Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Surin Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Surin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $919 in Surin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,472 in Surin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $2,025 in Surin, rent included.

Medellin costs about 11% more than Surin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Surin are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Surin 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$3.01 ฿102

97.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.4K

$27.19 ฿916

21.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$6.28 ฿212

13.38%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,480

$2.01 ฿67.8

-14.93%

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

$1.05 COP 3,370

$0.72 ฿24.40

45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,321

$0.56 ฿18.90

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,524

$2.52 ฿85.1

-31.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.67 ฿124

-13.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,422

$1.75 ฿58.9

-39.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,209

$1.39 ฿46.74

-5.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,273

$1.27 ฿42.70

4.72%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,328

$2.20 ฿74.3

3.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$18.71 ฿631

-76.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$3.09 ฿104

91.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$10.75 ฿362

-19.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,535

$3.11 ฿105

-24.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,541

$1.24 ฿41.91

-11.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,718

$1.95 ฿65.7

-24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,433

$1.61 ฿54.1

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,769

$1.47 ฿49.66

-20.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,760

$1.26 ฿42.42

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,902

$1.02 ฿34.41

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,704

$0.52 ฿17.40

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,480

$4.25 ฿143

-45.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$16.98 ฿572

-29.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,688

$1.81 ฿61.1

-36.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,780

$2.78 ฿93.9

-12.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,698

$0.88 ฿29.77

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,535

$1.06 ฿35.82

33.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,152

$1.20 ฿40.48

59.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.1K

$6.06 ฿204

29.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,033

$1.29 ฿43.44

-27.13%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$27.2K ฿916.6K

-34.47%

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

$27.1K COP 87.0M

$27.2K ฿916.5K

-0.39%

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

$83.3 COP 267.5K

$74.9 ฿2,526

11.13%

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

$9.66 COP 31.0K

$13.86 ฿467

-30.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.8K

$18.57 ฿626

30.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

$48.67 ฿1,641

-48.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.1K

$12.42 ฿419

55.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$7.10 ฿239

-42.68%

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

$307 COP 985.2K

$295 ฿9,942

3.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$9,760 ฿329.0K

-38.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.6K

$33.37 ฿1,125

79.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.9K

$34.35 ฿1,158

-4.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 324.8K

$101 ฿3,407

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.2K

$71.3 ฿2,405

51.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$429 ฿14.5K

10.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$286 ฿9,641

32.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$798 ฿26.9K

2.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$660 ฿22.3K

7.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$1,919 ฿64.7K

66.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$1,553 ฿52.3K

-6.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.45

146.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Surin: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $429 in Surin. 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Surin. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Medellin vs $254 in Surin – 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 Surin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,378 in Surin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surin, 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 $27.00 in Surin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 32% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Surin, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Surin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surin – 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 Surin. 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.