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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,066 in Surinam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,742 in Surinam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,418 in Surinam, rent included.

Medellin is about 3% cheaper than Surinam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Surinam are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Surinam 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.54 MUR 306

-9.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$43.22 MUR 2,022

-24.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.30 MUR 342

-1.37%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.62 MUR 123

-35.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.94 MUR 44.16

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.60 MUR 28.16

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.18 MUR 102

-23.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.26 MUR 153

-4.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.63 MUR 76.4

-34.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.69 MUR 32.39

81.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.33 MUR 62.3

4.51%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.31 MUR 108

-2.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.92 MUR 558

-63.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.14 MUR 287

-4.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$12.44 MUR 582

-29.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.03 MUR 95.1

10.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.00 MUR 93.8

-46.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.45 MUR 68.0

5.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.75 MUR 128

-50.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.98 MUR 45.99

15.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.00 MUR 47.00

12.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.86 MUR 40.22

-1.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.79 MUR 37.13

15.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.71 MUR 314

-65.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.38 MUR 392

32.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.71 MUR 79.9

-30.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.14 MUR 100.0

10.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.04 MUR 48.77

-24.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$4.53 MUR 212

-68.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.68 MUR 126

-28.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$19.62 MUR 918

-59.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.47 MUR 68.7

-36.05%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$36.3K MUR 1.7M

-50.58%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$29.4K MUR 1.4M

-8.88%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$48.55 MUR 2,272

72.94%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$18.55 MUR 868

-48.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$33.90 MUR 1,586

-28.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$37.69 MUR 1,763

-31.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.15 MUR 288

-36.26%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$156 MUR 7,302

96.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,017 MUR 188.0K

47.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$86.8 MUR 4,062

-33.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$79.9 MUR 3,739

-60.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$131 MUR 6,148

-23.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$94.8 MUR 4,435

13.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$520 MUR 24.3K

-6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$352 MUR 16.5K

4.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$965 MUR 45.2K

-14.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$731 MUR 34.2K

-2.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Surinam: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $520 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 $43.00 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 3%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,599 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 $43.00 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 $1,034, than in Surinam at $1,066. 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.