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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,214 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,882 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,551 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Plovdiv, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Plovdiv is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$9.17 BGN 15.25

-12.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$46.82 BGN 77.9

2.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.19 BGN 16.95

-2.94%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.97 BGN 4.94

5.39%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.68 BGN 2.80

13.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.57 BGN 2.61

-3.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.69 BGN 4.47

15.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.08 BGN 6.78

40.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.83 BGN 3.04

-21.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.25 BGN 2.07

99.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.34 BGN 3.89

-24.36%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.77 BGN 6.27

-21.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$12.15 BGN 20.22

-17.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$8.64 BGN 14.37

17.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$14.71 BGN 24.48

-2.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.68 BGN 2.80

146.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.87 BGN 3.12

-13.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.05 BGN 3.40

9.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.74 BGN 4.56

-17.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.08 BGN 1.79

88.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.12 BGN 1.86

37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.20 BGN 2.00

-2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.74 BGN 1.24

77.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.06 BGN 6.76

-3.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$6.60 BGN 10.98

112.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.18 BGN 1.96

47.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.12 BGN 3.52

35.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.61 BGN 1.01

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$30.00 BGN 49.90

168.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.28 BGN 2.14

2.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.62 BGN 1.03

253.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$10.79 BGN 17.95

-19.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.63 BGN 2.71

-15.95%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$31.2K BGN 51.9K

-10.83%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$25.2K BGN 41.9K

42.06%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$117 BGN 194

51.75%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$19.07 BGN 31.73

-27.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$16.19 BGN 26.93

83.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$41.94 BGN 69.8

7.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$20.99 BGN 34.91

-18.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$9.23 BGN 15.35

-27.95%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$531 BGN 883

53.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,699 BGN 9,480

61.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$70.7 BGN 118

26.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$43.62 BGN 72.6

35.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$99.7 BGN 166

38.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$108 BGN 180

-5.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$547 BGN 911

93.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$399 BGN 663

66.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$902 BGN 1,501

109.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$685 BGN 1,139

50.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,348 BGN 3,907

78.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,591 BGN 2,647

5.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,203 BGN 2,001

-43.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.1

252.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $547 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 77% higher in Plovdiv, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $47.00 in Plovdiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $263 – making Plovdiv 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,821 in Plovdiv. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Plovdiv, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $47.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,214 in Plovdiv. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Plovdiv, where all-in costs run around $1,214, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Plovdiv it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Plovdiv – 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 Plovdiv. 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.