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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $919 per month in Surin vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,472 per month in Surin vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,025 per month in Surin vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Surin is about 10% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surin and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Surin 31% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ฿102

$5.93 COP 19.1K

-49.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.19 ฿916

$33.12 COP 106.4K

-17.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ฿212

$7.12 COP 22.9K

-11.80%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ฿67.8

$1.71 COP 5,480

17.54%

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

$0.72 ฿24.40

$1.05 COP 3,370

-31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.90

$0.72 COP 2,321

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿85.1

$1.72 COP 5,524

46.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$3.17 COP 10.2K

15.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ฿58.9

$1.06 COP 3,422

65.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿46.74

$1.31 COP 4,209

6.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 ฿42.70

$1.33 COP 4,273

-4.51%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿74.3

$2.28 COP 7,328

-3.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 ฿631

$4.42 COP 14.2K

323.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ฿104

$5.92 COP 19.0K

-47.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.75 ฿362

$8.64 COP 27.8K

24.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.34 COP 7,535

32.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.91

$1.10 COP 3,541

12.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.47 COP 4,718

32.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿54.1

$1.38 COP 4,433

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿49.66

$1.17 COP 3,769

25.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ฿42.42

$1.17 COP 3,760

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿34.41

$0.90 COP 2,902

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.84 COP 2,704

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿143

$2.33 COP 7,480

82.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.98 ฿572

$11.92 COP 38.3K

42.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$1.15 COP 3,688

57.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.42 COP 7,780

14.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.77

$0.84 COP 2,698

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.82

$1.41 COP 4,535

-24.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿40.48

$1.91 COP 6,152

-37.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.06 ฿204

$7.83 COP 25.1K

-22.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.44

$0.94 COP 3,033

37.23%

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

$27.2K ฿916.6K

$17.8K COP 57.3M

52.61%

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

$27.2K ฿916.5K

$27.1K COP 87.0M

0.39%

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

$74.9 ฿2,526

$83.3 COP 267.5K

-10.02%

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

$13.86 ฿467

$9.66 COP 31.0K

43.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.57 ฿626

$24.22 COP 77.8K

-23.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.67 ฿1,641

$25.22 COP 81.1K

92.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.42 ฿419

$19.33 COP 62.1K

-35.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 ฿239

$4.07 COP 13.1K

74.45%

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

$295 ฿9,942

$307 COP 985.2K

-3.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,760 ฿329.0K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

63.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.37 ฿1,125

$60.0 COP 192.6K

-44.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.35 ฿1,158

$32.65 COP 104.9K

5.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ฿3,407

$101 COP 324.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 ฿2,405

$108 COP 347.2K

-33.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ฿14.5K

$476 COP 1.5M

-9.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,641

$379 COP 1.2M

-24.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿26.9K

$816 COP 2.6M

-2.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ฿22.3K

$707 COP 2.3M

-6.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,919 ฿64.7K

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-39.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 ฿52.3K

$1,446 COP 4.6M

7.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 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 $192 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 11%, 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 $1,378 per month in Surin and $1,527 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 32% 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 $919, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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.