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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,706 per month in Surrey vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,121 per month in Surrey vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,535 per month in Surrey vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Surrey costs about 170% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Surrey sits 103% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.30 CA$25.65

$5.91 COP 18.6K

209.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 CA$112

$32.96 COP 103.8K

142.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 CA$15.40

$7.43 COP 23.4K

47.91%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.75

$1.65 COP 5,207

148.48%

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

$2.03 CA$2.84

$1.10 COP 3,468

84.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$0.78 COP 2,458

123.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.47

$1.72 COP 5,412

251.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 CA$9.86

$3.18 COP 10.0K

121.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$1.10 COP 3,474

140.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.66

$1.26 COP 3,962

107.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 CA$7.56

$1.38 COP 4,349

290.58%

Eggs

$3.58 CA$5.02

$2.18 COP 6,858

64.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 CA$14.51

$4.49 COP 14.1K

130.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.66 CA$16.34

$5.79 COP 18.2K

101.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.92 CA$34.92

$8.97 COP 28.2K

177.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.68

$2.32 COP 7,308

43.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$1.06 COP 3,352

25.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$1.52 COP 4,774

101.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.77

$1.36 COP 4,270

150.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$1.13 COP 3,552

117.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CA$2.79

$1.17 COP 3,689

70.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$0.90 COP 2,838

167.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.77

$0.90 COP 2,823

120.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.61 CA$20.48

$2.23 COP 7,034

555.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 CA$19.60

$12.12 COP 38.2K

15.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 CA$5.39

$1.19 COP 3,743

223.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 CA$5.64

$2.48 COP 7,815

62.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$0.85 COP 2,687

276.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$127 CA$178

$41.62 COP 131.0K

204.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 CA$3.90

$1.42 COP 4,459

95.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$1.95 COP 6,141

-23.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.40 CA$39.80

$7.89 COP 24.8K

259.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$0.99 COP 3,118

32.32%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

44.00%

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

$20.9K CA$29.3K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-21.88%

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

$192 CA$269

$83.0 COP 261.4K

131.49%

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

$42.36 CA$59.4

$9.70 COP 30.5K

336.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 CA$92.6

$23.52 COP 74.1K

181.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 CA$62.0

$25.26 COP 79.5K

75.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 CA$26.21

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-2.09%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 CA$17.51

$3.95 COP 12.4K

216.46%

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

$909 CA$1,273

$316 COP 994.2K

187.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K CA$17.6K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

110.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 CA$77.9

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-7.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 CA$74.0

$31.82 COP 100.2K

66.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$102 COP 320.1K

1.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 CA$133

$107 COP 338.3K

-11.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 CA$2,284

$475 COP 1.5M

243.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 CA$1,916

$374 COP 1.2M

265.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,074 CA$4,307

$849 COP 2.7M

261.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,424 CA$3,397

$719 COP 2.3M

236.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,719 CA$13.6K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

197.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,636 CA$12.1K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

499.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,016 CA$4,226

$624 COP 2.0M

383.00%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,630 in Surrey versus $475 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 383% 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: $407 vs $193 – 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 170%, 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 $4,059 per month in Surrey and $1,504 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 $2,706 in Surrey and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Surrey at $2,706. 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.