.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$11.80 OMR 4.54

-73.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.58 OMR 0.61

-31.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.22 OMR 0.47

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-20.69%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$2.03 OMR 0.78

7.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.82 OMR 1.47

15.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$5.04 OMR 1.94

11.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$8.29 OMR 3.19

7.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.37 OMR 0.91

-1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.32 OMR 0.51

-19.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.06 OMR 0.41

41.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$0.75 OMR 0.29

84.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.77 OMR 0.29

49.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.54 OMR 0.21

114.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$1.03 OMR 0.40

-13.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.54 OMR 0.21

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$6.36 OMR 2.45

-64.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$15.81 OMR 6.09

-32.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$4.32 OMR 1.66

-72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$7.90 OMR 3.04

-68.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$3.16 OMR 1.22

-53.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.80 OMR 0.31

145.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$10.55 OMR 4.06

-26.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.58 OMR 0.22

63.79%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$23.3K OMR 8,953

-22.03%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$21.4K OMR 8,231

23.88%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$79.8 OMR 30.73

3.04%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$23.22 OMR 8.94

-59.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$70.3 OMR 27.05

-65.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$86.1 OMR 33.13

-69.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$10.47 OMR 4.03

-62.46%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$195 OMR 75.0

58.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$6,463 OMR 2,488

-7.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$51.0 OMR 19.63

15.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$39.75 OMR 15.30

-18.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$78.1 OMR 30.05

31.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$87.6 OMR 33.73

23.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$258 OMR 99.2

84.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$265 OMR 102

42.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$468 OMR 180

79.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$391 OMR 150

85.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$571 OMR 220

389.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$522 OMR 201

132.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$2,659 OMR 1,024

-80.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.15

160.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sur: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $258 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 420% higher in Sur, 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 $26.00 in Sur. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $215 in Sur – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Sur is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,658 in Sur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 14% more in Sur, 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Sur at $1,105. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.