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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $635 in Surinam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,067 in Surinam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,498 in Surinam, rent included.

Medellin costs about 165% more than Surinam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Surinam is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$5.77 MUR 274

38.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$38.66 MUR 1,836

23.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$7.50 MUR 356

31.87%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.58 MUR 123

21.32%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.15 MUR 54.6

66.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.62 MUR 29.68

143.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.57 MUR 122

21.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$4.76 MUR 226

20.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.55 MUR 73.7

-7.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.75 MUR 35.59

232.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.15 MUR 54.6

53.91%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.56 MUR 122

15.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$5.20 MUR 247

93.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.47 MUR 307

56.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$11.41 MUR 542

25.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.78 MUR 132

48.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.63 MUR 125

-38.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.45 MUR 69.1

55.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$2.94 MUR 140

-23.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.94 MUR 44.45

117.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.00 MUR 47.70

54.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.74 MUR 35.02

58.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.84 MUR 40.11

55.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$6.28 MUR 298

-37.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$8.37 MUR 397

67.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.66 MUR 78.7

4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.38 MUR 113

20.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$4.35 MUR 207

-69.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.27 MUR 155

-33.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$21.30 MUR 1,012

-59.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.40 MUR 66.4

-2.14%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$36.6K MUR 1.7M

-23.91%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$31.1K MUR 1.5M

15.21%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$44.49 MUR 2,113

298.52%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$10.55 MUR 501

31.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$28.75 MUR 1,366

3.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$6.55 MUR 311

1.53%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$127 MUR 6,023

541.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$7,624 MUR 362.1K

20.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$76.9 MUR 3,652

16.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$74.9 MUR 3,559

-21.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$122 MUR 5,809

13.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$76.6 MUR 3,638

33.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.67

64.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Surinam: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Surinam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $218 – making Surinam 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 165%, 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 $952 in Surinam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $39.00 in Surinam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surinam, where all-in costs run around $635, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Surinam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surinam – 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 Surinam. 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.