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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $814 in Pleven, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,280 in Pleven, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,745 in Pleven, rent included.

Medellin costs about 26% more than Pleven, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Pleven are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Pleven 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$8.88 BGN 14.76

-32.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$30.99 BGN 51.6

5.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$6.62 BGN 11.02

12.08%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.89 BGN 3.15

-12.70%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$1.29 BGN 2.14

-17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.69 BGN 1.15

10.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.16 BGN 1.92

48.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.02 BGN 3.36

58.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.49 BGN 2.48

-29.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.79 BGN 1.31

65.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.47 BGN 2.45

-8.84%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.20 BGN 3.66

-0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$8.93 BGN 14.85

-50.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$7.28 BGN 12.12

-21.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$8.92 BGN 14.84

-4.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.31 BGN 2.18

78.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.69 BGN 2.81

-34.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.86 BGN 3.10

-18.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$2.12 BGN 3.52

-35.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.01 BGN 1.68

13.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.87 BGN 1.44

35.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.61 BGN 1.01

37.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.70 BGN 1.17

22.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$3.66 BGN 6.08

-38.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$6.46 BGN 10.75

79.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$0.80 BGN 1.33

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.23 BGN 2.04

101.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.92 BGN 1.53

-14.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$40.80 BGN 67.9

0.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.33 BGN 2.21

10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.67 BGN 1.11

186.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$11.67 BGN 19.41

-33.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.48 BGN 2.46

-31.76%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$25.2K BGN 41.9K

-29.91%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$17.8K BGN 29.6K

48.89%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$101 BGN 168

-19.72%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$14.83 BGN 24.67

-36.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$11.07 BGN 18.42

115.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$26.21 BGN 43.61

-0.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$14.84 BGN 24.69

26.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$7.73 BGN 12.86

-47.09%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$235 BGN 390

33.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$2,334 BGN 3,883

158.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$38.14 BGN 63.4

56.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$19.03 BGN 31.66

68.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$77.7 BGN 129

30.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$75.9 BGN 126

38.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$344 BGN 572

41.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$174 BGN 290

109.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$595 BGN 989

39.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$336 BGN 559

117.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,481 BGN 2,465

101.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,145 BGN 1,905

14.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$954 BGN 1,587

-42.27%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Pleven: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $344 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 73% 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 $197 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 26%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,221 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $814 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 $814, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.