Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kardzhali

For one person, living is cheaper in Kardzhali: $651 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Kardzhali, Bulgaria
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Kardzhali
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$651
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Kardzhali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Kardzhali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $651 in Kardzhali, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Kardzhali $651

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,068 in Kardzhali, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Kardzhali $1,068

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,484 in Kardzhali, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Kardzhali $1,484

Medellin costs about 152% more than Kardzhali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Kardzhali is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kardzhali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.4K
$11.02 BGN 19.40
-26.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.0K
$23.11 BGN 40.68
103.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.9K
$8.87 BGN 15.61
7.10%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,485
$1.12 BGN 1.97
168.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$1.06 BGN 1.86
69.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,443
$0.74 BGN 1.30
90.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,990
$1.59 BGN 2.79
100.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
$1.33 BGN 2.34
332.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kardzhali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,751
$1.69 BGN 2.98
-10.65%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,480
$0.72 BGN 1.26
230.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,573
$1.51 BGN 2.65
17.22%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,093
$2.83 BGN 4.98
2.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.1K
$10.21 BGN 17.97
-0.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.1K
$5.53 BGN 9.74
78.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.0K
$6.58 BGN 11.59
112.61%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.5K
$0.84 BGN 1.47
372.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,883
$1.97 BGN 3.46
-21.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,867
$1.87 BGN 3.30
16.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,870
$2.20 BGN 3.88
-0.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,174
$0.69 BGN 1.22
184.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,000
$1.31 BGN 2.30
21.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,604
$0.67 BGN 1.18
71.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$0.75 BGN 1.32
65.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$3.56 BGN 6.26
11.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.0K
$4.38 BGN 7.71
212.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,221
$1.00 BGN 1.76
66.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,103
$1.41 BGN 2.49
60.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kardzhali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,674
$0.55 BGN 0.96
112.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 243.4K
$11.11 BGN 19.55
596.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,989
$1.71 BGN 3.01
-25.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,442
$0.71 BGN 1.24
188.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.9K
$5.44 BGN 9.57
57.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,237
$1.62 BGN 2.86
-16.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.2M
$30.2K BGN 53.2K
12.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$24.0K BGN 42.3K
44.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kardzhali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 533.7K
$61.4 BGN 108
176.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.6K
$5.56 BGN 9.79
143.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.3K
$7.88 BGN 13.88
256.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kardzhali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 137.5K
$22.90 BGN 40.31
90.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.1K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.7K
$8.76 BGN 15.42
-21.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kardzhali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$230 BGN 404
247.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.7M
$14.6K BGN 25.8K
-37.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kardzhali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 266.5K
$22.89 BGN 40.28
270.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 182.3K
$12.69 BGN 22.34
356.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 424.6K
$46.21 BGN 81.3
192.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 307.9K
$74.9 BGN 132
30.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kardzhali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$115 BGN 202
950.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$114 BGN 200
464.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$232 BGN 408
774.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$274 BGN 481
269.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.1M
$1,141 BGN 2,009
265.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$855 BGN 1,505
123.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kardzhali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$1,287 BGN 2,264
-48.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.25
236.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kardzhali: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Kardzhali
$114 82.3% $528
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Kardzhali
$187 37% $110
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Kardzhali
$75 64.6% $136
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Kardzhali
$146 13.9% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Kardzhali
$71 58.3% $98
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Kardzhali
$19 80.2% $75
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Kardzhali
$40 29.7% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $115 in Kardzhali. 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 96% higher in Kardzhali, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $23 in Kardzhali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $187 – making Kardzhali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇧🇬 Kardzhali
🕒 Local time
17:27 5:27 PM
00:27 12:27 AM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
49,421
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.76 BGN (1 BGN = 0.568 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Kardzhali 10,450 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Kardzhali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kardzhali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Kardzhali?
Medellin costs about 152% more than Kardzhali, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin and in Kardzhali?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $976 in Kardzhali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Medellin or Kardzhali?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kardzhali, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $115 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Kardzhali?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $651 in Kardzhali. That makes Kardzhali about 60% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Medellin compared to Kardzhali?
Public transport costs about 86% less in Kardzhali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $800/month in Medellin or in Kardzhali?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kardzhali, where all-in costs run around $651, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Kardzhali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Kardzhali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Kardzhali is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 60% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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