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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $825 in Pleven, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,299 in Pleven, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,772 in Pleven, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Pleven, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Pleven are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Pleven 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.73 BGN 14.59

-32.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$31.18 BGN 52.1

5.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.53 BGN 10.91

10.26%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.86 BGN 3.11

-8.60%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.34 BGN 2.23

-17.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.69 BGN 1.15

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.16 BGN 1.93

43.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.12 BGN 3.54

46.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.52 BGN 2.53

-30.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.77 BGN 1.29

62.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.49 BGN 2.49

-6.71%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.19 BGN 3.67

3.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.82 BGN 14.74

-50.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.59 BGN 12.67

-23.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.80 BGN 14.70

0.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.29 BGN 2.15

73.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.72 BGN 2.88

-37.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.88 BGN 3.13

-18.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.17 BGN 3.62

-36.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.00 BGN 1.67

13.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.81 BGN 1.35

38.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.62 BGN 1.03

37.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.70 BGN 1.17

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.60 BGN 6.01

-35.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.66 BGN 11.12

67.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.79 BGN 1.32

50.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.23 BGN 2.06

92.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.86 BGN 1.43

-8.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$41.83 BGN 69.9

-1.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.39 BGN 2.31

3.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.71 BGN 1.18

169.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$11.60 BGN 19.37

-30.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.54 BGN 2.56

-38.96%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$25.2K BGN 42.2K

-29.02%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$17.9K BGN 29.9K

49.66%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$98.8 BGN 165

-15.02%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$14.84 BGN 24.78

-35.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$11.04 BGN 18.43

118.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$26.09 BGN 43.57

-0.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$15.06 BGN 25.15

26.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$8.04 BGN 13.43

-51.24%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$236 BGN 395

29.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,395 BGN 3,999

147.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$37.81 BGN 63.2

53.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$19.40 BGN 32.39

64.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$75.9 BGN 127

31.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$74.9 BGN 125

43.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$350 BGN 584

39.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$179 BGN 299

105.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$584 BGN 975

41.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$338 BGN 564

111.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,477 BGN 2,466

98.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,183 BGN 1,975

18.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$970 BGN 1,621

-43.79%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pleven: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $350 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 78% 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 – $190 in Medellin vs $199 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 25%, 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 $1,238 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $825 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 $825, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.