Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,737 per month in Surrey vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,155 per month in Surrey vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,573 per month in Surrey vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Surrey costs about 169% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Surrey sits 104% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.61 CA$25.99

$5.95 COP 20.8K

212.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 CA$112

$33.33 COP 116.3K

139.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.25

$7.23 COP 25.2K

51.04%

Cappuccino

$4.14 CA$5.78

$1.63 COP 5,687

153.99%

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

$2.04 CA$2.85

$1.09 COP 3,821

87.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.42

$0.73 COP 2,548

136.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 CA$8.16

$1.74 COP 6,065

235.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 CA$10.04

$3.23 COP 11.3K

122.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 CA$3.71

$1.05 COP 3,662

152.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$1.29 COP 4,515

104.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.56 CA$7.77

$1.32 COP 4,617

321.21%

Eggs

$3.59 CA$5.02

$2.27 COP 7,927

58.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 CA$14.55

$4.35 COP 15.2K

139.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.79 CA$16.47

$5.88 COP 20.5K

100.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.99 CA$34.90

$8.61 COP 30.0K

190.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.83

$2.25 COP 7,844

53.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.87

$1.07 COP 3,733

25.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 CA$4.30

$1.52 COP 5,322

102.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.92

$1.42 COP 4,964

148.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 CA$3.35

$1.17 COP 4,084

105.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CA$2.82

$1.17 COP 4,077

72.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 CA$3.47

$0.89 COP 3,096

178.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CA$2.83

$0.90 COP 3,146

125.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.57 CA$20.35

$2.25 COP 7,837

547.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.98

$11.04 COP 38.5K

29.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.82 CA$5.33

$1.14 COP 3,977

235.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 CA$5.55

$2.38 COP 8,301

67.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 CA$4.32

$0.84 COP 2,916

267.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$129 CA$181

$41.95 COP 146.4K

208.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 CA$3.76

$1.41 COP 4,912

90.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.06

$1.90 COP 6,634

-22.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.31 CA$39.53

$7.75 COP 27.0K

265.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CA$1.89

$1.01 COP 3,509

33.66%

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

$24.7K CA$34.5K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

40.48%

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

$20.7K CA$29.0K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-21.72%

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

$188 CA$263

$83.7 COP 292.1K

124.88%

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

$42.02 CA$58.7

$9.45 COP 33.0K

344.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 CA$94.7

$24.11 COP 84.1K

181.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.10 CA$61.6

$25.31 COP 88.3K

74.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.11 CA$25.29

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-5.38%

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 CA$17.22

$4.10 COP 14.3K

200.73%

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

$907 CA$1,267

$312 COP 1.1M

190.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K CA$17.5K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

109.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$79.5

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-1.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 CA$74.8

$32.56 COP 113.6K

64.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 CA$147

$99.6 COP 347.7K

5.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 CA$132

$109 COP 378.8K

-12.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 CA$2,278

$482 COP 1.7M

238.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 CA$1,904

$379 COP 1.3M

259.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,112 CA$4,346

$837 COP 2.9M

271.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,444 CA$3,413

$723 COP 2.5M

238.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,608 CA$13.4K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

238.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,793 CA$12.3K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

618.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,153 CA$4,403

$541 COP 1.9M

482.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

13.43

-51.30%

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

Last update for Surrey: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,631 in Surrey versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 483% higher in Surrey, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Surrey versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 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

Surrey vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surrey is pricier by about 169%, 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 $4,105 per month in Surrey and $1,525 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 $80.0 in Surrey and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,737 in Surrey and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Surrey at $2,737. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surrey 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surrey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.