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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,724 per month in Burlington vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,059 per month in Burlington vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,393 per month in Burlington vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 CA$28.18

$6.16 COP 20.1K

225.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 CA$103

$32.60 COP 106.1K

123.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.34

$7.34 COP 23.9K

48.50%

Cappuccino

$3.66 CA$5.15

$1.72 COP 5,599

112.79%

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

$1.94 CA$2.73

$1.05 COP 3,420

84.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$0.77 COP 2,515

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 CA$8.40

$1.69 COP 5,487

253.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.36

$3.17 COP 10.3K

109.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 CA$2.91

$1.05 COP 3,423

97.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 CA$4.26

$1.30 COP 4,236

133.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.17

$1.40 COP 4,544

212.86%

Eggs

$3.03 CA$4.26

$2.16 COP 7,046

40.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.32

$4.39 COP 14.3K

212.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 CA$12.51

$5.88 COP 19.1K

51.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.96 CA$30.90

$8.64 COP 28.1K

154.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.87

$2.28 COP 7,425

51.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.11 COP 3,603

25.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.12

$1.53 COP 4,982

137.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.00

$1.35 COP 4,410

163.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.13 COP 3,674

72.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.13 COP 3,692

58.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CA$3.10

$0.85 COP 2,753

158.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 CA$2.89

$0.91 COP 2,975

126.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$2.34 COP 7,629

540.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 CA$17.30

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-0.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$1.20 COP 3,909

105.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.15

$2.49 COP 8,104

-10.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.24 CA$4.55

$0.84 COP 2,727

285.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 CA$146

$40.57 COP 132.1K

155.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 CA$3.29

$1.42 COP 4,623

64.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.42

$1.92 COP 6,235

-10.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.29 CA$62.3

$7.66 COP 24.9K

478.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.63

$0.99 COP 3,223

17.17%

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

$25.0K CA$35.2K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

38.74%

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

$21.6K CA$30.4K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-18.87%

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

$133 CA$187

$80.8 COP 263.1K

64.55%

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

$53.1 CA$74.8

$9.95 COP 32.4K

433.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 CA$86.6

$24.18 COP 78.7K

154.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 CA$65.9

$25.08 COP 81.6K

86.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.90 CA$32.22

$19.15 COP 62.3K

19.58%

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 CA$15.41

$3.98 COP 13.0K

175.13%

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

$947 CA$1,332

$305 COP 993.4K

210.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K CA$34.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

306.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 CA$86.7

$58.1 COP 189.2K

5.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.5 CA$96.4

$32.20 COP 104.8K

112.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 CA$122

$101 COP 327.9K

-13.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 CA$193

$108 COP 350.8K

27.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,716 CA$2,414

$477 COP 1.6M

259.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 CA$2,083

$376 COP 1.2M

293.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,722 CA$3,830

$845 COP 2.7M

222.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,436 CA$3,427

$730 COP 2.4M

233.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,331 CA$7,502

$3,215 COP 10.5M

65.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,338 CA$6,104

$1,372 COP 4.5M

216.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,413 CA$4,802

$617 COP 2.0M

453.29%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,716 in Burlington versus $477 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 453% 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 $73.0 in Burlington versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 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

Burlington vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Burlington 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 $4,086 per month in Burlington and $1,546 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 $947 per month in Burlington and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 94% 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 $1,031, than in Burlington at $2,724. 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.