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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,110 in Burrel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,663 in Burrel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,216 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 23% lower, Burrel 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$9.50 ALL 775

-35.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$36.36 ALL 2,965

-10.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.04 ALL 574

4.26%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.90 ALL 155

-9.47%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.64 ALL 134

-35.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.80 ALL 65.4

-3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.38 ALL 194

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.25 ALL 265

-2.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.03 ALL 165

-48.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.93 ALL 75.9

39.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.96 ALL 160

-28.57%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.91 ALL 238

-25.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.08 ALL 822

-56.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$8.01 ALL 653

-26.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.42 ALL 1,094

-35.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.86 ALL 151

22.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.46 ALL 200

-54.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.72 ALL 140

-11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.38 ALL 113

-2.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.04 ALL 84.9

8.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.18 ALL 96.4

-4.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.09 ALL 88.8

-22.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.76 ALL 62.4

19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.04 ALL 329

-42.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.15 ALL 827

21.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.72 ALL 140

-30.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.82 ALL 148

36.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.45 ALL 36.55

86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$19.08 ALL 1,556

112.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.47 ALL 283

-59.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.18 ALL 259

-39.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$17.75 ALL 1,448

-56.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.10 ALL 171

-52.86%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$34.8K ALL 2.8M

-48.17%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

6.95%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$66.2 ALL 5,396

22.14%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.70 ALL 1,444

-43.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$15.69 ALL 1,280

54.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$56.0 ALL 4,566

-55.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$25.08 ALL 2,046

-23.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$8.12 ALL 662

-50.99%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$95.2 ALL 7,767

220.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$46.43 ALL 3,787

25.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$52.3 ALL 4,268

-38.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$95.1 ALL 7,755

5.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$144 ALL 11.8K

-25.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$449 ALL 36.6K

6.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$337 ALL 27.5K

11.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$619 ALL 50.5K

36.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$438 ALL 35.7K

66.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,793 ALL 146.2K

79.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,237 ALL 100.9K

10.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Burrel: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $449 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 $36.00 in Burrel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $249 – 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,665 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 $305 per month in Medellin and $95.2 in Burrel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $1,031, than in Burrel at $1,110. 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 $1,031 versus $1,110 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.