Cost of Living Comparison Between Surinam and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Surinam and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,081 per month in Surinam vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,754 per month in Surinam vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,427 per month in Surinam vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Surinam costs about 7% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surinam and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Surinam 19% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 MUR 311

$5.99 COP 21.5K

9.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.63 MUR 2,116

$32.86 COP 118.1K

35.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 MUR 341

$7.09 COP 25.5K

1.27%

Cappuccino

$2.59 MUR 123

$1.71 COP 6,154

51.46%

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

$0.98 MUR 46.27

$1.10 COP 3,949

-10.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MUR 26.96

$0.78 COP 2,798

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MUR 106

$1.68 COP 6,035

32.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MUR 161

$3.07 COP 11.0K

10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MUR 79.3

$1.09 COP 3,930

53.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 31.50

$1.26 COP 4,536

-47.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MUR 59.9

$1.38 COP 4,953

-8.70%

Eggs

$2.34 MUR 111

$2.19 COP 7,876

6.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.94 MUR 566

$4.40 COP 15.8K

171.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 MUR 295

$5.63 COP 20.2K

10.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 MUR 602

$8.89 COP 32.0K

42.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 MUR 98.6

$2.34 COP 8,401

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 MUR 93.4

$1.06 COP 3,801

85.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 MUR 68.5

$1.50 COP 5,408

-4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 MUR 130

$1.38 COP 4,955

98.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 48.46

$1.15 COP 4,137

-11.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 MUR 45.10

$1.16 COP 4,181

-18.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 MUR 37.21

$0.89 COP 3,202

-12.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MUR 35.35

$0.84 COP 3,016

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 MUR 309

$2.28 COP 8,196

186.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 MUR 389

$10.64 COP 38.2K

-22.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 MUR 84.3

$1.20 COP 4,311

48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 MUR 106

$2.47 COP 8,880

-9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 MUR 47.64

$0.86 COP 3,075

16.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 MUR 211

$1.47 COP 5,297

202.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 MUR 128

$1.96 COP 7,053

37.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 MUR 940

$7.74 COP 27.8K

156.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MUR 66.0

$0.95 COP 3,430

46.32%

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

$35.1K MUR 1.7M

$18.1K COP 65.2M

93.52%

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

$28.6K MUR 1.4M

$26.5K COP 95.2M

7.83%

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

$50.4 MUR 2,388

$82.3 COP 295.6K

-38.76%

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

$18.62 MUR 883

$9.50 COP 34.1K

96.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.52 MUR 1,589

$24.23 COP 87.1K

38.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.53 MUR 1,779

$25.89 COP 93.0K

44.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.98 MUR 283

$3.93 COP 14.1K

52.16%

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

$157 MUR 7,443

$309 COP 1.1M

-49.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,952 MUR 187.4K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

-33.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 MUR 4,098

$58.7 COP 210.8K

47.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.0 MUR 3,841

$32.35 COP 116.2K

150.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 MUR 6,303

$103 COP 368.7K

29.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 MUR 4,511

$108 COP 389.6K

-12.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 MUR 24.6K

$476 COP 1.7M

9.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 MUR 16.6K

$379 COP 1.4M

-7.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 MUR 45.8K

$838 COP 3.0M

15.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 MUR 33.8K

$724 COP 2.6M

-1.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

13.43

-50.34%

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

Last update for Surinam: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $520 in Surinam 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 $45.00 in Surinam versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $188 – making Medellin 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

Surinam vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surinam is pricier by about 7%, 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 $1,622 per month in Surinam 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 $45.00 in Surinam 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 23% more in Surinam, 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 Surinam at $1,081. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surinam 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, Surinam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.