Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Surigao Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Surigao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $725 in Surigao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,116 in Surigao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,507 in Surigao, rent included.

Medellin costs about 132% more than Surigao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Surigao is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$3.65 ₱229

119.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$18.21 ₱1,141

162.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$2.83 ₱177

249.47%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.94 ₱122

61.34%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.62 ₱38.64

208.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.36 ₱22.81

319.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.17 ₱73.3

166.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$1.70 ₱107

238.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.69 ₱106

-14.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.16 ₱72.4

114.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$0.96 ₱59.9

84.38%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.88 ₱118

57.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$5.17 ₱324

94.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$4.23 ₱265

139.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$7.16 ₱449

99.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.39 ₱150

73.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.61 ₱101

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.03 ₱127

10.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.29 ₱81.1

74.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.15 ₱135

-5.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.16 ₱135

-28.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.75 ₱47.10

56.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.49 ₱30.69

167.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.89 ₱181

34.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$8.96 ₱561

56.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$0.81 ₱50.9

114.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.69 ₱106

69.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.25 ₱15.51

388.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$9.46 ₱593

750.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.73 ₱46.02

79.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.26 ₱16.39

742.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$1.94 ₱121

348.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.19 ₱74.8

15.13%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

36.10%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$18.6K ₱1.2M

92.39%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$120 ₱7,514

47.87%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$13.92 ₱872

-0.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$34.49 ₱2,162

-13.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$34.00 ₱2,130

32.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$5.24 ₱329

226.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$5.38 ₱337

23.61%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$115 ₱7,234

604.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$9,128 ₱572.0K

0.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$33.87 ₱2,122

164.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$21.55 ₱1,350

173.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$77.7 ₱4,872

77.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$54.5 ₱3,418

87.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$270 ₱16.9K

293.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$171 ₱10.7K

288.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$518 ₱32.5K

264.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$316 ₱19.8K

225.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,613 ₱163.8K

60.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,179 ₱73.9K

42.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.75

62.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Surigao: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $270 in Surigao. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Surigao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $179 – making Surigao 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 Surigao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 132%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,087 in Surigao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surigao, 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 $18.00 in Surigao. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $725 in Surigao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Surigao, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Surigao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surigao – 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 Surigao. 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.