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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,061 per month in Surinam vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,713 per month in Surinam vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,364 per month in Surinam vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Surinam costs about 4% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Surinam and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Surinam 21% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 MUR 316

$5.93 COP 19.0K

12.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.40 MUR 2,045

$33.12 COP 106.0K

31.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 MUR 336

$7.12 COP 22.8K

Cappuccino

$2.58 MUR 122

$1.71 COP 5,457

50.88%

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

$1.03 MUR 48.40

$1.05 COP 3,356

-1.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MUR 27.95

$0.72 COP 2,311

-18.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MUR 102

$1.72 COP 5,502

26.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MUR 158

$3.17 COP 10.2K

5.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MUR 77.6

$1.06 COP 3,408

55.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 31.08

$1.31 COP 4,192

-49.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 62.2

$1.33 COP 4,256

-0.75%

Eggs

$2.25 MUR 106

$2.28 COP 7,298

-1.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.97 MUR 564

$4.42 COP 14.1K

170.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 MUR 295

$5.92 COP 18.9K

5.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.46 MUR 587

$8.64 COP 27.7K

44.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 MUR 96.6

$2.34 COP 7,504

-12.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MUR 90.8

$1.10 COP 3,527

75.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 MUR 70.4

$1.47 COP 4,698

1.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 MUR 124

$1.38 COP 4,415

90.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MUR 46.77

$1.17 COP 3,754

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MUR 47.33

$1.17 COP 3,744

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 MUR 37.65

$0.90 COP 2,890

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MUR 35.23

$0.84 COP 2,693

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 MUR 314

$2.33 COP 7,449

185.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 MUR 389

$11.92 COP 38.1K

-30.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MUR 80.6

$1.15 COP 3,673

48.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 MUR 105

$2.42 COP 7,749

-8.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 MUR 49.41

$0.84 COP 2,687

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.44 MUR 209

$1.41 COP 4,517

214.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.75 MUR 130

$1.91 COP 6,127

43.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.19 MUR 952

$7.83 COP 25.0K

157.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MUR 69.2

$0.94 COP 3,020

56.38%

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

$36.1K MUR 1.7M

$17.8K COP 57.0M

102.40%

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

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

$27.1K COP 86.7M

5.38%

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

$50.4 MUR 2,376

$83.3 COP 266.4K

-39.45%

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

$18.45 MUR 870

$9.66 COP 30.9K

90.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.41 MUR 1,574

$24.22 COP 77.5K

37.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 MUR 1,787

$25.22 COP 80.7K

50.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 MUR 292

$4.07 COP 13.0K

52.33%

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

$156 MUR 7,344

$307 COP 981.2K

-49.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,017 MUR 189.3K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

-32.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.7 MUR 3,946

$60.0 COP 191.9K

39.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.1 MUR 3,820

$32.65 COP 104.5K

148.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 MUR 6,304

$101 COP 323.5K

32.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 MUR 4,447

$108 COP 345.7K

-12.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 MUR 24.3K

$476 COP 1.5M

8.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MUR 16.3K

$379 COP 1.2M

-8.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 MUR 44.2K

$816 COP 2.6M

14.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 MUR 33.8K

$707 COP 2.3M

1.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $516 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 $43.00 in Surinam versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $192 – 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 4%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,591 per month in Surinam 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 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 $43.00 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 19% 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 $1,018, than in Surinam at $1,061. 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.