Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Burrel Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Burrel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,095 in Burrel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,651 in Burrel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,206 in Burrel, rent included.

Medellin is about 7% cheaper than Burrel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Burrel are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Burrel 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$9.57 ALL 783

-37.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$37.18 ALL 3,042

-11.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.21 ALL 590

-1.66%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.93 ALL 158

-11.40%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.60 ALL 131

-31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.80 ALL 65.4

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.30 ALL 188

-26.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.31 ALL 271

-7.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.04 ALL 167

-46.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.86 ALL 70.4

46.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.01 ALL 164

-31.34%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.05 ALL 249

-28.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.73 ALL 796

-54.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.77 ALL 636

-27.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$13.16 ALL 1,077

-32.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.89 ALL 155

23.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.37 ALL 194

-55.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.71 ALL 140

-12.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.40 ALL 114

-1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.05 ALL 86.3

9.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.19 ALL 97.6

-2.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.10 ALL 90.2

-19.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.73 ALL 59.8

15.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.04 ALL 330

-43.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$10.25 ALL 838

3.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.73 ALL 142

-30.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.81 ALL 148

36.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.49 ALL 39.92

75.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$19.05 ALL 1,558

117.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$3.45 ALL 283

-57.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$3.05 ALL 250

-35.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$17.84 ALL 1,459

-56.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$2.16 ALL 177

-56.02%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$34.9K ALL 2.9M

-47.98%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$25.0K ALL 2.0M

5.77%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$68.2 ALL 5,580

20.58%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.36 ALL 1,420

-45.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$15.85 ALL 1,296

52.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$54.9 ALL 4,493

-52.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$25.41 ALL 2,079

-25.23%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$8.47 ALL 693

-53.60%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$93.6 ALL 7,655

230.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$47.01 ALL 3,846

24.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$54.0 ALL 4,419

-40.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$93.8 ALL 7,677

9.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$143 ALL 11.7K

-24.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$451 ALL 36.9K

5.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$347 ALL 28.4K

9.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$602 ALL 49.2K

39.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$432 ALL 35.4K

67.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,991 ALL 162.9K

40.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,318 ALL 107.8K

-8.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

235.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Burrel: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $451 in Burrel. 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Burrel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $246 – 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

Medellin vs Burrel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burrel costs about 8% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,642 in Burrel. 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 $309 per month in Medellin and $93.6 in Burrel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Burrel, 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 Burrel at $1,095. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burrel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $1,095 in Burrel. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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