Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Karlovo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Karlovo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $779 in Karlovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,241 in Karlovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,703 in Karlovo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Karlovo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Karlovo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Karlovo 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.43 BGN 12.41

-20.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$36.05 BGN 60.2

-9.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$9.08 BGN 15.17

-20.70%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.50 BGN 2.51

13.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.12 BGN 1.87

-1.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.71 BGN 1.18

1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.03 BGN 3.39

-17.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.78 BGN 2.98

74.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.19 BGN 1.99

-10.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.89 BGN 1.49

40.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.93 BGN 3.22

-27.98%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.37 BGN 5.63

-32.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$9.53 BGN 15.91

-54.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$8.17 BGN 13.64

-28.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.75 BGN 9.61

53.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.32 BGN 2.21

69.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.07 BGN 3.46

-47.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.05 BGN 3.42

-25.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.18 BGN 3.65

-37.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.49 BGN 0.82

130.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.86 BGN 1.43

30.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.02 BGN 1.70

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.75 BGN 1.26

21.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.51 BGN 5.86

-33.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.83 BGN 9.73

90.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.02 BGN 1.70

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.79 BGN 2.99

32.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.15 BGN 1.92

-31.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$26.95 BGN 45.01

52.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.21 BGN 2.02

19.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.66 BGN 1.11

189.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$13.31 BGN 22.24

-39.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.46 BGN 2.44

-35.62%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$31.7K BGN 53.0K

-43.53%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.8K BGN 43.1K

3.70%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$93.2 BGN 156

-9.93%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$16.33 BGN 27.28

-41.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$13.00 BGN 21.70

85.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$29.20 BGN 48.76

-11.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$14.97 BGN 25.01

27.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.73 BGN 9.56

-31.59%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$233 BGN 390

31.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,072 BGN 6,801

45.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$29.93 BGN 49.98

93.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$11.99 BGN 20.03

165.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$58.1 BGN 97.0

71.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$47.80 BGN 79.8

124.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$293 BGN 489

66.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$198 BGN 330

86.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$478 BGN 798

72.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$355 BGN 593

101.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,528 BGN 2,552

91.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,054 BGN 1,761

33.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$487 BGN 813

12.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.57

193.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Karlovo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $293 in Karlovo. 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 12% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Karlovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $204 – 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 Karlovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,169 in Karlovo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karlovo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Karlovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $233 in Karlovo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Karlovo, where all-in costs run around $779, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Karlovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Karlovo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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