Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Surinam Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Surinam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,078 in Surinam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,721 in Surinam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,364 in Surinam, rent included.

Medellin is about 5% cheaper than Surinam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Surinam are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Surinam 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.9K

$6.53 MUR 307

-8.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 114.6K

$44.35 MUR 2,083

-25.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.9K

$6.94 MUR 326

6.92%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,761

$2.53 MUR 119

-34.78%

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

$1.07 COP 3,729

$0.97 MUR 45.72

10.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,654

$0.55 MUR 25.95

38.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 6,015

$2.25 MUR 105

-23.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.2K

$3.32 MUR 156

-3.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.63 MUR 76.4

-35.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,560

$0.71 MUR 33.12

84.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,674

$1.27 MUR 59.7

5.51%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,657

$2.35 MUR 110

-6.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.4K

$11.81 MUR 555

-62.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.9K

$6.26 MUR 294

-9.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.7K

$12.41 MUR 583

-31.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,167

$1.97 MUR 92.7

18.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,873

$2.03 MUR 95.3

-45.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,304

$1.51 MUR 70.7

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,765

$2.61 MUR 122

-47.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,021

$1.00 MUR 46.94

15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,116

$1.01 MUR 47.38

16.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,937

$0.84 MUR 39.62

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,984

$0.75 MUR 35.35

14.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,893

$6.75 MUR 317

-66.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 40.5K

$8.62 MUR 405

34.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,183

$1.79 MUR 83.9

-32.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,637

$2.23 MUR 105

11.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,770

$1.03 MUR 48.44

-23.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 142.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,114

$4.39 MUR 206

-66.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,686

$2.62 MUR 123

-26.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 27.1K

$19.93 MUR 936

-61.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,526

$1.46 MUR 68.8

-30.82%

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

$17.7K COP 61.6M

$35.8K MUR 1.7M

-50.74%

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

$26.5K COP 92.3M

$28.8K MUR 1.4M

-8.15%

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

$81.1 COP 283.0K

$50.3 MUR 2,362

61.23%

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

$9.43 COP 32.9K

$18.21 MUR 855

-48.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 83.2K

$33.14 MUR 1,556

-28.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 90.7K

$38.73 MUR 1,819

-32.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 65.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.3K

$6.04 MUR 283

-32.28%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$152 MUR 7,141

106.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 21.0M

$3,926 MUR 184.4K

53.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 208.3K

$84.4 MUR 3,964

-29.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 111.5K

$79.4 MUR 3,726

-59.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 353.2K

$132 MUR 6,196

-23.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 366.8K

$94.0 MUR 4,416

11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$518 MUR 24.3K

-6.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$353 MUR 16.6K

3.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.9M

$958 MUR 45.0K

-13.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$727 MUR 34.1K

0.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Surinam: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $518 in Surinam. 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 $44.00 in Surinam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $231 – 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 Surinam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surinam is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,618 in Surinam. 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 $44.00 in Surinam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Surinam, 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 $1,028, than in Surinam at $1,078. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surinam 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, Surinam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.