Cost of Living Comparison Between Paramaribo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Paramaribo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,071 per month in Paramaribo vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,782 per month in Paramaribo vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,493 per month in Paramaribo vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Paramaribo is about 38% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Paramaribo sits 22% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 SRD 490

$8.03 COP 25.3K

62.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SRD 1,976

$48.26 COP 152.0K

9.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 SRD 420

$9.77 COP 30.8K

14.43%

Cappuccino

$2.89 SRD 109

$2.91 COP 9,167

-0.69%

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

$1.42 SRD 53.4

$1.94 COP 6,122

-26.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 SRD 32.32

$1.52 COP 4,792

-43.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 SRD 98.7

$3.09 COP 9,740

-14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 SRD 145

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-32.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 SRD 69.2

$1.36 COP 4,296

35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 SRD 50.2

$2.39 COP 7,519

-43.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 SRD 59.8

$1.70 COP 5,356

-6.47%

Eggs

$2.96 SRD 111

$2.87 COP 9,038

3.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 SRD 411

$9.94 COP 31.3K

10.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 SRD 236

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-41.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.42 SRD 391

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-29.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 SRD 181

$4.09 COP 12.9K

18.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 SRD 91.0

$1.57 COP 4,950

54.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 SRD 137

$2.13 COP 6,695

70.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 SRD 231

$2.21 COP 6,972

178.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SRD 52.7

$2.05 COP 6,447

-31.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 SRD 72.5

$1.50 COP 4,737

28.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 SRD 55.8

$1.19 COP 3,747

25.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SRD 56.8

$1.16 COP 3,647

30.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 SRD 219

$3.90 COP 12.3K

49.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 SRD 303

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-44.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SRD 77.6

$1.58 COP 4,987

31.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 SRD 144

$2.83 COP 8,905

35.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 SRD 29.38

$1.17 COP 3,679

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.6 SRD 3,326

$77.7 COP 244.8K

13.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 SRD 114

$1.28 COP 4,045

137.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 SRD 74.4

$2.09 COP 6,589

-5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 SRD 377

$8.62 COP 27.1K

16.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 SRD 42.33

$1.30 COP 4,088

-13.08%

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

$25.3K SRD 948.2K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-8.70%

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

$25.0K SRD 938.3K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-29.63%

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

$38.04 SRD 1,428

$176 COP 554.5K

-78.39%

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

$25.85 SRD 971

$13.37 COP 42.1K

93.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 SRD 1,141

$29.89 COP 94.1K

1.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.40 SRD 466

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-72.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.01 SRD 714

$17.06 COP 53.7K

11.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 SRD 170

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-26.94%

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

$63.7 SRD 2,392

$793 COP 2.5M

-91.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,777 SRD 66.7K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-80.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.89 SRD 1,423

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-55.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.05 SRD 1,016

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-53.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 SRD 2,740

$136 COP 429.3K

-46.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SRD 3,895

$103 COP 324.7K

0.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 SRD 18.4K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-53.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 SRD 9,788

$680 COP 2.1M

-61.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 SRD 43.1K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-42.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 SRD 18.8K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-57.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$476 SRD 17.9K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-88.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$398 SRD 14.9K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-76.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 SRD 10.7K

$665 COP 2.1M

-57.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

46.25%

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

Last update for Paramaribo: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Paramaribo versus $1,060 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 134% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Paramaribo versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $296 in Paramaribo vs $303 in Medellin – so Paramaribo 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

Paramaribo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 60%, 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 $1,607 per month in Paramaribo and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paramaribo, 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 $53.0 in Paramaribo and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,071 in Paramaribo and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paramaribo, where all-in costs run around $1,071, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Paramaribo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Paramaribo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Paramaribo. 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.