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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,103 per month in Sur vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Sur vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,050 per month in Sur vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Sur costs about 7% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sur and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sur 17% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 OMR 1.52

$6.16 COP 19.8K

-35.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.63 OMR 9.87

$32.60 COP 104.8K

-21.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 OMR 2.99

$7.34 COP 23.6K

5.72%

Cappuccino

$4.82 OMR 1.85

$1.72 COP 5,527

180.23%

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

$0.72 OMR 0.28

$1.05 COP 3,376

-31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.77 COP 2,482

-64.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.51 OMR 4.82

$1.69 COP 5,417

640.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.86 OMR 4.56

$3.17 COP 10.2K

274.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 OMR 0.61

$1.05 COP 3,379

51.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.30 COP 4,181

-5.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 OMR 0.64

$1.40 COP 4,485

19.29%

Eggs

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.16 COP 6,956

-7.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$4.39 COP 14.1K

-12.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 OMR 1.89

$5.88 COP 18.9K

-16.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 OMR 3.31

$8.64 COP 27.8K

-0.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 OMR 0.91

$2.28 COP 7,330

3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.11 COP 3,557

14.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.53 COP 4,918

-30.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 OMR 0.31

$1.35 COP 4,353

-40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 OMR 0.31

$1.13 COP 3,627

-27.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$1.13 COP 3,644

-55.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 OMR 0.42

$0.85 COP 2,717

27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 OMR 0.19

$0.91 COP 2,937

-43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 OMR 2.40

$2.34 COP 7,531

166.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 OMR 6.12

$12.37 COP 39.7K

28.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 OMR 1.68

$1.20 COP 3,859

263.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$2.49 COP 8,000

221.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,692

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 130.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.21

$1.42 COP 4,563

122.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 OMR 0.29

$1.92 COP 6,155

-60.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.25 OMR 3.95

$7.66 COP 24.6K

33.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 OMR 0.20

$0.99 COP 3,181

-46.46%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,655

$18.0K COP 57.9M

24.72%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,409

$26.6K COP 85.6M

-17.95%

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

$79.0 OMR 30.40

$80.8 COP 259.7K

-2.26%

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

$23.13 OMR 8.90

$9.95 COP 32.0K

132.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 OMR 26.95

$24.18 COP 77.7K

189.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.9 OMR 33.07

$25.08 COP 80.6K

242.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 61.5K

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 OMR 3.95

$3.98 COP 12.8K

157.54%

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

$192 OMR 73.8

$305 COP 980.7K

-37.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,388 OMR 2,459

$6,059 COP 19.5M

5.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 OMR 19.71

$58.1 COP 186.8K

-11.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.04 OMR 15.03

$32.20 COP 103.5K

21.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 OMR 30.18

$101 COP 323.7K

-22.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 OMR 33.74

$108 COP 346.3K

-18.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 OMR 99.5

$477 COP 1.5M

-45.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 OMR 102

$376 COP 1.2M

-29.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 OMR 181

$845 COP 2.7M

-44.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 OMR 148

$730 COP 2.3M

-47.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$565 OMR 218

$3,215 COP 10.3M

-82.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$525 OMR 202

$1,372 COP 4.4M

-61.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,657 OMR 1,023

$617 COP 2.0M

330.75%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in Sur 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 331% 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 – $216 in Sur vs $193 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 7%, 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 $1,655 per month in Sur 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 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 12% 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 $1,031, than in Sur at $1,103. 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.