Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Surfers Paradise Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Surfers Paradise

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $2,828 in Surfers Paradise, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $4,484 in Surfers Paradise, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $6,141 in Surfers Paradise, rent included.

Medellin is about 39% cheaper than Surfers Paradise, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Surfers Paradise sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Surfers Paradise by 106%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$18.26 A$25.35

-56.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$108 A$150

-55.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$10.91 A$15.15

-10.45%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$4.21 A$5.84

-30.88%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$2.93 A$4.07

-33.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$2.47 A$3.43

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$7.72 A$10.72

-59.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$7.84 A$10.88

-26.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.70 A$2.36

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$2.68 A$3.73

-10.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$2.46 A$3.41

-30.89%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$5.12 A$7.11

-43.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$9.02 A$12.52

10.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$9.36 A$13.00

15.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$15.13 A$21.00

-2.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$4.08 A$5.66

0.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$3.04 A$4.23

-48.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$3.40 A$4.72

-37.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$4.75 A$6.60

-53.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$2.85 A$3.96

-28.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$2.60 A$3.61

-42.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$2.43 A$3.38

-51.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$2.10 A$2.91

-44.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$39.70 A$55.1

-90.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$14.68 A$20.38

-1.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$5.99 A$8.31

-73.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$4.98 A$6.91

-43.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.34 A$0.48

244.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$2.25 A$3.12

-43.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$1.66 A$2.31

25.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$36.33 A$50.4

-76.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.31 A$1.82

-0.76%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$28.7K A$39.8K

-3.47%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$28.9K A$40.2K

22.76%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$218 A$303

-19.32%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$31.06 A$43.11

-56.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$57.3 A$79.5

-47.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$68.5 A$95.0

-34.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$15.05 A$20.89

13.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$16.60 A$23.04

-62.65%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$2,152 A$2,987

-63.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$12.9K A$18.0K

-30.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$85.1 A$118

0.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$56.4 A$78.3

3.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$113 A$157

20.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$127 A$177

-19.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$1,970 A$2,734

-46.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$1,589 A$2,206

-57.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$3,945 A$5,476

-48.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$3,112 A$4,320

-62.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$5,936 A$8,240

-30.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$5,046 A$7,005

-66.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$3,269 A$4,538

-79.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.85

87.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Surfers Paradise: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $1,970 in Surfers Paradise. 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 391% higher in Surfers Paradise, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $108 in Surfers Paradise. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $387 – 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 Surfers Paradise: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surfers Paradise is pricier by about 65%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $4,241 in Surfers Paradise. 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $108 in Surfers Paradise. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Surfers Paradise, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Surfers Paradise at $2,828. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surfers Paradise 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, Surfers Paradise makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.