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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,105 per month in Sur vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,581 per month in Sur vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,056 per month in Sur vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Sur costs about 9% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sur and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sur 18% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.86 OMR 1.49

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-35.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.74 OMR 9.91

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-21.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$7.09 COP 25.2K

9.17%

Cappuccino

$4.85 OMR 1.87

$1.71 COP 6,093

183.63%

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

$0.72 OMR 0.28

$1.10 COP 3,910

-34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.78 COP 2,771

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

$1.68 COP 5,976

623.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.80 OMR 4.54

$3.07 COP 10.9K

284.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 OMR 0.61

$1.09 COP 3,892

44.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.26 COP 4,492

-3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.38 COP 4,905

26.09%

Eggs

$2.03 OMR 0.78

$2.19 COP 7,799

-7.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.82 OMR 1.47

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-13.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 OMR 1.94

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-10.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.29 OMR 3.19

$8.89 COP 31.6K

-6.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 OMR 0.91

$2.34 COP 8,319

1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 OMR 0.51

$1.06 COP 3,764

24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.50 COP 5,355

-29.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$1.38 COP 4,906

-45.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 OMR 0.29

$1.15 COP 4,097

-33.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$1.16 COP 4,141

-53.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$0.89 COP 3,170

15.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.84 COP 2,986

-35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.36 OMR 2.45

$2.28 COP 8,116

178.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 OMR 6.09

$10.64 COP 37.9K

48.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 OMR 1.66

$1.20 COP 4,268

260.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

$2.47 COP 8,793

219.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$1.47 COP 5,245

114.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.96 COP 6,984

-59.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.55 OMR 4.06

$7.74 COP 27.5K

36.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 OMR 0.22

$0.95 COP 3,397

-38.95%

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

$23.3K OMR 8,953

$18.1K COP 64.5M

28.26%

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

$21.4K OMR 8,231

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-19.28%

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

$79.8 OMR 30.73

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-2.95%

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

$23.22 OMR 8.94

$9.50 COP 33.8K

144.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 OMR 27.05

$24.23 COP 86.2K

189.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.1 OMR 33.13

$25.89 COP 92.1K

232.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$3.93 COP 14.0K

166.41%

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

$195 OMR 75.0

$309 COP 1.1M

-37.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,463 OMR 2,488

$5,965 COP 21.2M

8.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 OMR 19.63

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-13.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.75 OMR 15.30

$32.35 COP 115.1K

22.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 OMR 30.05

$103 COP 365.1K

-23.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 OMR 33.73

$108 COP 385.8K

-19.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 OMR 99.2

$476 COP 1.7M

-45.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 OMR 102

$379 COP 1.3M

-30.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 OMR 180

$838 COP 3.0M

-44.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 OMR 150

$724 COP 2.6M

-46.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$571 OMR 220

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-79.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 OMR 201

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-56.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,659 OMR 1,024

$512 COP 1.8M

419.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

13.43

-61.65%

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

Last update for Sur: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in Sur versus $476 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 420% higher in Sur, 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 $26.00 in Sur versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $215 in Sur vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin 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

Sur vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sur is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,658 per month in Sur and $1,519 in Medellin. 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 $26.00 in Sur and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Sur, 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 $1,013, than in Sur at $1,105. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sur 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, Sur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.