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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,067 per month in Surinam vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,726 per month in Surinam vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,386 per month in Surinam vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Surinam is about 38% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Surinam sits 22% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.77 MUR 269

$8.03 COP 25.1K

-28.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.85 MUR 1,809

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-19.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 MUR 356

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-21.70%

Cappuccino

$2.60 MUR 121

$2.91 COP 9,095

-10.65%

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

$1.13 MUR 52.7

$1.94 COP 6,074

-41.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 MUR 30.68

$1.52 COP 4,754

-56.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MUR 124

$3.09 COP 9,663

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 MUR 219

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-18.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MUR 74.9

$1.36 COP 4,262

18.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MUR 33.90

$2.39 COP 7,460

-69.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MUR 54.1

$1.70 COP 5,314

-31.76%

Eggs

$2.55 MUR 119

$2.87 COP 8,967

-11.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.34 MUR 249

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-46.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 MUR 299

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-40.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 MUR 530

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-22.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MUR 128

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-32.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 MUR 126

$1.57 COP 4,911

72.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 MUR 65.4

$2.13 COP 6,642

-34.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 MUR 141

$2.21 COP 6,917

37.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MUR 45.16

$2.05 COP 6,396

-52.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 MUR 44.79

$1.50 COP 4,700

-36.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MUR 34.39

$1.19 COP 3,718

-37.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MUR 42.89

$1.16 COP 3,619

-20.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 MUR 303

$3.90 COP 12.2K

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 MUR 399

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-40.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MUR 76.8

$1.58 COP 4,948

4.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MUR 106

$2.83 COP 8,836

-19.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 MUR 201

$1.28 COP 4,014

237.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 MUR 148

$2.09 COP 6,537

51.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.11 MUR 983

$8.62 COP 26.9K

144.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MUR 62.0

$1.30 COP 4,056

2.31%

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

$36.8K MUR 1.7M

$27.7K COP 86.4M

33.02%

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

$31.6K MUR 1.5M

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-11.06%

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

$45.49 MUR 2,118

$176 COP 550.1K

-74.16%

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

$10.80 MUR 503

$13.37 COP 41.8K

-19.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.00 MUR 1,350

$29.89 COP 93.4K

-2.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.88 MUR 1,438

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-31.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 MUR 300

$6.20 COP 19.4K

4.03%

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

$126 MUR 5,853

$793 COP 2.5M

-84.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,707 MUR 358.9K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-14.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 MUR 3,665

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-8.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.8 MUR 3,530

$58.5 COP 182.7K

29.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 MUR 5,679

$136 COP 425.9K

-10.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 MUR 3,569

$103 COP 322.2K

-25.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 MUR 28.2K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-42.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 MUR 20.7K

$680 COP 2.1M

-34.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 MUR 57.8K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-38.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 MUR 34.5K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-36.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

10.94

-39.03%

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

Last update for Surinam: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $606 in Surinam versus $1,060 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 $39.00 in Surinam versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $303 – making Surinam 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 61%, 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 $1,600 per month in Surinam and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surinam, 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 $39.00 in Surinam and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surinam, where all-in costs run around $1,067, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Surinam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surinam – 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 Surinam. 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.