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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,060 per month in Surinam vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,730 per month in Surinam vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,401 per month in Surinam vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Surinam costs about 3% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surinam and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Surinam 21% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.72 MUR 313

$5.92 COP 21.2K

13.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.40 MUR 2,018

$33.17 COP 118.7K

30.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 MUR 337

$7.25 COP 25.9K

Cappuccino

$2.57 MUR 120

$1.71 COP 6,137

50.29%

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

$0.98 MUR 45.56

$1.09 COP 3,915

-10.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 27.88

$0.77 COP 2,743

-22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 MUR 103

$1.75 COP 6,254

26.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MUR 151

$3.18 COP 11.4K

1.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MUR 75.8

$1.06 COP 3,792

53.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MUR 33.17

$1.30 COP 4,657

-45.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MUR 59.8

$1.38 COP 4,926

-6.52%

Eggs

$2.23 MUR 104

$2.21 COP 7,908

0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.96 MUR 556

$4.52 COP 16.2K

164.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 MUR 293

$5.80 COP 20.7K

8.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.68 MUR 590

$8.97 COP 32.1K

41.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 MUR 95.3

$2.29 COP 8,182

-10.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 MUR 91.2

$1.06 COP 3,791

84.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 MUR 69.4

$1.51 COP 5,411

-1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 MUR 128

$1.36 COP 4,869

102.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 MUR 48.37

$1.16 COP 4,146

-10.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 46.90

$1.17 COP 4,174

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 MUR 39.07

$0.83 COP 2,960

1.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MUR 34.95

$0.85 COP 3,043

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 MUR 310

$2.35 COP 8,423

183.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.74 MUR 407

$11.09 COP 39.7K

-21.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 MUR 81.4

$1.15 COP 4,133

52.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 MUR 101

$2.47 COP 8,853

-12.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 MUR 48.61

$0.79 COP 2,827

32.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 MUR 203

$1.44 COP 5,140

202.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 MUR 122

$1.90 COP 6,793

37.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.73 MUR 918

$7.70 COP 27.6K

156.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MUR 64.5

$1.03 COP 3,680

34.95%

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

$36.3K MUR 1.7M

$17.7K COP 63.3M

105.41%

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

$28.9K MUR 1.3M

$27.0K COP 96.7M

6.91%

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

$48.90 MUR 2,274

$81.4 COP 291.4K

-39.94%

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

$18.06 MUR 840

$9.42 COP 33.7K

91.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.15 MUR 1,542

$23.77 COP 85.1K

39.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.34 MUR 1,783

$25.86 COP 92.6K

48.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.04 MUR 281

$4.05 COP 14.5K

49.14%

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

$153 MUR 7,104

$312 COP 1.1M

-51.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,952 MUR 183.8K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

-34.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.4 MUR 3,926

$58.9 COP 210.7K

43.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.8 MUR 3,712

$32.82 COP 117.5K

143.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 MUR 6,075

$100 COP 359.6K

30.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 MUR 4,423

$106 COP 380.3K

-10.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 MUR 24.3K

$490 COP 1.8M

6.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MUR 16.1K

$371 COP 1.3M

-6.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 MUR 44.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

15.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MUR 33.0K

$715 COP 2.6M

-0.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $522 in Surinam versus $490 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 in Surinam versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $190 – 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 3%, 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 $1,590 per month in Surinam and $1,544 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 22% 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 $1,030, than in Surinam at $1,060. 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.