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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,076 in Burlington, VT versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,879 in Burlington, VT versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,683 in Burlington, VT versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Burlington, VT is roughly 83% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Burlington, VT 125% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.88 $21.88

$8.02 COP 25.4K

172.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 $81.0

$47.87 COP 152.0K

69.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.94 $11.94

$9.89 COP 31.4K

20.73%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$3.13 COP 9,937

61.66%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$1.91 COP 6,058

58.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.51 COP 4,794

56.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 $7.80

$3.12 COP 9,917

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.59 $8.59

$5.75 COP 18.3K

49.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.44 COP 4,587

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.49 COP 7,894

75.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$1.77 COP 5,631

207.34%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$2.96 COP 9,396

46.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.79 $13.79

$10.07 COP 32.0K

36.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.29 $12.29

$10.12 COP 32.1K

21.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.97 $12.97

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-9.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.14 COP 13.1K

8.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.61 COP 5,106

15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.25 COP 7,129

-4.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$2.25 COP 7,150

188.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.04 COP 6,486

81.37%

Onion (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.54 COP 4,873

164.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.17 COP 3,715

151.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.31 COP 4,148

-25.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.77 $11.77

$3.90 COP 12.4K

201.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.39 $12.39

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-11.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.74 COP 5,534

-2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.87 COP 9,112

-29.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.22 COP 3,858

110.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.16 $49.16

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-38.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.31 COP 4,155

101.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.19 COP 6,944

-19.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.47 $27.47

$8.71 COP 27.7K

215.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.37 COP 4,334

-26.28%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

29.30%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-29.09%

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

$196 $196

$177 COP 562.9K

10.43%

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

$54.6 $54.6

$13.88 COP 44.1K

293.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 $61.5

$29.72 COP 94.4K

106.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 $69.2

$44.88 COP 142.5K

54.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.50 $28.50

$17.12 COP 54.4K

66.47%

Cinema Ticket

$12.24 $12.24

$6.65 COP 21.1K

84.06%

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

$1,279 $1,279

$813 COP 2.6M

57.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

30.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 $53.2

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-40.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.65 $29.65

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-49.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.5 $54.5

$138 COP 438.8K

-60.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 $91.1

$102 COP 324.2K

-10.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,903 $1,903

$1,062 COP 3.4M

79.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$663 COP 2.1M

167.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,344 $4,344

$1,888 COP 6.0M

130.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,600 $3,600

$1,027 COP 3.3M

250.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,929 $3,929

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-6.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,425 $3,425

$1,675 COP 5.3M

104.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,546 $4,546

$678 COP 2.2M

570.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

10.94

-42.60%

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

Last update for Burlington, VT: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,903 in Burlington, VT and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burlington, VT pays 571% 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: $81.0 in Burlington, VT vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $305 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

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

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 571% higher in Burlington, VT, 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: $1,903 in Burlington, VT versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 64% less than in Burlington, VT. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,279 in Burlington, VT versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $3,076 in Burlington, VT, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Burlington, VT. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Burlington, VT, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Burlington, VT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.