Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, NC and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, NC and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,620 per month in Burlington, NC vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,784 per month in Burlington, NC vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,948 per month in Burlington, NC vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Burlington, NC costs about 158% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Burlington, NC sits 95% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.26 $19.26

$5.95 COP 20.8K

223.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 $74.2

$33.33 COP 116.3K

122.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 $10.89

$7.23 COP 25.2K

50.62%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$1.63 COP 5,687

204.29%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.09 COP 3,821

128.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.73 COP 2,548

172.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 $6.03

$1.74 COP 6,065

246.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 $7.19

$3.23 COP 11.3K

122.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.05 COP 3,662

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.29 COP 4,515

178.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$1.32 COP 4,617

223.48%

Eggs

$4.20 $4.20

$2.27 COP 7,927

85.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 $12.43

$4.35 COP 15.2K

185.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.38 $11.38

$5.88 COP 20.5K

93.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 $15.66

$8.61 COP 30.0K

81.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.25 COP 7,844

115.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.07 COP 3,733

51.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$1.52 COP 5,322

173.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$1.42 COP 4,964

240.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.17 COP 4,084

138.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.17 COP 4,077

140.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$0.89 COP 3,096

135.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$0.90 COP 3,146

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.87 $9.87

$2.25 COP 7,837

338.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 $13.83

$11.04 COP 38.5K

25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.14 COP 3,977

60.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.38 COP 8,301

40.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.84 COP 2,916

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.41 COP 4,912

145.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.90 COP 6,634

-15.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.65 $28.65

$7.75 COP 27.0K

269.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.01 COP 3,509

-12.87%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

68.35%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-5.16%

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

$187 $187

$83.7 COP 292.1K

123.79%

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

$53.7 $53.7

$9.45 COP 33.0K

468.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$24.11 COP 84.1K

185.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.11 $43.11

$25.31 COP 88.3K

70.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$13.34 $13.34

$4.10 COP 14.3K

225.37%

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

$1,312 $1,312

$312 COP 1.1M

320.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

294.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-11.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.39 $40.39

$32.56 COP 113.6K

24.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-14.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$109 COP 378.8K

3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 $1,574

$482 COP 1.7M

226.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 $1,355

$379 COP 1.3M

256.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,594 $2,594

$837 COP 2.9M

209.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,199 $2,199

$723 COP 2.5M

204.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,724 $2,724

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-4.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,456 $2,456

$1,223 COP 4.3M

100.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

13.43

-51.53%

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

Last update for Burlington, NC: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,574 in Burlington, NC 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Burlington, NC versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 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

Burlington, NC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,620 in Burlington, NC, $1,017 in Medellin – roughly 158% apart. Burlington, NC costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,929 per month in Burlington, NC 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,620 in Burlington, NC and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,312 per month in Burlington, NC and $312 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Burlington, NC at $2,620. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burlington, NC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,017 in Medellin to $2,620 in Burlington, NC. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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