Cost of Living Comparison Between Sur and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sur and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,142 per month in Sur vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,655 per month in Sur vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,168 per month in Sur vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Sur is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Sur sits 17% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 OMR 1.47

$8.04 COP 24.9K

-52.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.90 OMR 9.97

$48.29 COP 149.7K

-46.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 OMR 3.01

$9.42 COP 29.2K

-16.88%

Cappuccino

$4.97 OMR 1.91

$2.94 COP 9,105

69.05%

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

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$1.86 COP 5,776

-59.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$1.46 COP 4,511

-81.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.88 OMR 4.96

$3.21 COP 9,953

301.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.09 OMR 5.04

$5.71 COP 17.7K

129.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 OMR 0.61

$1.44 COP 4,460

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$2.40 COP 7,442

-46.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$1.70 COP 5,265

Eggs

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.89 COP 8,960

-30.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.68 OMR 2.96

$10.06 COP 31.2K

-23.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 OMR 2.55

$9.97 COP 30.9K

-33.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 OMR 3.54

$14.20 COP 44.0K

-35.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 OMR 0.89

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-41.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.58 COP 4,913

-19.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$2.15 COP 6,671

-50.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 OMR 0.29

$2.30 COP 7,129

-67.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$2.00 COP 6,213

-60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 OMR 0.19

$1.51 COP 4,679

-66.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 OMR 0.58

$1.20 COP 3,727

26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$1.28 COP 3,974

-60.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

$3.84 COP 11.9K

64.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 OMR 6.06

$14.01 COP 43.4K

12.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.66 OMR 2.18

$1.71 COP 5,294

230.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.73 OMR 3.36

$2.74 COP 8,500

218.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,861

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 OMR 1.23

$1.31 COP 4,045

143.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$2.17 COP 6,728

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$8.29 COP 25.7K

-3.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 OMR 0.22

$1.36 COP 4,202

-57.35%

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

$25.3K OMR 9,753

$27.5K COP 85.2M

-7.79%

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

$22.6K OMR 8,693

$36.5K COP 113.2M

-38.21%

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

$78.9 OMR 30.39

$169 COP 523.0K

-53.21%

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

$23.85 OMR 9.18

$13.57 COP 42.1K

75.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 OMR 27.06

$28.32 COP 87.8K

148.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 OMR 33.30

$45.71 COP 141.7K

89.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 OMR 3.94

$6.65 COP 20.6K

54.14%

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

$292 OMR 112

$803 COP 2.5M

-63.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,501 OMR 2,503

$9,190 COP 28.5M

-29.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 OMR 21.38

$87.4 COP 270.8K

-36.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 OMR 16.46

$59.4 COP 184.0K

-28.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 OMR 35.05

$139 COP 430.5K

-34.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 OMR 36.54

$102 COP 316.3K

-7.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 OMR 101

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-75.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 OMR 103

$653 COP 2.0M

-58.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 OMR 183

$1,925 COP 6.0M

-75.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 OMR 149

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-63.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$568 OMR 219

$4,123 COP 12.8M

-86.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 OMR 200

$1,697 COP 5.3M

-69.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,671 OMR 1,028

$655 COP 2.0M

307.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

10.94

-52.01%

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

Last update for Sur: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Sur versus $1,071 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 308% higher in Sur, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Sur versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $300 – making Sur 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

Sur vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,713 per month in Sur and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sur, 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 $26.00 in Sur and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,142, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Sur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sur – 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 Sur. 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.