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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,056 in Surinam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,730 in Surinam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,403 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 25% lower, Surinam 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.44 MUR 302

-8.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$44.31 MUR 2,076

-25.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.26 MUR 340

2.34%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.54 MUR 119

-35.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.00 MUR 47.01

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.59 MUR 27.87

32.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.14 MUR 100

-19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.24 MUR 152

-1.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.69 MUR 79.2

-34.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.71 MUR 33.13

77.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.29 MUR 60.2

6.98%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.33 MUR 109

-6.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$12.10 MUR 567

-62.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.16 MUR 289

-6.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$12.75 MUR 597

-29.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.98 MUR 92.7

17.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.99 MUR 93.3

-46.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.45 MUR 68.0

4.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.74 MUR 128

-50.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.03 MUR 48.17

9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.00 MUR 47.02

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.85 MUR 39.72

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.74 MUR 34.76

21.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$6.77 MUR 317

-67.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.57 MUR 401

41.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.72 MUR 80.5

-30.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.26 MUR 106

9.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.99 MUR 46.55

-14.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$4.45 MUR 209

-68.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.60 MUR 122

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$19.94 MUR 934

-60.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.47 MUR 68.8

-32.65%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$36.2K MUR 1.7M

-51.36%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

-8.12%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$49.79 MUR 2,332

66.72%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$18.39 MUR 861

-47.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$32.94 MUR 1,543

-28.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$37.87 MUR 1,774

-33.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.09 MUR 285

-35.14%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$156 MUR 7,295

102.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,977 MUR 186.3K

50.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$84.2 MUR 3,943

-28.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$78.3 MUR 3,667

-59.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$133 MUR 6,219

-23.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$95.3 MUR 4,463

12.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$505 MUR 23.6K

-5.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$353 MUR 16.5K

6.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$930 MUR 43.5K

-8.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$724 MUR 33.9K

-0.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Surinam: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $505 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: $193 vs $233 – 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,584 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 20% 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 $1,003, than in Surinam at $1,056. 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.