Cost of Living Comparison Between Buford, GA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Buford, GA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,253 in Buford, GA versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,387 in Buford, GA versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,521 in Buford, GA versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Buford, GA is roughly 34% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buford, GA 64% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 $17.58

$7.89 COP 24.2K

122.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 $74.1

$44.53 COP 136.5K

66.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 $6.04

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-34.98%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$2.90 COP 8,874

75.17%

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

$1.97 $1.97

$1.81 COP 5,541

8.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.55 COP 4,741

18.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 $5.62

$3.25 COP 9,962

72.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$5.88 COP 18.0K

17.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.38 COP 4,230

-42.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.45 COP 7,517

26.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.51 COP 4,617

91.39%

Eggs

$4.08 $4.08

$2.78 COP 8,516

46.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 $7.64

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-15.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 $9.25

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-13.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 $13.17

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-9.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.97 COP 12.2K

8.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.38 COP 4,219

-8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.30 COP 7,056

90.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.02 COP 6,185

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.09 COP 6,390

52.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.63 COP 4,996

44.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.08 COP 3,313

130.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.25 COP 3,843

63.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.42 $8.42

$4.03 COP 12.4K

108.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.05 $11.05

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-17.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.60 COP 4,904

5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$3.00 COP 9,189

-51.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.70 $3.70

$1.18 COP 3,611

213.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.61 COP 4,920

162.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.13 COP 6,533

-11.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.55 $32.55

$8.52 COP 26.1K

282.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.35 COP 4,142

-40.00%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

23.22%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-27.46%

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

$187 $187

$151 COP 463.8K

23.84%

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

$25.35 $25.35

$13.10 COP 40.1K

93.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.5 $73.5

$32.30 COP 99.0K

127.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.97 $44.97

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-2.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.94 $34.94

$17.26 COP 52.9K

102.43%

Cinema Ticket

$12.02 $12.02

$6.43 COP 19.7K

86.94%

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

$1,079 $1,079

$835 COP 2.6M

29.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,496 $8,496

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-4.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.20 $45.20

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-49.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 $39.79

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-28.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 $74.6

$137 COP 418.5K

-45.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 $98.0

$109 COP 335.1K

-10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 $1,440

$952 COP 2.9M

51.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 $1,157

$668 COP 2.0M

73.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 $2,419

$2,020 COP 6.2M

19.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,067 $2,067

$1,148 COP 3.5M

80.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,462 $3,462

$625 COP 1.9M

453.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.22

10.43

-40.36%

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

Last update for Buford, GA: August 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,440 in Buford, GA and $952 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buford, GA pays 454% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74.0 in Buford, GA vs $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $297 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Buford, GA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buford, GA and Medellin differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($2,253 vs $1,687 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 454% higher in Buford, GA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,440 in Buford, GA versus $952 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Buford, GA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,253 per month in Buford, GA versus $1,687 in Medellin – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,687 in Medellin versus $2,253 in Buford, GA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Buford, GA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Buford, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.