Cost of Living Comparison Between Surin and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Surin and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $898 per month in Surin vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,476 per month in Surin vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,054 per month in Surin vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Surin is about 11% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surin and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Surin 33% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ฿102

$5.99 COP 21.5K

-47.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.39 ฿898

$32.86 COP 118.1K

-16.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ฿206

$7.09 COP 25.5K

-11.42%

Cappuccino

$2.09 ฿68.5

$1.71 COP 6,155

22.22%

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

$0.72 ฿23.73

$1.10 COP 3,950

-34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.05

$0.78 COP 2,799

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿82.5

$1.68 COP 6,037

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$3.07 COP 11.0K

22.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ฿57.2

$1.09 COP 3,931

60.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 ฿44.42

$1.26 COP 4,537

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.40

$1.38 COP 4,955

-4.35%

Eggs

$2.12 ฿69.5

$2.19 COP 7,878

-3.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 ฿614

$4.40 COP 15.8K

325.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿101

$5.63 COP 20.2K

-45.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿353

$8.89 COP 32.0K

21.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 ฿104

$2.34 COP 8,403

35.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.37

$1.06 COP 3,802

13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ฿64.6

$1.50 COP 5,409

31.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.8

$1.38 COP 4,956

14.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿47.94

$1.15 COP 4,138

26.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.73

$1.16 COP 4,183

6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.05

$0.89 COP 3,203

10.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.17

$0.84 COP 3,016

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿141

$2.28 COP 8,198

89.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿574

$10.64 COP 38.3K

64.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ฿57.4

$1.20 COP 4,312

45.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.4

$2.47 COP 8,882

11.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ฿31.07

$0.86 COP 3,076

10.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 ฿36.33

$1.47 COP 5,298

-24.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 ฿37.48

$1.96 COP 7,055

-41.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 ฿200

$7.74 COP 27.8K

-21.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ฿40.64

$0.95 COP 3,431

30.53%

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

$27.6K ฿905.9K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

52.37%

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

$27.4K ฿899.7K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

3.60%

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

$74.8 ฿2,453

$82.3 COP 295.7K

-9.06%

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

$13.55 ฿444

$9.50 COP 34.2K

42.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.29 ฿600

$24.23 COP 87.1K

-24.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.78 ฿1,600

$25.89 COP 93.0K

88.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.29 ฿403

$19.00 COP 68.3K

-35.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.29 ฿239

$3.93 COP 14.1K

85.50%

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

$303 ฿9,941

$309 COP 1.1M

-2.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,812 ฿321.7K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

64.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.21 ฿1,122

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-41.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.10 ฿1,151

$32.35 COP 116.3K

8.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ฿3,242

$103 COP 368.8K

-3.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 ฿2,335

$108 COP 389.7K

-34.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 ฿13.7K

$476 COP 1.7M

-12.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ฿9,294

$379 COP 1.4M

-25.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 ฿26.5K

$838 COP 3.0M

-3.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 ฿21.7K

$724 COP 2.6M

-8.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,820 ฿59.7K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-34.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,554 ฿51.0K

$1,211 COP 4.4M

28.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

13.43

-59.42%

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

Last update for Surin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $418 in Surin 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Surin versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Surin 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

Surin vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,348 per month in Surin 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 Surin, 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 $27.00 in Surin and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 35% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Surin, where all-in costs run around $898, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Surin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surin – 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 Surin. 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.