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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,727 per month in Surrey vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,080 per month in Surrey vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,433 per month in Surrey vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Surrey costs about 164% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Surrey sits 104% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.15 CA$24.86

$5.92 COP 21.4K

206.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$112

$32.75 COP 118.2K

150.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 CA$15.32

$7.20 COP 26.0K

55.28%

Cappuccino

$4.18 CA$5.73

$1.70 COP 6,140

145.88%

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

$2.14 CA$2.93

$1.10 COP 3,966

94.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.49

$0.72 COP 2,605

152.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.81 CA$7.96

$1.67 COP 6,022

247.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 CA$9.65

$3.10 COP 11.2K

127.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 CA$3.50

$1.06 COP 3,809

141.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CA$3.57

$1.25 COP 4,497

108.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.69

$1.39 COP 5,022

303.60%

Eggs

$3.65 CA$5.00

$2.26 COP 8,168

61.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 CA$14.38

$4.33 COP 15.6K

142.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 CA$15.92

$5.84 COP 21.1K

98.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.75 CA$33.90

$8.83 COP 31.9K

180.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.59

$2.24 COP 8,099

49.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.76

$1.08 COP 3,882

18.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.08

$1.53 COP 5,522

94.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.58

$1.37 COP 4,950

143.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.40

$1.13 COP 4,078

119.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CA$2.77

$1.12 COP 4,036

80.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.44

$0.85 COP 3,057

195.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.67

$0.91 COP 3,281

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.01 CA$20.56

$2.33 COP 8,414

544.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.60 CA$20.00

$11.13 COP 40.2K

31.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.93 CA$5.38

$1.19 COP 4,309

230.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$2.37 COP 8,553

62.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.08 CA$4.22

$0.79 COP 2,838

289.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$128 CA$175

$41.13 COP 148.5K

211.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 CA$3.76

$1.44 COP 5,184

90.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.01

$1.91 COP 6,901

-23.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.10 CA$39.87

$8.02 COP 28.9K

262.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 CA$1.81

$0.94 COP 3,385

40.43%

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

$24.6K CA$33.6K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

37.01%

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

$20.8K CA$28.6K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-22.17%

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

$188 CA$257

$84.0 COP 303.1K

123.46%

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

$41.29 CA$56.6

$9.60 COP 34.7K

330.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 CA$90.4

$24.16 COP 87.2K

173.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.18 CA$61.9

$25.88 COP 93.4K

74.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 CA$25.69

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-1.52%

Cinema Ticket

$12.40 CA$16.99

$3.92 COP 14.1K

216.33%

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

$884 CA$1,211

$306 COP 1.1M

188.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K CA$17.3K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

113.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 CA$77.9

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-1.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 CA$75.1

$31.82 COP 114.9K

72.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$141

$99.9 COP 360.6K

2.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 CA$130

$107 COP 386.8K

-11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 CA$2,229

$487 COP 1.8M

234.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 CA$1,903

$368 COP 1.3M

277.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,114 CA$4,266

$826 COP 3.0M

277.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,458 CA$3,368

$716 COP 2.6M

243.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K CA$14.4K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

259.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,524 CA$11.7K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

505.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,110 CA$4,261

$546 COP 2.0M

470.11%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,627 in Surrey versus $487 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 470% 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 $82.0 in Surrey versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 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 164%, 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 $4,091 per month in Surrey and $1,550 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 $82.0 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 $2,727 in Surrey and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in Surrey at $2,727. 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.