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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,778 per month in Burlington vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,107 per month in Burlington vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,436 per month in Burlington vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Burlington costs about 174% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Burlington sits 107% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 CA$28.02

$5.99 COP 21.3K

236.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 CA$104

$32.86 COP 116.9K

126.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$7.09 COP 25.2K

54.58%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.11

$1.71 COP 6,093

114.62%

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

$2.01 CA$2.80

$1.10 COP 3,910

82.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.41

$0.78 COP 2,771

121.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.14

$1.68 COP 5,976

248.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 CA$9.09

$3.07 COP 10.9K

113.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 CA$2.76

$1.09 COP 3,892

82.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$1.26 COP 4,492

143.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.99

$1.38 COP 4,905

212.32%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.43

$2.19 COP 7,799

45.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.98

$4.40 COP 15.7K

210.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 CA$12.72

$5.63 COP 20.0K

62.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.94 CA$30.51

$8.89 COP 31.6K

146.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.81

$2.34 COP 8,319

47.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.06 COP 3,764

33.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$1.50 COP 5,355

148.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.86

$1.38 COP 4,906

152.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.15 COP 4,097

69.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.48

$1.16 COP 4,141

54.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 CA$2.93

$0.89 COP 3,170

135.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$0.84 COP 2,986

138.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.74 CA$20.50

$2.28 COP 8,116

546.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.56

$10.64 COP 37.9K

18.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 CA$3.29

$1.20 COP 4,268

96.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.47 COP 8,793

-5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$0.86 COP 3,045

294.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CA$146

$41.40 COP 147.3K

154.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 CA$3.22

$1.47 COP 5,245

57.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.96 COP 6,984

-13.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.79 CA$60.9

$7.74 COP 27.5K

465.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$0.95 COP 3,397

23.16%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

38.60%

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

$21.4K CA$29.8K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-19.12%

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

$131 CA$182

$82.3 COP 292.7K

58.81%

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

$53.2 CA$74.0

$9.50 COP 33.8K

460.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 CA$86.3

$24.23 COP 86.2K

156.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 CA$63.2

$25.89 COP 92.1K

75.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.28 CA$32.38

$19.00 COP 67.6K

22.53%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 CA$15.60

$3.93 COP 14.0K

185.50%

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

$952 CA$1,324

$309 COP 1.1M

207.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K CA$33.3K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

301.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 CA$86.4

$58.7 COP 208.7K

5.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 CA$96.5

$32.35 COP 115.1K

114.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$122

$103 COP 365.1K

-14.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 CA$189

$108 COP 385.8K

25.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 CA$2,410

$476 COP 1.7M

263.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 CA$2,045

$379 COP 1.3M

288.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 CA$3,671

$838 COP 3.0M

214.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 CA$3,393

$724 COP 2.6M

237.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,745 CA$7,989

$2,791 COP 9.9M

105.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,546 CA$6,322

$1,211 COP 4.3M

275.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,278 CA$4,559

$512 COP 1.8M

540.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

13.43

-52.35%

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

Last update for Burlington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,733 in Burlington versus $476 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 541% higher in Burlington, 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 $74.0 in Burlington versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $188 – 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 vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Burlington is pricier by about 174%, 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 $4,167 per month in Burlington and $1,519 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.

Kindergarten costs $952 per month in Burlington and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 99% more in Burlington, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Burlington at $2,778. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burlington 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, Burlington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.