Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Plovdiv Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Plovdiv

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,079 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,702 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,325 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Plovdiv, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Plovdiv are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Plovdiv 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.83 BGN 14.69

-32.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$47.68 BGN 79.3

-30.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.74 BGN 14.54

-17.28%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.45 BGN 4.08

-33.47%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.50 BGN 2.49

-27.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.85 BGN 1.41

-14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.02 BGN 5.02

-42.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.92 BGN 4.86

10.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.80 BGN 3.00

-41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.01 BGN 1.69

27.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.10 BGN 3.50

-37.14%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.41 BGN 5.67

-33.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.58 BGN 19.27

-62.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.71 BGN 12.82

-23.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.19 BGN 20.28

-29.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.58 BGN 2.63

42.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.76 BGN 2.93

-39.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.62 BGN 2.69

-6.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.43 BGN 4.05

-41.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.98 BGN 1.63

19.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.15 BGN 1.92

1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.09 BGN 1.82

-18.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.82 BGN 1.36

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.48 BGN 5.78

-35.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.94 BGN 9.89

85.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.07 BGN 1.79

6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.80 BGN 2.99

32.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.60 BGN 1.00

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$28.43 BGN 47.30

47.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.21 BGN 2.02

16.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.64 BGN 1.07

196.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$10.74 BGN 17.87

-27.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.59 BGN 2.65

-36.48%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$32.3K BGN 53.8K

-45.60%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.5K BGN 47.5K

-7.14%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$94.3 BGN 157

-11.27%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$18.13 BGN 30.17

-47.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$15.02 BGN 24.99

60.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$37.21 BGN 61.9

-31.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$14.90 BGN 24.78

28.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$8.89 BGN 14.79

-53.88%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$416 BGN 692

-25.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,099 BGN 11.8K

-15.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$60.4 BGN 100

-3.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$35.87 BGN 59.7

-9.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$100 BGN 167

-0.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$107 BGN 177

1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$471 BGN 784

2.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$335 BGN 557

13.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$835 BGN 1,390

0.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$612 BGN 1,018

18.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,324 BGN 3,866

22.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,559 BGN 2,593

-21.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,160 BGN 1,930

-53.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.49

199.11%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $471 in Plovdiv. 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 114% higher in Plovdiv, 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 $48.00 in Plovdiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $237 – 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 Plovdiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Plovdiv is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,619 in Plovdiv. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Plovdiv. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $1,079 in Plovdiv. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Plovdiv at $1,079. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plovdiv it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Plovdiv makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.