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: $3,079 in Burlington, VT versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,226 in Burlington, VT versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,373 in Burlington, VT versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Burlington, VT is roughly 207% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Burlington, VT is 131% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$5.91 COP 18.6K

249.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 $81.3

$32.96 COP 103.8K

146.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 $11.32

$7.43 COP 23.4K

52.36%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$1.65 COP 5,207

207.88%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$1.10 COP 3,468

130.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.78 COP 2,458

188.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 $7.13

$1.72 COP 5,412

314.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 $7.83

$3.18 COP 10.0K

146.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.10 COP 3,474

8.18%

White Bread (500g)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.26 COP 3,962

233.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$1.38 COP 4,349

295.65%

Eggs

$4.52 $4.52

$2.18 COP 6,858

107.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.75 $13.75

$4.49 COP 14.1K

206.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.87 $10.87

$5.79 COP 18.2K

87.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 $13.48

$8.97 COP 28.2K

50.28%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$2.32 COP 7,308

149.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.06 COP 3,352

83.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$1.52 COP 4,774

266.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$1.36 COP 4,270

399.26%

Potato (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$1.13 COP 3,552

309.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.17 COP 3,689

219.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$0.90 COP 2,838

218.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.90 COP 2,823

8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$2.23 COP 7,034

446.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 $12.58

$12.12 COP 38.2K

3.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.19 COP 3,743

42.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.48 COP 7,815

17.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.85 COP 2,687

141.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.91 $49.91

$41.62 COP 131.0K

19.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.42 COP 4,459

80.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.95 COP 6,141

-12.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.25 $28.25

$7.89 COP 24.8K

258.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.99 COP 3,118

-12.12%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

70.78%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-5.40%

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

$190 $190

$83.0 COP 261.4K

128.62%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$9.70 COP 30.5K

490.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 $61.1

$23.52 COP 74.1K

159.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.8 $75.8

$25.26 COP 79.5K

199.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$19.10 COP 60.1K

46.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 $11.96

$3.95 COP 12.4K

202.78%

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

$1,267 $1,267

$316 COP 994.2K

301.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K $12.2K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

103.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 $62.3

$60.0 COP 188.9K

3.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 $29.83

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-6.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.1 $54.1

$102 COP 320.1K

-46.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 $90.3

$107 COP 338.3K

-15.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 $1,784

$475 COP 1.5M

275.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 $1,821

$374 COP 1.2M

386.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,972 $2,972

$849 COP 2.7M

249.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 $2,374

$719 COP 2.3M

230.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,875 $3,875

$3,265 COP 10.3M

18.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,355 $3,355

$1,441 COP 4.5M

132.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,627 $4,627

$624 COP 2.0M

640.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

13.43

-52.12%

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

Last update for Burlington, VT: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,784 in Burlington, VT and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burlington, VT pays 641% 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 $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $193 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, Getting Around. The 207% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 641% 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: $1,784 in Burlington, VT versus $475 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 20% less than in Burlington, VT. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,267 in Burlington, VT versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $3,079 in Burlington, VT, a $1,500 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 207% less than in Burlington, VT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.