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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $999 per month in Paramaribo vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,716 per month in Paramaribo vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,433 per month in Paramaribo vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Paramaribo is about 3% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Paramaribo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Paramaribo 25% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.27 SRD 310

$6.16 COP 20.1K

34.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.85 SRD 1,606

$32.60 COP 106.1K

31.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 SRD 397

$7.34 COP 23.9K

44.14%

Cappuccino

$2.70 SRD 101

$1.72 COP 5,600

56.98%

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

$1.24 SRD 46.36

$1.05 COP 3,420

18.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 SRD 31.04

$0.77 COP 2,515

7.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 SRD 115

$1.69 COP 5,488

81.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 SRD 150

$3.17 COP 10.3K

26.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SRD 64.6

$1.05 COP 3,423

63.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SRD 47.88

$1.30 COP 4,236

-1.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 SRD 62.6

$1.40 COP 4,544

19.29%

Eggs

$3.50 SRD 131

$2.16 COP 7,047

62.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.35 SRD 463

$4.39 COP 14.3K

181.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 SRD 208

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-5.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 SRD 369

$8.64 COP 28.1K

13.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 SRD 167

$2.28 COP 7,426

94.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 SRD 76.6

$1.11 COP 3,604

83.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 SRD 117

$1.53 COP 4,983

104.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 SRD 202

$1.35 COP 4,410

299.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SRD 48.16

$1.13 COP 3,674

13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 SRD 78.1

$1.13 COP 3,692

84.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 SRD 69.0

$0.85 COP 2,753

116.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SRD 55.6

$0.91 COP 2,975

62.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.58 SRD 209

$2.34 COP 7,630

138.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 SRD 297

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-35.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 SRD 85.3

$1.20 COP 3,909

90.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 SRD 124

$2.49 COP 8,104

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 SRD 17.19

$0.84 COP 2,728

-45.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.4 SRD 3,352

$40.57 COP 132.1K

120.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 SRD 112

$1.42 COP 4,623

109.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 SRD 95.3

$1.92 COP 6,235

32.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.07 SRD 377

$7.66 COP 24.9K

31.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 SRD 41.23

$0.99 COP 3,223

11.11%

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

$24.6K SRD 920.9K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

36.23%

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

$25.3K SRD 947.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-5.08%

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

$39.43 SRD 1,478

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-51.21%

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

$26.19 SRD 982

$9.95 COP 32.4K

163.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.06 SRD 1,089

$24.18 COP 78.7K

20.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.67 SRD 475

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-49.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.82 SRD 743

$19.15 COP 62.3K

3.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 SRD 172

$3.98 COP 13.0K

15.08%

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

$61.8 SRD 2,317

$305 COP 993.5K

-79.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,950 SRD 73.1K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-67.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.10 SRD 1,353

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-37.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 SRD 1,083

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-10.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 SRD 2,822

$101 COP 327.9K

-25.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 SRD 4,133

$108 COP 350.8K

2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 SRD 18.9K

$477 COP 1.6M

5.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 SRD 8,128

$376 COP 1.2M

-42.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 SRD 40.9K

$845 COP 2.7M

29.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 SRD 21.3K

$730 COP 2.4M

-22.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$465 SRD 17.4K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-85.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$407 SRD 15.2K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-70.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$276 SRD 10.3K

$617 COP 2.0M

-55.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

19.14%

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

Last update for Paramaribo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $503 in Paramaribo versus $477 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 124% 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 $43.00 in Paramaribo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $193 – 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

Paramaribo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,499 per month in Paramaribo and $1,546 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 $43.00 in Paramaribo and $33.00 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 $999 in Paramaribo and $1,031 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 $999, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.