Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pleven Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pleven

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $828 in Pleven, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,306 in Pleven, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,784 in Pleven, rent included.

Medellin costs about 21% more than Pleven, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Pleven are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Pleven 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.07 BGN 15.09

-34.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$30.75 BGN 51.2

7.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.63 BGN 11.03

12.07%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.90 BGN 3.17

-13.16%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.31 BGN 2.18

-16.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.73 BGN 1.22

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.16 BGN 1.94

48.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.07 BGN 3.45

53.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.50 BGN 2.49

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.83 BGN 1.39

51.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.55 BGN 2.58

-10.97%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.27 BGN 3.77

-3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.07 BGN 15.09

-50.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.66 BGN 12.75

-24.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.45 BGN 14.06

6.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.27 BGN 2.12

82.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.66 BGN 2.77

-36.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.82 BGN 3.02

-16.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.15 BGN 3.58

-36.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.02 BGN 1.69

10.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.86 BGN 1.44

36.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.58 BGN 0.96

55.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.70 BGN 1.16

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.73 BGN 6.20

-40.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.44 BGN 10.71

88.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.78 BGN 1.30

52.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.17 BGN 1.95

111.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.85 BGN 1.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$41.21 BGN 68.6

0.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.38 BGN 2.30

2.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.72 BGN 1.20

170.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$11.96 BGN 19.89

-34.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.47 BGN 2.44

-32.65%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$25.4K BGN 42.2K

-30.64%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$17.6K BGN 29.3K

52.33%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$100.0 BGN 166

-16.97%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$14.80 BGN 24.63

-34.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$11.31 BGN 18.81

107.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$26.80 BGN 44.59

-5.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$14.84 BGN 24.68

28.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$8.05 BGN 13.39

-50.93%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$234 BGN 390

34.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$2,404 BGN 3,999

148.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$38.08 BGN 63.4

57.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$19.42 BGN 32.30

63.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$78.1 BGN 130

30.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$73.8 BGN 123

45.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$347 BGN 576

37.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$179 BGN 298

108.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$594 BGN 988

43.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$341 BGN 568

110.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,448 BGN 2,409

125.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,128 BGN 1,876

27.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$930 BGN 1,547

-32.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.4

295.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pleven: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $347 in Pleven. 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 49% higher in Pleven, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Pleven. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $198 in Pleven – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Pleven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 21%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,242 in Pleven. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $31.00 in Pleven. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $828 in Pleven. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pleven, where all-in costs run around $828, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Pleven it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pleven – 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 Pleven. 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.